Legal Traps?

[mrcharly]

I've never tried this trap, just read about it in Australia.

This is for catching ducks.

Find water frequented by ducks, with banks. Farm dams, rivers and small creeks work. Dig a trench back from water's edge, just wide enough for a duck, at least 2ft long and 18" deep. Place small amount of grain at end of trench.

Theory goes that a duck goes into the trench and can't walk back out. They aren't good at walking backwards, and their feathers catch.

 

[wattsy]

Wrong

It is part of the legislation which covers snaring used in England, Wales and Scotland. Scotland has further legislation. Last time I checked we were still part of Britain.



Wrong again. It is an offence to set a snare where it is calculated to catch a schedule 6 animal. Catching a schedule 6 animal in a snare is NOT an offence provided it wasn’t the intention and was released.

Your post is a direct lift from legislation but your summation is incorrect (even without the Scottish references)

I’m not being pedantic. Wording in wildlife legislation when it comes to prosecutions is VERY specific and can make the difference in the outcome.

Cheers
Craig

you are being pedantic quarry species don't live next to predator species. catching a badger in the middle of a field half a mile from a badger set is a mistake and can be argued as such whereas a snare set next to a badger sett is never going to be seen as accidental. proving intention is very hard unless the snare is set in locations unlikely to catch non-target species.

everything above the space in my earlier post was a direct lift from an anti-snaring website and not my words, and simply putting 'wrong' after a quote is offensive. the use of snares in britain IS covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 the Snares (Scotland) Order 2010 is an amendment to that act specific to Scotland

 

[Bothwell_Craig]

you are being pedantic quarry species don't live next to predator species. catching a badger in the middle of a field half a mile from a badger set is a mistake and can be argued as such whereas a snare set next to a badger sett is never going to be seen as accidental. proving intention is very hard unless the snare is set in locations unlikely to catch non-target species.

everything above the space in my earlier post was a direct lift from an anti-snaring website and not my words, and simply putting 'wrong' after a quote is offensive. the use of snares in britain IS covered by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 the Snares (Scotland) Order 2010 is an amendment to that act specific to Scotland

Sorry if you find it offensive (you dont really do you? I thought we were all big boys and girls here).....but whilst I acknowledged that it was a direct lift from legislation. It was your summation that was wrong.

Also, Snares (Scotland) Order is not an amendment to the WCA, it's separate legislation.

Further still, foxes do on occasion live in badger setts. They will share a sett quite happily. Indeed a case in Scotland in relation to setting a dog down a sett was lost on definition of the word "active" in relation to the sett just a few months ago when the Sheriff ruled in favour of the three accused.

On the subject of being pedantic, I'll again reiterate I am not. I am being specific, as is the wording in the legislation.

My problem is that a lot of "experts" throw about their own interpretation of the law as fact and despite the disclaimer at the start of this particular forum, they and others reading will see it as so because "that's they way we've done it for years". That's not just amateur enthusiasts I'm talking about either, that's professionals in the field of animal management / pest control who SHOULD know better.

Please trust me when I say that wildlife legislation can be an absolute minefield and should, in the opinions of many practitioners, be ripped up and started all over again. Amendments, on top of amendments on top of amendments to legislation has created a quagmire of confusion that can take days to sift through to find the terms of an actual offence committed or whether or not the person was legally entitled to do so. Normally however it comes down to the fact that legislative wording is so imprecise that the chance of successful prosecution of quite serious offences is highly improbable.

I'll go and bang my head silently against a wall some more I think (don't worry, it's not because of you, I do this daily now!)

Craig

 

[santaman2000]

Dead fall traps come under Section 1 of the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996

viz:

If, save as permitted by this Act, any person mutilates, kicks, beats, nails or otherwise impales, stabs, burns, stones, crushes, drowns, drags or asphyxiates any wild mammal with intent to inflict unnecessary suffering he shall be guilty of an offence.

Sticky traps and snap traps for sale? Can I have a link please. Whilst gin and pole traps are still available to purchase "online" they are illegal to use.
Are the "snap traps" you refer to Fenn traps?

It is also an offence to set snares on land without permission and again, there is specific legislation in relation to the setting of snares.

I think he means the mouse or rat traps use inside your house.

 

[Hazmat]

When I was young (many many moons ago) one of the things I liked about bush craft was going out using simple methods to catch my dinner be it fish, fowl, Grey squirrel, or rabbit.
By simple I mean air gun, snares, hobo fishing, and the occasional trap for squirrel, etc.
Then, as the years have passed, legislation has been brought in (largely on the back of misinformed public opinion and stupid government departments) that effectively prevents people like bush craft devotees from keeping ancient skills alive.
Why is it that some people get so steamed up about it all? Quoting and arguing endlessly about law and legislation to what end?????

A good bushman, countryman, off grid tree hugger, or whatever today's 'buzz' word is for what we do, leaves no mark of his being or what he has been doing.

So, on paper, here, on the forum, I'll follow the rule of law but, as one old poacher told me, "there's real world and there's DEFRA's world".

Lets not forget, a lot of bush craft is about survival techniques and should 'TEOTHAWKI' occur (got to love those acronyms) or even worse Tesco stop being 24 hours, whether or not a snare has a stop in it or a figure 4 trap a CE stamp on it will be totally irrelevant as I and other bush craft devotees will eat that night and for many nights to come.
Amen.
Paul

 

[shamal]

Over the years I have caught pheasants and such on my fishing line by threading raisins on and tethering one end down,, a 3lb line is sufficeint finding said game later even lying in wait but maybe this is now frowned upon.

By the way i agree with Hazmat

 

[Bothwell_Craig]

Quoting and arguing endlessly about law and legislation to what end?????
Paul

To stop people unintentionally breaking the law perhaps??

 

[mrmike]

If you are going to try trapping grey squirrels in a non cage trap (wire snare, deadfall etc etc) DO NOT DO IT ANYWHERE THAT RED SQUIRRELS ARE PRESENT!!!! To do so would be severely negligent and you may have to suffer the penalties.

If you are setting rabbit snares and manage to catch one, think about how you are going to dispatch it. Either shoot it in the head or, if you dont have a gun, pick it up by the back legs and and hit it on the back of the head with a stout heavy stick.
If you have to hit it more than once it can be argued that you are causing unnecessary suffering and are liable to prosecution.
I use the thick end of a pool cue (my work involves animal dispatch) and works every time.

 

[TrapWorks]

Hello all, I am David from TrapWorks, I found this link when going through my google statistics.

If I may make one or two clarifications and suggestions I hope no one minds.

With regards to snaring rabbits; In Scotland a 'deer stop' is required by law, this has nothing to do with the target animal but is to protect deer from becoming leg snared (not preventing their capture, but allowing the animal to escape uninjured.) In the rest of Britain (to date), no deer stop is legally required. If you require the animal you capture to be alive upon discovery (in this case a rabbit), then a stop should be fitted to prevent the noose from fully closing and therefore choking the animal. This has the added benefit of keeping the quarry fresh until humane dispatch. You can also use a breakaway snare which increases the chance of any non target animals escaping unharmed.

Now a word regarding snaring best practice as laid down by Defra or Natural England. Their recommendations for noose size and setting height MUST be ignored, and also their recommended deer stop setting distance, these are recommendations by them only and not the law (except the deer stop.)

Using a small noose limits the snares catching capabilities and setting too low only encourages the capture of non target species such as hedgehogs, pheasants, partridges, etc. The correct setting for rabbit snares is a large noose 7.5 x 5.5 inches and set no lower (on short grass) than 6.5 inches high.

The size covers all sizes of rabbit run and the height allows a lot no non target species to pass under the snare unharmed. ALL snares should be free running and not locking, in fact, rabbit snares are 'loaded' so that the snare springs back into the open position until a capture is made.

Field craft should tell you which rabbit runs are being used frequently and once discovered the snare should be placed on a small beat on a straight part of the run on open ground with no chance of entanglement. Setting three snares in this manner (with practice) should ensure at least two rabbits in the pot.

I hope this info helps and would be happy to answer any ones questions on humane snaring and trapping.

One last thought. Snaring and trapping any wild animal on land not belonging to you requires the permission of either the land owner, tenant farmer, land manager or gamekeeper.

All the best to all

David

TrapWorks

 

[retired member need4wilderness]

I believe as humans we progress & with all the info out their now we should be using the appropiate traps & snares for the sake off the animal suffering less. lets not forget its a breathing creature. But as our right to surviving on meat we should never be stoped for continuing hunting !