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| The Shooting And Hunting Law |
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The Airgun Shooters' Code by the british airgun shooters association (basa)
* Never point your airgun at anyone
* Always check that your airgun is not loaded when you first pick it up
* Always treat your airgun like it is loaded even when you know it is not
* Never shoot on land where you do not have permission to shoot
* Always ensure that its safe to shoot before you fire the first shot
* Never point your airgun that isnt safe to shoot at
* Always use a safe, large backstop to catch your pellets- and pay due attention to whats behind, should you miss the backstop
* Never leave your air gun unattended even if it isn't cocked and loaded
* Always your airgun and pellets separatly and securley so that no unauthorised person can use them
* Know and abide by the laws relating to airguns
Shooting In Your Garden:
Its 100% legal to shoot your airgun in your garden, as long as your pellets stay within the boundry of your garden. You will be breaking the law even if 1 of your pellets crosses the boundry of your garden or where you do not have the permission to shoot
If you do not want to break the law, When shooting i would use a large sturdy backstop and make sure it is capable of stopping every single shot that you fire. You could use wood or rubber but they are not quite and efficient, i would use layers of dry cardboard, newspapers and simular absorbant material.
Shooting In The Field:
You may only shoot on land where you have full permission. It is best that when you shooting you carry written permission from the owner of the land or the legal tenant. and insurance incase for come across the pigs as they will mess you around if you dont have your papers.
The same rule applys as in the garden, if your pellets cross the boundries of where you do not have permission to shoot you are breaking the law.
You may legally shoot the following vermin species with your air rifle; carrion crow, magpie, jay, woodpigeon, ferel pidgeon, collared dove, squirrel, rabbit and brown rat. Other spicies such as sparrows, starlings, herring gulls plus the lesser and greater black back gulls are also considered vermin but the control of them is best left to proffesionals.
All other Spicies of animal are protected by the wildlife and countryside act 1981 or unsuitable quarry for your airgun to shoot. Remember- you should not shoot vermin just becuase you have the legel right to do so. pests should only be delt with once they become a problem and they sould be depatched instantly and humanly.
Young Shooters:
It is illegle for a person under 17 to by an airgun or ammunition for one. When you are 14 or over you are legally allowed to shoot unsupervised on private land where you have legal permission to do so , and you may be given an airgun as a present, prefrebly by a parent or gardian.
If you are under 14 you are not allowed to own or be given an air rifle - and you can only shoot when you under FULL supervision by some one who is 21 or over.
Shooting On Common Land:
It is illegle to shoot on any land, including common land or land covered by water, without the full permission of the person that owns the land or the legal tenant. If you do not obey this law you can be charged with armed tresspass, and the penalties can be sevre.
Airgun Power:
In the UK your will require a firearms citificate (FAC) for any air rifle exeeds the legal limit of 12 ft. Ibs of muzzle energy. You do not need any licience for an airgun under 12 ft. Ibs. It is illegle to own an air PISTOL with muzzle energy of OVER 6 ft. Ibs. You do not neeed a licience for an air pistol with muzzle energy of 6ft. Ibs or below.
Seasons Of Legal Quarry Spicies:
Capercaillie
October 1 - January 31
Black grouse
August 20 - December 10
Red Grouse
Great Britain: August 12 - December 10
Northen Ireland: August 12 - November 30
Ptarmigan
August 12 - December 10
Pheasant
Great Britain: October 1 - February 1
Northen Ireland: October 1 - February 21
( cocks only - hen pheasants may be shot under licience obtainable from the dept. of the environment, countryside and wildlife branch)
Red Legged Partridge
September 1 - Febraury 1
(Northern ireland: May only be shot under licience obtainable from the dept. of enviroment - countryside and wildlife branch)
Grey Partridge
Great Britain: September 1 - February 1
Northern Ireland: Fully Protected
Woodcock
Scotland: september 1 - January 31
Elsewhere: October 1 - January 1
Snipe
Great Britain: August 12 - January 31
Northern Ireland: September 1 - January 31
Jack Snipe:
Great Britain: Fully Protected
Northern Ireland: September 1 - January 31
Curlew:
Great Britain: Fully Protected
Northern Ireland: September 1 - January 31
Greylag Goose
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Pink-Footed Goose
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
White Fronted goose
Scotland: fully protected
Notrthern ireland: fully protected
Great Britain: September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Canada Goose
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Mallard
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Wigeon
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Teal
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Pintain
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Shoveler
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Gadwall
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Pochard
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Tufted Duck
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Scaup
Northern Ireland: September 1 - January 31
Great Britain: Fully Protected
Golden Eye
September 1 - January 31
(extension in great britain, only until February 20 in or over any area below the high water mark of an ordinary spring tide)
Wood Pigeon
There is effectively no close season
Collared Dove
Great Britain: There is effectively no close season
Northern Ireland: fully protected
Feral Pigeon
There is effectively no close season
Magpie
There is effectively no close season
Crow
There is effectively no close season
Rook
There is effectively no close season
Jackdaw
There is effectively no close season
Coot
Great Britain: September 1 - January 31
Northern Ireland: fully protected
Moorhen
Great Britain: September 1 - January 31
northern Ireland: fully protected
Greater Black Back Gull
There is effectively no close season
Lesser Black Back Gull
There is effectively no close season
Herring Gull
There is effectively no close season
Starling
There is effectively no close season
House Sparrow
There is effectively no close season
Red Deer
Stags: Scotland: July 1 - October 20
Elsewhere: August 1 - April 30
Hinds: Scotland: October 21 - February 15
Elsewhere: November 1 - February 28
Fallow Deer
Bucks: August 1 - April 30
Does: Scotland: October 21 - February 15
Elsewhere: November 1 - Febraury 28
Roe Deer
Bucks: April 1 - October 31 (England And Wales)
April 1 - October 20 ( Scotland)
Does: November 1 - February 28 ( England And Wales)
October 21 - March 31 (Scotland)
Sika Deer
Stags: July 1 - October 20 (Scotland)
August 1 - April 30 (elsewhere)
Hinds: October 21 - February 15 (Scotland)
November 1 - February 28 (Elsewhere)
Reeves Muntjac Deer
There is effectively no close season
Chineese Water Deer
There is effectively no close season
Rabbit
There is effectively no close season
Hares
There is effectively no close season but hares may not be killed on sunday or christmas day and it is illeagle to sell or offer hares between March 1 - July 31
Blue Hare
Northern Ireland: August 12 - January 31
Fox
There is effectively no close season
Stoat
There is effectively no close season
Weasel
There is effectively no close season
Mink
There is effectively no close season
Grey Squirrel
There is effectively no close season
Rat
There is effectively no close season |
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