When are you legally allowed to shoot rabbits?

[J.F 2]

I'm sure this topic has probably been covered or mentioned before, and if it has can someone point out the link.

I came across this earlier https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rabbits-how-to-control-numbers

And I am confused, I though if you got permission (preferably written) from the land owner to shoot rabbits you could, and most people offer this free of charge ?

But it states 

"When you can shoot rabbits

If you are the occupier of land you can shoot rabbits on your land during the day and can authorise in writing one other person to do so. That person must be part of your household, one of your staff, or be employed for reward to specifically control the rabbits.

If the owner of the shooting rights for your land does not agree to destroy the rabbits themselves or allow you to use extra shooters, you can apply to Natural England for authority to do so."

 

The first sentence basically says it has to be your land or you be an employee and the second says if you are the owner but don't own the shooting rights you can apply for permission?  

 

 

You can shoot rabbits at night only if you are:

• an owner/occupier with shooting rights
• a landlord/landlady who has reserved their shooting rights
• a shooting tenant not in occupation who has derived the shooting rights from the owner
• an occupier, or one other person authorised by the occupier in writing, where the occupier has written authority from someone with the shooting rights

 

I thought if you had written permission to shoot rabbits from the land owner you could do this free of charge, day or night but the way I read this you can"t or am i reading this wrong? 

 

 

[Blackbriar 8,568]

Written permission tucked in my pocket, I have derived the shooting rights from the owner...........game on !

[Greyman 25,151]

When there breaking into your house

[DIDO.1 20,804]

I think these points are ment to clear up some of the uncertainty of who has the rights /responsibilities when the owner/tenant/sporting tenant are all different people. 

[stumfelter 3,032]

You can legally shoot a rabbit when there's an R in the month but perversely it is illegal to cast a clout till may is out!

[bird 9,587]

12 hours ago, Blackbriar said:

Written permission tucked in my pocket, I have derived the shooting rights from the owner...........game on !

true,  but i think  even with permission , there places on the ground you carnt shoot any game  if it near public road etc. even if your couple fields away  , you would have to leave the game alone. i remember   few years ago on my permission , there was bit of aggro  on the ground  with ramblers . i didnt shoot on the ground , i just lamped it with my lurcher  and walked withdog in the day, there was a bloke who shot it. the one day the ramblers  were going over a style  next to public  route  across the field , they were in the right it on the there map, the shooter who had been 2 fields away  drove up to them to warn them off, well got right Row  lol,   i just  turned up seen his motor , so was going to leave it that day , and go another day when he not there. well anyway he was wrong, even though he wasnt  shooting there  he knew he  had to keep couple fields away , butit was public b/p   plenty of rabbits by there , i had few in the lamp , and so had he , but no shooting  there day or night  .

[DIDO.1 20,804]

7 hours ago, bird said:

true,  but i think  even with permission , there places on the ground you carnt shoot any game  if it near public road etc. even if your couple fields away  , you would have to leave the game alone. i remember   few years ago on my permission , there was bit of aggro  on the ground  with ramblers . i didnt shoot on the ground , i just lamped it with my lurcher  and walked withdog in the day, there was a bloke who shot it. the one day the ramblers  were going over a style  next to public  route  across the field , they were in the right it on the there map, the shooter who had been 2 fields away  drove up to them to warn them off, well got right Row  lol,   i just  turned up seen his motor , so was going to leave it that day , and go another day when he not there. well anyway he was wrong, even though he wasnt  shooting there  he knew he  had to keep couple fields away , butit was public b/p   plenty of rabbits by there , i had few in the lamp , and so had he , but no shooting  there day or night  .

You can shoot on or over a footpath. You must not endanger people though. 

There is a set distance for shooting from the center of a public road but iv never had trouble shooting near one if you just use your brain

[Deker 3,450]

On ‎13‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 10:51, bird said:

true,  but i think  even with permission , there places on the ground you carnt shoot any game  if it near public road etc. even if your couple fields away  , you would have to leave the game alone. i remember   few years ago on my permission , there was bit of aggro  on the ground  with ramblers . i didnt shoot on the ground , i just lamped it with my lurcher  and walked withdog in the day, there was a bloke who shot it. the one day the ramblers  were going over a style  next to public  route  across the field , they were in the right it on the there map, the shooter who had been 2 fields away  drove up to them to warn them off, well got right Row  lol,   i just  turned up seen his motor , so was going to leave it that day , and go another day when he not there. well anyway he was wrong, even though he wasnt  shooting there  he knew he  had to keep couple fields away , butit was public b/p   plenty of rabbits by there , i had few in the lamp , and so had he , but no shooting  there day or night  .

There may be some local By-Law about 2 fields (however far that might be) but its news to me and no such LAW exists to my knowledge

Edited October 15, 2018 by Deker