Law on pheasant killing & eating?

leaskovski

leaskovski

leaskovski

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Joined
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Berkland
Morning all,

Being that it is chrimbo at the moment, I have taken it upon myself to visit the folks over the xmas week. Anyway, the folks have a got a largish back garden and they like to put bird food out to attract the local wildlife. This is all great and works well. A little too well as a pheasant and its mrs has taken to it very nicely and is now a frequent visitor.

Sooooo, being all alpha, can we kill it and have for lunch? What are the laws on this? I know it needs to be in season to be able to kill it (1st Oct to when?), but would it be classed as poaching?

Do we have any hunters on these boards?
 
a quick bit of research suggests you might be ok:
* Pheasant, 1 October - 1 February
As well as adhering to the seasons, game may not be taken on Sundays or Christmas Day.

You needed a licence up until last year but I think you should be ok now, pretty sure it's not poaching if it's on your property
 
Mmmm game pie:D
I get loads of pheasants in my garden as there is a shoot run by the farm next door. Provided they are in season and you have permission off the land-owner, I can't see there being a problem.
By the way, they taste better after being hung for a few days:cool:
 
AFIK it is until the 1st Feb but not allowed on Sundays or Christmas Day.

Plus you need a game licence which costs £4.
 
Not exactly a famous hunter myself, but I do know that I go pheasant and partridge shooting with a friend, on his estate, every now and again. And I don't have a hunting license.
 
platypus said:
Not exactly a famous hunter myself, but I do know that I go pheasant and partridge shooting with a friend, on his estate, every now and again. And I don't have a hunting license.
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But they will have a licence which then covers you when shooting on their land.

AFIK the licences still apply as they are still listed on your local council's website (well mine does)

Whole year from 1 August to 31 July for £6
Part year from 1 August to 31 October for £4
Part year from 1 November to 31 July for £4
Occasional for 14 consecutive day for £2

You can get an occasional licence for 14 days for £2 unless you are a really bad shot and need more tha two weeks to shoot it :p
 
What sort of weapon are you going to use? If it's a weapon that makes a lot of noise and is likely to make the neighbors ring the police then you should get the game license. If it's a quieter weapon, then just kill it and forget about all the laws tbh.
 
Greebo said:
But they will have a licence which then covers you when shooting on their land.

AFIK the licences still apply as they are still listed on your local council's website (well mine does)

Whole year from 1 August to 31 July for £6
Part year from 1 August to 31 October for £4
Part year from 1 November to 31 July for £4
Occasional for 14 consecutive day for £2

You can get an occasional licence for 14 days for £2 unless you are a really bad shot and need more tha two weeks to shoot it :p
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i know it's not the most reliable source but wiki says in 2007 the requirement for a licence was removed
 
Abraham said:
i know it's not the most reliable source but wiki says in 2007 the requirement for a licence was removed
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You're right. I wasn't sure if it had become law yet already but apparently it has:

"From 1 August 2007 in England and Wales it is no longer necessary to have a game licence or a game dealer's licence. They remain a legal requirement in Scotland and Northern Ireland."
 
Anewbe4u said:
The Pheasant isn't going to call the police I wouldn't have thought so surely you'd get away with it even if it was wrong?
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As mentioned it depends on how you go about it, if it's going to raise the attention of other people you dont want to be in bother if they report it
 
snare it, job done no noise no problems, remember using a shotgun in a built up area is likely to atract the unwanted attention of the law and the average air gin is ging to stuggle to stop a pheasant unless you are very good/lucky.
 
a1ex2001 said:
snare it, job done no noise no problems, remember using a shotgun in a built up area is likely to atract the unwanted attention of the law and the average air gin is ging to stuggle to stop a pheasant unless you are very good/lucky.
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Bear Trap + Bird Seed = Horrible accident and tastly meal
 
Bennie-Mac said:
Bear Trap + Bird Seed = Horrible accident and tastly meal
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Gin traps are illegal in the uk so when you accidentally cut off the neighbours cats leg and it limps home you may find that you get unwanted attention from the afore mentioned rozzers. However snare's are not illegal and if you find next doors moggy in it at least you can dispose of the evidence, or eat it instead of the pheasant if your Korean.
 
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