Thanks for that, I had a quick read but will have a good read later. Seems very complex. I really like the Government letting people use public land but does the bag limits and licenses apply if you actually own the land you are hunting over?
In the UK (complex laws aside, this is a bottom line guide to hunting).
Anyone can own a sub 12 ftlb airgun. Anyone can own a shotgun but needs to apply for a Shotgun license. To own a firearm you must have a good reason.
(Obviously for Shotguns & Firearms the police do a lengthy background check and home visit).
Okay, so I want to shoot rabbits, all I have to do if I do not own land with rabbits is to call over to a farm and ask the landowner for permission to shoot his/her rabbits and as long as they agree, that's it. I can shoot rabbits 24/7 as many and as often as I want. Same goes for all other species, unless they have a closed season in which case I can only shoot when the species are legally open, no bag limits no fees to pay.
It is possible to buy a shooting lease from the Government, but it's expensive and aimed more a businesses than private people. The Government want to see qualifications (deer stalking certificates), method statements, Risk assessments. Cost are around $2 per acre of wood land. You would own the sole shooting for that area for the whole period of the lease, which can be as long as 5 years. Private landowners will also lease or sell the shooting rights to their farms, which mean that the holder of the shooting rights has sole use of the farm for shooting.
There is a lot of free shooting in the UK (private landowners giving permission) but on good land, you can have people in every hedge trying to shoot "something".
John
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