Furry friends

[Wildpacker]

Can anybody tell me what the current UK law is on snaring animals such as rabbit? I don't want to denude the environment but I would like to keep my hand in. Also there is a dog fox that trots through my garden on its way to the neighbours hen house...

I have heard it said that, contrary to Oscar Wildes suggestion, a fox is quite palatable. Anybody know different? It could be a useful addition to the food supply now that it is no longer a protected species (!).

[Wildpacker]

I'll take that as a 'no' then, on both counts...

[MagiKelly]

I do not know the answer but I am sure someone here does. It may be that they have not looked at the thread due to the title. You could try starting a thread called "Snare Law" etc.


Just a thought.

[bambodoggy]

There's heaps of threads on this already Mate...just do a quick search on "Snares", in a nut shell....yes you can snare bunnies but you need the landowners permission, you need to use non-locking snares and you need to check the snares at least once a day and the law may even require it twice a day....

This link may be of use to you as well Mate:

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/section12/chapter_n.html#_Toc44654995

Just looked...it is only once a day....

Self locking snares are banned.....but free running are ok.... How does this relate to a lifting spring snare.... for example: I use a legal free running snare but set it so that when tripped it lifts the game up off the ground and holds it up there dangling....does this then constitute a self-locking snare....Danzo...Keith Beef?

[fiacha]

suggest you talk to basc or countryside alliance about legality of snaring foxes. also, you may want to have a rimfire or shotgun handy to dispatch the fox once it's been snared. you should be checking the snare at least twice a day.

[Ed]

Self locking snares are banned.....but free running are ok.... How does this relate to a lifting spring snare.... for example: I use a legal free running snare but set it so that when tripped it lifts the game up off the ground and holds it up there dangling
Then you are breaking the law if doing it in th UK!!!! This is a spring trap.... the only leagal spring traps you can use in the UK are commercial ones that are on the offical list. Also these legal traps may become illegal if placed where they could trap a non target species.... ie putting a legal squirrel spring trap up a tree would make it illegal as it could catch a song bird.

Please keep with in the law.....

Ed

[bambodoggy]

suggest you talk to basc or countryside alliance about legality of snaring foxes. also, you may want to have a rimfire or shotgun handy to dispatch the fox once it's been snared. you should be checking the snare at least twice a day.

Morally yes....but legally once a day is fine according the the CPS...see below link I posted :o):

You're right about dispatching the fox...I wouldn't want to do it without..... or maybe I'd just realse my dog on it (not sure if that's legal anymore)...

Also, were foxes ever a protected animal...? I always thought they were classed as vermin.... how have we had fox hunting for years (until it was banned last week) if they were protected? ? ? :?:

[bambodoggy]

Then you are breaking the law if doing it in th UK!!!! This is a spring trap.... the only leagal spring traps you can use in the UK are commercial ones that are on the offical list. Also these legal traps may become illegal if placed where they could trap a non target species.... ie putting a legal squirrel spring trap up a tree would make it illegal as it could catch a song bird.

Please keep with in the law.....

Ed

Many thanks Ed....I certainly plan to stay within the law, hence I'm asking the question :biggthump

[Ed]

Thats cool. The main law you want to look up is the wildlife and countryside act 1981 .... Section 11 prohibits the use of self-locking snares, bows, explosives or use of live mammals or birds as decoys, for capture and killing of any wild animal..... so free running snares are legal but they may not be placed where you may catch one of the species listed on schedule 6 .... which include (ie not all listed here) Badger, Wild Cat, Dormice (All species), Hedgehog, Pine Parten, Common Otter, Polecat, Shrews (all species), Squirrel (Red).

or any other protected (by other legislation) species

Also note that many local laws apply when it comes to snareing. For example.... the local bylaws in the yorkshire area prohibit the use of snares tied to fence posts or set on rabbit burrows.... so you need to check local bylaws.

When all is said and done, if you have permission to snare rabbits on private land, you are using non locking snares or legal spring traps, check them once a day atleast .... and not bothering protected species you wont have a problem.

Hope this helps a bit
:-)
Ed

[Buckshot]

You're right about dispatching the fox...I wouldn't want to do it without..... or maybe I'd just realse my dog on it (not sure if that's legal anymore)...


Be wary about using a gun in your back garden !!
Up to two dogs can be used to hunt foxes still, not sure about a fox caught in a snare though. There may be some rule about the fox needing to flee if it so chooses :?:
Snares can be set so they catch and kill a fox very quickly though.

cheers

Mark

[arctic hobo]

I guess it must be... wouldn't an animal that made such a fearful noise all the time be wiped out by evolution otherwise?

[Wildpacker]

Mant thanks for the advice, links and references to the legislation.

My reference to the fox no longer being a protected species was a sideswipe at some of the landowners round here that nurtured foxes the same as they do game birds, just for the hunting. Which brings me back to the second question, does anybody know whether they are decent eating - or am I just going to have to find out for myself?

[bambodoggy]

Well the Koreans swear by eating dog and it's a similar family but I don't think I could stomach it.... looks like you'll have to find out and let us all know...

I'll have the skin and brain off you though if you don't want them?

[ronsos]

one of nick cranes books,'action sports' the writer tried bushcrafting with ray mears.built shelters etc and im pretty sure they ate a roadkill fox.will check when i get home-working at present.

[Buckshot]

I read a book long ago (can't remember which one) where they ate roadkill fox. Everyone in the party liked it at first, then someone asked what it was and was prompty sick when they found out !
If it's good before you know what it is, why is it bad after? :?:

The only thing that puts me off the is scent glands - they stink!!!!

Give it a try and let us know

Mark

[Tony]

I know people in Canada that eat roadkill, never had a problem with it. I'd imagine that fox is ok, as long as it's well cooked, they eat some dodgy stuff and you don't want that passed on to you :pack:

[ChrisKavanaugh]

Putting aside cultural prejudices you can eat most anything. Some animals taste plain awfull based on what they consume. If you ever read a list of what coyotes have been observed dining on you will understand the above comment :yikes:You also have to take care to properly remove the scent glands as mentioned and observe the animal for obvious signs of disease.

[match]

Just found two documents that might be of interest to people wanting to use snares...

Trapping Pest Mammals - Best Practice (http://www.basc.org.uk/content/pestmammalspractice)

Fox Snaring Code of Practice (http://www.basc.org.uk/content/foxsnarepractice)

Both published by British Association of Shooting and Conservation (http://www.basc.org.uk)

[Buckshot]

I went to a BASC organised evening yesterday specifically for Gamekeepers.
During the evening it was mentioned that 5 or so years ago there was a move to ban all snares in the UK :yikes: , they blew their own trumpet a little and said they were instrumental in rejecting that ban.

They also said there's an EU directive on the table atm to make everyone who uses snares go on a training course.
It's not law or anywhere near it yet but I think it's only a matter of time. Some other EU countries already have a system of training in place. Not a bad idea perhaps, another piece of bureaucracy - definately :shock:

Mark

[tenbears10]

you can see photos of Abbe's snaring course in Sweden to get his licence in the bcuk gallery. So it is law there already.

I know it is more red tape but if it excludes the cowboys who get everyone else a bad name then it's a good thing imo.

[Bob Hurley]

I've caught and killed a hundred or so foxes. A gun isn't necessary - the average red fox weighs 6-7 pounds, a ten-pounder is a whopper.

The quickest, most humane way of dispatching them I've found is to give them a whack across the back of the neck or across the snout with a slim walking stick to knock them out (the "across" part is important). Push the fox onto its side with your stick, and stand on its chest with your heel over the lungs and heart putting all your weight on that foot (don't stomp, it isn't necessary). The blow knocks them unconscious, and standing on them for a minute or so assures they never recover. The fox never knows what hit it.