UK Catapult Laws

[BorderReiver]

Here in NJ, everytime they pass a law, they turn more innocent people into criminals

It's the same here BT.

[sourdough]

It's the same here BT.

You are right there. Border Reiver, you will be aware Scotland currently has an "Air Rifle Amnesty". Wow, I had better hand mine in then to be a good boy!

Or should I do as my conscience tells me and go to my local Dumfries Air Rifle stockist and buy a few more...before they become illegal. Yep, always go with your conscience.

Sourdough

[MILBRO MAN]

Hi there, i make catapults & collect catapults, and from what i can gather catapults are legal and bows are illegal, is this true? and if so what happens if i convert my catapult to shoot arrows? is this illegal or legal? please help me out folks as i find it hard to understand these laws !!!! thanks

[sam_acw]

The ban on hunting with bows is, in terms of British history, fairly recent - I think 19th century. It's a bit of a travesty really considering the bow is a national icon.
There's a bowhunting association http://www.britishbowhunters.co.uk/
I've seen threads on catapult hunting closed on here before but the general impression seems to be that it's not specifically prohibited therefore not illegal. I'd say that observing all the other wildlife and game rules is important - my personal belief is that catapults are humane for smaller animals as the projectile has greater energy than air rifle pellets for example. Hunting laws tend to have very little link between being humane, logical or possible - it's mostly about excluding people or stopping something that people may enjoy that others feel they shouldn't.
TBH bowhunting is illegal in most of Europe, as for slingshots I don't know. I once asked a Polish forester about laws and he jokingly told me that "the forests are big and the police live in the city"

[geforce83]

im not certain but i belive part of the law goes back to medievil times where only the rich and welthy could hunt the kings deer etc. bows were almost a silent weapon and therefore they made the perfect weapon to poach with. i think this where the law came from originally

[British Red]

Bow hunting was not banned until the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act

Section 11(1) WCA 1981 prohibits the following methods of killing or taking any wild animal:

• <snip>
• Using a bow, crossbow or explosive other than firearm ammunition to kill any wild animal.

[Samon]

woah.. thread revival!

so is it legal to hunt with a catty on 'public' land? providing it isn't a protected area (can public woodlands be protected?) and you are not hunting protected species..

do any of the residsent catapult hunters here have any advice on hitting the desired target?? I can hit a bean can in my garden but it feels like all the aiming is 'instinctual' than anything else.

[Expat]

Hi Emdiesse

Catapults are not illegal in Britain but if used or carried as a weapon they become illegal.
Danzo

If you are using it to hunt, then surely it has wondrously just transformed into
"A Weapon"...??

Whatever... I think the general consensus of opinion is that laws relating to
"Hunting" and ""Weapons" are made by people with little idea of use, or
responsibility of individuals concerned. In other words, those promoting the Nanny
State and "dumbing down" of the population at large.....

[Tristar777]

Hi. Dont forget if you are on public land it is an offence to hit members of the public walking there too! All in all, you are better and safer for all concerned if you get permission to be on private land and fire away from tracks that others may use. JMO

[Corso]

I'm wondering why it's legal to hun with a cattie, but not with a bow'n'arra..... ?
Probably some ancient by law or something, stop the peaseants uprising maybe ?

because when they drafted the act there was no archery representation....


I would also say its not 100% legal to hunt with a catty - you would have to garentee a clean kill

[richardww]

this has been delited by
richard

[mrcharly]

HI
if you cant hit what you aim for its iligel,

IANAL, but I simply don't believe that.

For that would be true, it would have to be possible to prove that someone couldn't hit the animal - proving a negative is extremely difficult.

geforce83, it has nothing whatsoever to do with restricting access to bows - in fact, the reverse used to be true and it was an offense *not* to practise with your bow

[Corso]

or someone witness you out with your catty where you hit and animal and it squeeled and limped off into the woodland....

proof or not i could see it hitting a court room quite ealisy under the right circumstances....

[Samon]

so.. is it legal to hunt with a catty on public land here in Britain? i.e no permission directly from anyone, not on private land, killing the animal humanely etc etc etc

[British Red]

What do you mean by "public land"? Almost all land is owned by someone - land might be National Park, common land etc. but it is still owned.

[wattsy]

no its not you have to have permission otherwise you're being a danger to the public. private land, with permission, and competent enough to kill. anything else is poaching

[Cpt-Jack]

so.. is it legal to hunt with a catty on public land here in Britain? i.e no permission directly from anyone, not on private land, killing the animal humanely etc etc etc

Its difficult to determine what actually constitutes "public land" is in this country, if indeed there is any at all. Even places that dont necessarily have any specific owner, such as foreshore, common land and abandoned/nobody-knows-who-owns-it land, i believe may still technically fall under the ownership of the Crown.

Can you hunt with a catapult (or any other legal hunting tool) on public land? I dont think there is a right or wrong answer to that question really. To get a definitive yes or no you would probably have to go through a legal minefield and a lot of test cases in court. I say, save yourself the hassle and stick to hunting with a catapult on private permissions. Or at least do it somewhere so remote that you wont be caught.

[Samon]

What do you mean by "public land"? Almost all land is owned by someone - land might be National Park, common land etc. but it is still owned.

I don't know the technical term but it's fairly obvious what I mean. Land that isn't privately owned, the land that we as the public are allowed to enter and camp on, have fires, play in etc..

So basically, you can hunt with one only if you have permission specifically to do so on the land you are on..? just like with a airgun?

[British Red]

There is almost no land that isn't owned by an individual, company or organisation. Some land has rights associated with it that the landowner cannot change (e.g. commoners rights), some land has access rights, planning laws and conservation rules associated with it (National Parks). The land isn't owned by the public though and the only rights available are those enshrined in law - and only then to the people granted those rights (e.g. only certain individuals have commoners rights). Hunting rights - unless sold or leased - rest with the landowner and you need permission to hunt. There are numerous laws governing land ownership (e.g. below the high tide line the sea shore belongs to the Crown), however, to my knowledge, all land has an owner with whom authority to grant rights to that land rest. It may be different in Scotland or other countries of course - but that is my understanding of English law.

[EdS]

public land is just land open to the public. It is still owned by someone and permission is still required to many things on it. You are unlikely to get permission to hunt on public land (except large organised moorland shoots etc).

The owners of "public land"are generally public bodies ie council, Gov departments or charities ie National Trust, Woodland Trust.

[Vulpes]

I think common sense applies to this one. Anywhere where the general public are wandering about willy nilly - it's not going to be legal. No analysing laws or any other twoddle is necessary. Just use common sense...

[richardww]

this has been deleted by
richard

[richardww]

Hi
just read my last comment,dident mean it sound like it does, and would like to say i dont hunt, bunnies with catapults,
richard

[British Red]

I think there is a very simple answer to a number of these questions

1. If you want to hunt birds or mammals, you need landowners permission to do so
2. Certain hunting methods are flat out illegal in the UK e.g. bows, self locking snares and toothed spring traps.
3. Whatever your hunting method of choice, if you use it in the wrong way, or on the wrong quarry and cause animal suffering, you are liable to prosecution.

Trying to find loopholes or asking why things are the way they are is pretty pointless. That is the law - rants based upon wishing to use a type of hunting tool or disliking the current laws on land ownership serve only to illustrate a political prejudice, they don't alter the law as it stands. If you dislike property ownership, laws on angling and fish traps, or the rules on taking game, take it up with your political representative or join a sporting rights body (I suggest BASC) - and whilst your at it, please ask them to give us back our handguns

Red

[mrcharly]

mrcharly
am just quoting what a catapult maker says what the law is, i could say i dont belive you know what you saying, it was standerd info in jacks Shed, but seems am more polite, I could go into more detail but look up The Wild mammals Protection Act 1996. prehaps you will belive that
richard

HI
if you cant hit what you aim for its iligel,
IANAL, but I simply don't believe that.

For that would be true, it would have to be possible to prove that someone couldn't hit the animal - proving a negative is extremely difficult.

I've have a quick read of that act. Nope, nothing in there about you being required to prove you could hit the animal.

The act is all about avoiding 'unnecessary' suffering. What constitutes 'unnecessary' would depend very much on the circumstances and actions.

If someone shoots an animal 10 times and it is still writhing on the ground in agony, they would be open to prosecution. That is not the same as needing to prove you can hit what you aim for.

[Cpt-Jack]

Forgive me for digging further into this issue, but of interest, where do you think the law stands on hunting with an atlatl, spear or bola? I know game such as deer would be out of the question as there are calibre restrictions on them, but what about vermin? From what i can see, The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes no mention of those items.

I dont have any particular interest in hunting with such things myself, im just curious really.

geforce83, it has nothing whatsoever to do with restricting access to bows - in fact, the reverse used to be true and it was an offense *not* to practise with your bow

I believe that duty is still valid in the lawbooks (though obviously not enforced anymore. Which is a shame tbh). Well im okay regardless, because i do practice with my bow in the garden almost every weekend

[richardww]

no comment
richard

[mrcharly]

Forgive me for digging further into this issue, but of interest, where do you think the law stands on hunting with an atlatl, spear or bola? I know game such as deer would be out of the question as there are calibre restrictions on them, but what about vermin? From what i can see, The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes no mention of those items.

I dont have any particular interest in hunting with such things myself, im just curious really.

I'm guessing, but if you were seen and someone complained, you might fall foul of the "unnecessary suffering" clause.

It's left open - people don't get prosecuted for killing a rat with a makeshift club. Spearing one would be similar - unless you ended up spearing it 10 times.

TBH, although I've never hunted with a spear, I think it can't be much different to using a bow and arrow, and hence quite difficult to make a quick kill.

[richardww]

this has been deleted by
richard

[mrcharly]

mcharly
you need to read the Act more clearly, or go speak to your local police, see what they say, any way what your sugesting is very unhumain, very unsporting, no wounder people wants hunting, fishing etc, banned when people have your views, P

What do you think I am suggesting?

I strongly suspect you are reading something that isn't there.

As I've said already, the act is all about not inflicting unnecessary suffering. That applies no matter what method of killing you use, whether it be a rifle, poison or something else.