Shooting Hares

Umiq88

lol i know this has been brought up but is shooting hares with a rifle legal i know noone cares but would just like to know

maglite

it's game so you need the bit in the licence filled in

but i know of no local cop that knows the diff between a rabbit and hare and at 100 yards they do look close

ABC

maglite wrote:

it's game so you need the bit in the licence filled in

but i know of no local cop that knows the diff between a rabbit and hare and at 100 yards they do look close

'at 100 yards they do look close'

Are you talking about a rabbit, a hare or the local cop

This is a bit off topic..........
If any of you have been outside the GPO on the middle of O'Connell
St. there is big statue of a contemplating hare (trust me on this one!)
It looks more like the divel himself, I would suggest to the Dub's they
christen it the Hairy Divel.

Cheers.

Degsy

Saw a very big hare yesterday,only had the shotgun with me so i didnt take a shot,although i kinda liked the way he sat there looking at me so i dontthink i would've shot him even if i had got the rifle!

TomBeckett

Degsy wrote:

Saw a very big hare yesterday,only had the shotgun with me so i didnt take a shot,although i kinda liked the way he sat there looking at me so i dontthink i would've shot him even if i had got the rifle!

He prob seen your avatar!!
Didnt know if you were going to shoot him or suck him dry!!:D

OHoooo Excellent!!

Terrier

Degsy wrote:

Saw a very big hare yesterday,only had the shotgun with me so i didnt take a shot,although i kinda liked the way he sat there looking at me so i dontthink i would've shot him even if i had got the rifle!

Good thing you didn't! Or you would have broken the law.

NARGC.
Hares (excluding the following townlands in Co. Wexford: North East Slob, North West Slob, Big Island, Beggerin Island and the Raven).
Open Season - 26 September to 28 February

Vegeta

actually while we're talking about this do pigeons have an open season now as well

Degsy

I heard something about them being out of season for a month or some such but the reality is,if a farmer wants you to shoot the feckers because they're destroying his crops,i dont think it'll be easy t o enforce.

Terrier

Vegeta wrote:

actually while we're talking about this do pigeons have an open season now as well

This is on the website - old article thought
If you can prove its crop protection your ok (I think)

There is much uninformed rumour beginning to circulate regarding the season for the woodpigeon. Incredibly, it has even been suggested that NARGC has called for a ban on shooting this species! None of the rumours so far in circulation are true. The situation is quite simple.

Directive EC/409/79 “Birds” Directive, which has been in place since 1979 requires member states at Article 7 to protect all birds occurring within the national territories. The Directive also provides that certain species (those listed in Annex II of the Directive) may be hunted, but not during their period of reproduction. There is also provision in Article 9 that some species may be hunted outside the game season, and therefore during their period of reproduction to protect crops and against damage to other flora and fauna, or danger to aviation. The woodpigeon is such a species.

The legal situation has been that a game season has been granted to the woodpigeon by the Irish authorities for many years from 1st June to 31st January. In Ireland, the latest independent scientific research confirms what was already known. The woodpigeon breeds from April and mainly to the end of August but even into September. Therefore, a game season begining on June 1st is illegal under Article 7 of the “Birds” Directive which requires that all birds must be protected during their breeding period. Between January 31st and May 31st, the woodpigeon was also hunted by derogation under Article 9 of the Directive. In effect, it was available for hunting all year round. The EU Commission has put the Irish Government on notice of its intention to commence infringement proceedings against Ireland for this breach. Ten years ago, NARGC warned the authorities of the possibility of this happening and were ignored. It is therefore ironic to see some of the rumour circulating accusing the NARGC of seeking to ban shooting of woodpigeon. It is surely a case of shooting the messenger. The NARGC is not seeking any ban. The solution to the problem has already been found which will not result in any disadvantage. The solution is the same as that suggested by NARGC 10 years ago and it is simple. It is a technical change only which will put Ireland in compliance with the Directive without endangering the shooting of this species for crop and other protection. The season as a game bird is proposed to the Commission to be from November 1st to January 31st – an official hunting season outside the woodpigeon’s breeding period and in compliance with the “Birds” Directive. It is also proposed that the species will continue to be hunted for crop protection outside that period as before by derogation under Article 9, also in compliance with the Directive. Therefore, it can be seen that the changes are purely technical legal changes which will not change the practical situation as currently exists. This has been reconfirmed by the writer with Duchas by telephone on today’s date. As for the claim that NARGC has called for a ban on the use of shotguns to hunt the woodpigeon, we can only say that this is ridiculous in the extreme. It is not true and in fact no such discussions of any nature with any party have taken place nor will they.



Desmond Crofton,

NARGC Director.

20/6/2003

Vegeta

ahh that clears it up then, cheers lads.

ok have the governmet implemented the NARGC suggestion to change the season for them to November or is it still the 1st of June.