Hunting in Ireland for foreigner

boomshakalaka

Hi all,

My dad, an experienced Dutch hunter, has asked me to look into hunting in Ireland for him. He'd love to hunt for deer mainly, but he also loves hunting for small game. I don't know that much about hunting myself so am looking for help setting it up for him.
I know there is travelcompanies that organise hunting holidays, but was looking more for a local to show him how hunting is done in Ireland. He has been deer hunting before in England and shoots mainly pheasants and hares back home.

Is it possible to go up to a farmer, pay him a fee and hunt on his lands?
I obviously have no clue where to start.
Thanks in advance!

tac foley

This is going to be interesting.

tac

Kristopherus

tac foley wrote: »

This is going to be interesting.

tac

Well your interesting contribution will surely help:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Op, you should contact the Wildlife unit in the Dept of Agriculture to get a flavour of what you can & cannot hunt. There are seasons for various hunted species.

fathersymes

Approaching farmers with offers of money to hunt is generally frowned upon here in Ireland, your only options are to be invited out for a day with someone who shoots, unless you have some friends or personal contacts you will be need to pay an outfitter to take you out.

boomshakalaka

Kristopherus wrote: »

Well your interesting contribution will surely help:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Op, you should contact the Wildlife unit in the Dept of Agriculture to get a flavour of what you can & cannot hunt. There are seasons for various hunted species.

I know that much and so does the old man. I'm just looking for a practical insight from someone who actually goes out into the field themselves

tac foley

Mr Kristopherus - ignoring your sarcasm for the moment, my comment was a valid one. I have absolutely nothing to offer here except my ignorance. I don't live in the RoI, but I, too, am a keen shooter, albeit of paper rather than beasts and I AM interested to know how a foreigner might go over to the RoI with its extremely strict take on foreigners wandering around with firearms.

It is precisely those extremely tight rules and strictures that have prevented me from ever bothering, even though I have strong connections in the country.

Have a nice day.

tac

boomshakalaka

fathersymes wrote: »

Approaching farmers with offers of money to hunt is generally frowned upon here in Ireland, your only options are to be invited out for a day with someone who shoots, unless you have some friends or personal contacts you will be need to pay an outfitter to take you out.

This is helpful. I didn't think that would be frowned upon because it's common practice back home. Have a few contacts in the midlands but was hoping to lenghten the list.

boomshakalaka

tac foley wrote: »

Your sarcasm apart, my comment was a valid one. I have absolutely nothing to contribute here except my ignornace. I don't live in the RoI, and I AM interested to know how a foreigner might go over to the RoI with its extremely strict take on foreigners wandering around with firearms.

It is precisely those extremely tight rules and strictures that have prevented me from ever bothering, even though I have strong connections in the country.

Have a nice day.

tac

Your ignorance is not helpful in any way, if you were just interested you could've clicked 'Follow this thread' instead.
It might be strict but since there is companies getting foreigners in for hunting all the time, it mustn't be impossible.

tac foley

boomshakalaka wrote: »

Your ignorance is not helpful in any way, if you were just interested you could've clicked 'Follow this thread' instead.
It might be strict but since there is companies getting foreigners in for hunting all the time, it mustn't be impossible.

Boomshakalaka - I was expressing an opinion, and showing interest by posting it. So how are you so offended?

I'm watching to see what the answer to your query might be, as interested in learning as you are. If you wanted it to be a closed discussion, you should have written something like 'only those who have a valid contribution to my query should respond - the rest of you, go read something else.'

tac

Invincible

The thread title reads like something for The Fugitive

boomshakalaka

tac foley wrote: »

Sir - I was expressing an opinion, and showing interest by posting it. So how are you so offended?

I'm watching to see what the answer to your query might be, as interested in learning as you are. If you wanted it to be a closed discussion, you should have written something like 'only those who have a valid contribution to my query should respond - the rest of you, go read something else.'

tac

Wasn't offended until you called me sir... Only joking;)

In any case, I hope we both get out of this thread what we're looking for. If you have anything to share, please do

boomshakalaka

Invincible wrote: »

The thread title reads like something for The Fugitive

Hahaha, only got that there

meathstevie

Essentially the requirements are the same as for a local/resident; you'll need permission from the landowner and apply for a none-resident firearms licence. The requirements are exactly the same as for a local but the licence for a non-resident as far as I know is limited to one year in duration while a resident's is valid for 3 years.

If he fancies deer you'll probably be better of going into the commercial circuit; getting private permissions takes a bit of legwork getting permissions together and extra administration in applying for the licence. All in all very hard to complete from abroad.

Keep in mind that a deer legal caliber in the Netherlands mighn't be deer legal over here, if the old man for example has an 8x57 or a .30-06 he'll have to apply for a restricted firearm.If he uses a .17 centerfire that'll look after Dutch roe deer any day of the week he wouldn't tick the boxes for legal minimum bullet weight in Ireland where bigger reds and sika are the prevailing deer species.

When it comes to small game, same as in the Netherlands, in season with shotgun. Same restrictions for semi-automatics apply, a maximum capacity of three cartridges. Lead shot is still legal to use in Ireland. Permisssion to hunt small game is a lot easier to sort than deer permission. A lot of farmers are quite easygoing to give a lad permission to shoot pheasants and rabbits etc etc on their land. Shooting hares is frowned upon by some and can be a bit of a sensitive issue you may be better of steering clear from.

boomshakalaka

@Meathstevie

Thank so much for your reply this is very helpful. I am in Ireland and can do a bit of the legwork for him from here. I was talking to the old man there and he is aware that the deer here need heavier bullets and he's looking into what gun to get if he was to go deerhunting here. I'll pass on the info anyway, thanks a lot for your help.

Grizzly 45

Also, there are certain species that while legal to hunt on the Continent arent here.
Like hen pheasents, swans, various ducks and geese, all song birds,badgers, pine martins and a few others
.Basically this has been one of the massive gripes that Irish hunters have had with "furriners" going shooting in Ireland.However,I'd also lay 50% of the blame on ourselves as no one seems to have botherd to inform said forigners what exactly the game laws were and are,or botherd to work as guides or gun dog men to prevent them from going into harms way.IE trampling thru standing crops looking for downed piegons when somone could be making a few quid providing a gundog and themselves.:)

tac foley

Question here, if I may. Where must the visitor's firearms be secured whilst he or she is in the RoI?

tac

clivej

A quick search in goggle found these hunting websites here in Ireland.
I don't know anything about them but have a look through.

http://www.celticfieldsports.com/
http://irishdeerservices.com/
http://www.jmmhunting.com/sika-deer-hunting.php
http://www.ballynatray.com/private_estate_deer_stalking_ireland.htm

deerhunter1

tac foley wrote: »

This is going to be interesting.

tac

yep:rolleyes:

flanum

Invincible wrote: »

The thread title reads like something for The Fugitive

When exactly is the open season to hunt Foreigners?

Johnny max

From the 1st of sept to end of Feb:D:D:D

Johnny max

tac foley wrote: »

Question here, if I may. Where must the visitor's firearms be secured whilst he or she is in the RoI?

tac

Any of the foreingners[rong spelling]
Keep the firearms with them as far as I see
Johnny

tac foley

I just looked up this site - http://irishdeerservices.com/prices

It seems to be, uh, a trifle pricey.

But then, I 'spose that the folks that want to undertake this kind of sporting shooting in RoI are well-used to prices like those.

tac, well-known cheapskate

tac foley

Johnny max wrote: »

Any of the foreingners[rong spelling]
Keep the firearms with them as far as I see
Johnny

How do they do that, I wonder, if they are not in Ireland shooting with a company?

Coming over as an individual without the security afforded by a company package MUST have a number of other ramifications with regard to the temporary storage of firearms and ammunition, as here in the rest of Europe we pay somewhat less than you do for ammunition.

If I came over to shoot with the other members of the group that I belong to, I'd certainly not be buying ANY ammunition in Ireland - I'm just not that rich.

tac

clivej

tac foley wrote: »

Question here, if I may. Where must the visitor's firearms be secured whilst he or she is in the RoI?

tac

Same as when your away anywhere.

In the car boot (trunk :rolleyes:) when on the move and the hotel room with you overnight.