Hares may be killed at any time of the year. Pheasants from the 1st of
October to the 1st of February. Partridges from the 1st of September to
the 1st of February; penalty for killing them at other times 5_l._
Grouse from the 12th of August to the 10th of December. Black game (in
Devonshire, Somersetshire, and the New Forest) from the 1st of September
to the 10th of December. Black game (everywhere else) from the 20th of
August to the 10th of December. Bustards from the 1st of September to
the 1st of March; penalty for killing at other times 20_l._, or not less
than 10_l._, for the first offence, and for every subsequent offence
30_l._, or not less than 20_l._
Any person taking or killing game on Sundays or Christmas-days to
forfeit, for the first offence, not more than 20_l._ nor less than
10_l._; for the second offence from 30_l._ to 20_l._, and for the third
and every subsequent offence 50_l._
An unqualified person, killing, can only be convicted of one penalty in
a day. That is, an unqualified person, or even a poacher, would have no
more to pay for killing fifty head of game in the same day, than he
would for killing one. Though the poacher, or unqualified person, would
be liable to the other penalties, viz. 5_l._ each for every head of game
which he sold, offered for sale, or which had even been found in his
possession; and if a dog or gun (or any other engine) was used in the
destruction of game, he would also be liable to 20_l._ penalty, provided
he had not taken out a sporting certificate.
If a person go in pursuit of game with a dog and gun, he can only be
charged with one offence, and convicted in one penalty for both. (7 Term
Reports, 152.)
Killing from seven o’clock at night to six in the morning, between the
12th of October and 12th of February, and from nine at night to four in
the morning, from the 12th of February to the 12th of October, (besides
the other penalties before named) first offence, not more than 20_l._
nor less than 10_l._; second offence from 30_l._ to 20_l._; third and
subsequent, 50_l._
Servant of a lord of a manor may kill, and yet the lord of the manor may
not, unless he is qualified.
Informations for penalties, relative to the game laws, should be brought
so far as the conviction to take place within three months.
A penalty may be either recovered by information before a justice of
peace, or sued for in any of the courts of record at Westminster. In the
latter case, the action must be brought within six months after the
offence committed.
Rabbits, woodcocks, snipes, quails, and landrails, are made game only so
far as relates to shooting them, for which, therefore, a certificate is
required; but one without a certificate may catch, sell, or have them in
his possession.
Wild fowl any one may shoot on the coast, from a public path, &c., &c.
A person, with neither qualification nor license, has a right to carry a
gun, provided he does not use it for the destruction of game.