Is there a closed season for hares?
From 1 March to 31 July hares should only be killed if they are actually causing serious crop damage (as opposed to them being a potential source of risk). Not shooting at this time prevents the orphaning of dependent young during the hare’s main breeding season.
Can you shoot hares all year round?
Hares are the only game species in Britain without any closed season for shooting. You can shoot them all year round; you can shoot the does (the females, the plural of doe) when they are pregnant; you can shoot them when they are suckling the leverets, the young hares, so the orphaned youngsters starve to death.
Is shooting hares illegal in Scotland?
Intentionally or recklessly killing, injuring or taking mountain hare at any time or brown hare in the closed season is an offence under the amended Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Licences can only be granted for specific purposes, including: to prevent serious damage – e.g. to forestry interests.
Can you shoot mountain hares?
PROTECTIONS for mountain hares have come into force from today, in what campaigners are calling National Mountain Hare Day. The new regulations mean that it is illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take mountain hares without a licence.
Are hares protected in Scotland?
Both species of hare found in Scotland – the brown hare and the mountain hare – are protected by law.
Where can I find hares in the UK?
Best places to see hares
- Buckenham Marshes, Norfolk.
- WWT Welney, Norfolk.
- King’s Forest, Suffolk.
- RSPB Havergate Island, Suffolk.
- Willow Tree Fen, Lincolnshire.
- The South Downs Way.
- RSPB Saltholme, Cleveland.
- RSPB Otmoor, Oxfordshire.
Are hares protected in UK?
Conservation status Introduced, but naturalised species. Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
Can you shoot pigeons on a Sunday in Scotland?
Shooting is not permitted on Sunday or Christmas Day. The use of a firearm to kill any wild bird or animal is not permitted on Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day unless acting under and in accordance with the terms or conditions of a licence.
Do hares damage crops?
Brown hares have little legal protection, partly because they are game animals and can be managed by farmers and landowners, and partly because they are also a minor pest and can damage crops and young tree plantations. Modern farm machinery and pesticides also kill many hares.
Can you eat hares UK?
So wherever you live in the UK, you can enjoy the fresh gamey flavour of hare with our overnight delivery service. For game lovers, the unique rich taste of hare is a delicacy. Fortunately for us in Suffolk, hare is abundant despite concerns about populations in the South-West and elsewhere in the UK.
How do you watch hares?
The best places to look are open grassy or arable fields, particularly near to woodland fringes or decent hedgerows where hares can find shelter. Get up early to increase your chances of finding a boxing match, and stay down wind to avoid your scent giving you away.
When is the open season for mountain hares?
Open season Oct 1 – Jan 31: Aug 12 – Jan 31* Brown or common hare Oct 1 – Jan 31: Mountain Hare Protected Rabbit: Jan 1 – Dec 31 No close season however certain restrictions can apply, see below. Jan 1 – Dec 31 No close season however certain restrictions can apply, see below. Rabbit is classed as a pest and therefore not subject to a close season.
When is the closed season for brown hares?
Brown hares are a quarry species which may be legally controlled during the open season, but is protected in the closed season under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). The closed season for brown hare is 1 February – 30 September.
Are there any hares that are protected in Scotland?
Both species of hare found in Scotland – the brown hare and the mountain hare – are protected by law.
When do mountain hares become a protected species?
From Monday 1 March 2021 mountain hare are included on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), giving them full protection. This means that at any time of the year, anyone who intentionally or recklessly kills, injures or takes mountain hare without a licence will be acting unlawfully.