Shooting Over Leased Land?

[tillbrook 24]

Hi guys a little advice please! I have been asked by a farmer to whom i shoot for to clear some rabbits up off a piece of land that he rents! Has he got the right to allow me on if the land has been deemed suitable or would i have to clear this up with the land owner himself?

Edited September 11, 2016 by tillbrook

[SportingShooter 0]

Basically, the land owner has a duty to control rabbits.

 

The only person who can authorise you to shoot there is the owner of the shooting rights. This could the land owner or a separate entity.

 

If the owner of the shooting rights refuses you/the tenant permission to control the rabbits, then you can apply to Natural England for authority to do so.

 

All things here;

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rabbits-how-to-control-numbers#your-responsibility-to-control-rabbit-numbers

[tillbrook 24]

Ok matey that has helped alot so shooting rights is this the person whom has had the land checked over by the police from the start?

[SportingShooter 0]

Ok matey that has helped alot so shooting rights is this the person whom has had the land checked over by the police from the start?

 

Shooting rights are a bit of a quirky British law that often surprises people.

 

Basically, the right to hunt, fish or shoot can be sold separately to the actual land. So I could own the shooting rights on a piece of land that you have the deeds to and still be able to enter it and shoot across or on it without you being able to do anything about it.

 

Normally, land is sold with shooting, fishing or hunting rights included so the owner holds them and can give permission.

 

You need to find out if the landowner holds the shooting rights, if he does then ask him for permission. If he doesn't, find out who does and ask them.

 

Shooting rights can of course be leased. If so, then the lessee can also grant permission.

 

Confused?

[air gun ant 1,666]

 

Ok matey that has helped alot so shooting rights is this the person whom has had the land checked over by the police from the start?

 

Shooting rights are a bit of a quirky British law that often surprises people.

 

Basically, the right to hunt, fish or shoot can be sold separately to the actual land. So I could own the shooting rights on a piece of land that you have the deeds to and still be able to enter it and shoot across or on it without you being able to do anything about it.

 

Normally, land is sold with shooting, fishing or hunting rights included so the owner holds them and can give permission.

 

You need to find out if the landowner holds the shooting rights, if he does then ask him for permission. If he doesn't, find out who does and ask them.

 

Shooting rights can of course be leased. If so, then the lessee can also grant permission.

 

Confused?

 

since were talking rabbit here, isn't the occupier of the land legaly allowed to control rabbits anyway? its usually game shooting/deer stalking rights that are sold or leased seperatly.

[Durham John 693]

 

 

Ok matey that has helped alot so shooting rights is this the person whom has had the land checked over by the police from the start?

 

Shooting rights are a bit of a quirky British law that often surprises people.

 

Basically, the right to hunt, fish or shoot can be sold separately to the actual land. So I could own the shooting rights on a piece of land that you have the deeds to and still be able to enter it and shoot across or on it without you being able to do anything about it.

 

Normally, land is sold with shooting, fishing or hunting rights included so the owner holds them and can give permission.

 

You need to find out if the landowner holds the shooting rights, if he does then ask him for permission. If he doesn't, find out who does and ask them.

 

Shooting rights can of course be leased. If so, then the lessee can also grant permission.

 

Confused?

 

since were talking rabbit here, isn't the occupier of the land legaly allowed to control rabbits anyway? its usually game shooting/deer stalking rights that are sold or leased seperatly.

 

 

the occupier is him/herself or to have one person of their staff or a person who will do it for reward?

 

so if the op were to work for the farmer then thats ok or he could get commercial liability insurance to act as pest controller for said farmer

[Dan Newcombe 58]

Usually a tenant is required to control rabbits on the land that they rent and as such they are treated differently to game which is covered with the so called shooting rights.

 

it will all depend on the wording of the lease but few landowners will reserve rabbits etc because they are to a degree opening themselves up to compensation claims for crop damage from rabbits, pigeons etc.

 

Check the lease and keep it all on the level but i can imagine there should be too much of a problem. More of the problem could come from the people who have the shooting rights.

 

Dan

[SportingShooter 0]

 

 

Ok matey that has helped alot so shooting rights is this the person whom has had the land checked over by the police from the start?

 

Shooting rights are a bit of a quirky British law that often surprises people.

 

Basically, the right to hunt, fish or shoot can be sold separately to the actual land. So I could own the shooting rights on a piece of land that you have the deeds to and still be able to enter it and shoot across or on it without you being able to do anything about it.

 

Normally, land is sold with shooting, fishing or hunting rights included so the owner holds them and can give permission.

 

You need to find out if the landowner holds the shooting rights, if he does then ask him for permission. If he doesn't, find out who does and ask them.

 

Shooting rights can of course be leased. If so, then the lessee can also grant permission.

 

Confused?

 

since were talking rabbit here, isn't the occupier of the land legaly allowed to control rabbits anyway? its usually game shooting/deer stalking rights that are sold or leased seperatly.

 

 

I was under the same impression as you until I checked before posting and this paragraph had me edging on the side of caution, taken from the above link;

 

When you can shoot rabbits

If you are the occupier of land you can shoot rabbits on your land during the day and can authorise in writing one other person to do so. That person must be part of your household, one of your staff, or be employed for reward to specifically control the rabbits.

If the owner of the shooting rights for your land does not agree to destroy the rabbits themselves nor allow you to use extra shooters, you can apply to Natural England for authority to do so.

Wildlife Licensing

Natural England

First Floor

Temple Quay House

2 The Square

Bristol

BS1 6DG

Emailwildlife@naturalengland.org.uk

Telephone020 802 61089

You can shoot rabbits at night only if you are:

• an owner/occupier with shooting rights
• a landlord/landlady who has reserved their shooting rights
• a shooting tenant not in occupation who has derived the shooting rights from the owner
• an occupier, or one other person authorised by the occupier in writing, where the occupier has written authority from someone with the shooting rights

[tillbrook 24]

Ok well this is my problem I have I shoot for a farmer who rents a peice of his neighbours land being a doctor! A vegetarian doctor! Who isn't so keen on the idea of things being killed obviously! Now I didnt really want to have anything to do with this gentleman because my farmer has told me the rabbits must go however if I am to use the. 22lr I need to really make sure things are all legally in place before I step onto his land with a fire arm incase he trys to be funny can you guys see where I'm coming from now!!?and is there a way of getting on there legally without having anything to do with this doctor! THE LAND IS BADLY DAMAGED SO I MUST GET ON!

[CharlieT 32]

If the doctor is adamant that he does not want the rabbits killed, then there is nothing you, as a hobby shooter, can do.

 

The chap renting the ground can, as SS said, apply to NE for authority to do so, but such action will result in confrontation between the farmer and the doctor and could well end up with the doctor terminating the lease.

 

You as a hobby shooter are not permitted to shoot the rabbits and even if NE authorised the farmer to kill them you would not qualify under the control terms. Best keep out of it as it will all end in tears.

[The one 8,467]

Must be different in Bonny Scotland the tenant gives one person permission to kill the vermin i work along aside a couple of shoots they dont like it one bit but the farmers says if you would control the rabbits i wouldnt need bob

[Jax13 251]

My investigating into this a few years back uncovered some interesting feedback.

 

It was council land with occupied shooting rights leased to a 3rd party and the land itself leased to a local farm.

 

Rabbits were causing a lot of damage, farmer was told by the council he couldn't have a shooter on there because the shooting rights were separate to his farm lease.

 

A bit of back and forth between the farmer and council and they tried to say he could control bunnies any way he saw fit so long as they weren't shot.

 

A bit more digging revealed rabbit or vermin wasn't mentioned anywhere in the shooting rights and pest / vermin control was listed in the land lease.

 

A gentleman's agreement between myself and the guy with the game rights for me to steer clear of the duck ponds at night or as it started approaching dusk and to stay out of the copses where stray pheasants roosted at night also meant everyone was happy.

[lllluke1 329]

 

 

I was under the same impression as you until I checked before posting and this paragraph had me edging on the side of caution, taken from the above link;

 

When you can shoot rabbits

If you are the occupier of land you can shoot rabbits on your land during the day and can authorise in writing one other person to do so. That person must be part of your household, one of your staff, or be employed for reward to specifically control the rabbits.

See this is the problem with the shooting law. It is outdated and still applies to land gentry and not normal folk like us who do it for a hobby