Accused of poaching. Want would you have done.

Thar

Well-Known Member
I have posted this else were so fell free to move on if you have already read this post.

I shot a doe on Friday night near my boundary; the doe ran, my shot turned out to be a bit far back; it was a quick freehand shot in a tight ride. Any way I put the tracking collar on my GWP took her to the paint and pins and gave the command “find the deer” the deer was tracked to about a 150yrds into my neighbours land.

I went and dragged the deer back to “my” land and did the grallock and dragged it to our forest track to fetch it latter with the 4X4.

I didn’t think much more about it, and meet up with my brother and mate at last light, we went for a curry. Driving back from the curry house my wife rang and said the police had come looking for me. :eek:

Once I got home I rang the Police with the telephone number they had left, it was now about 10:30pm. They were back at my house within 15 minutes. They explained that they had been called by a syndicate member of the land were the deer had run on to, he reported a dog matching the description of mine was seen accompanying a man dragging a deer off their land towards mine, they had seen my 4X4 in the lay by and hence why they were there.

I explained what had happened and the officer wrote this down in his note book, he said he would talk to the other syndicate and then would get back to me. :rolleyes:

I sympathise with the lads next door as if they only saw me dragging a deer of there patch with out knowing the full story I guess they would have a right to feel p***ed off.

One last point what do you think is best to do with your rifle in these situations leave it unattended on your own land bearing mine you might need it to dispatch a wounded deer, or unload it and take it with you and only load it to do the deed if necessary.

I don’t believe I did anything wrong but what does the rest of you lads think.

Thar the poacher.
 
Wounded Deer

Hi Thar,
if you took your rifle with you according to thornley /parker you are likely to think in terms of armed trespass/theft of deer from neighbour's property.plead animal welfare and you thought you would be given permission to follow up wounded animal.hope you belong basc. best wishes sounds as though neighbours NOT FRIENDLY.
morena
 
It was in Scotland just in case the law is different, my rifle was left on my own land with bolt removed, but my mate said this would be leaving my rifle insecure and there for in breach of my FAC.

Thar.
 
poaching

I hope itworks out ok for you but you must clear it with your neiboures that it is ok to retrieve a runner no one likes to addmit it but it dosnt always go to plan, you might learn the hard way,i would look on the grim side and consult a solicitor but not the run of the mill one,s get one who knows what they are about and i would sugest that get advice before talking to the police again.I take it you are not in any of the shooting organizations, it,s a bit late now but after this i would join one pretty quick.
 
Kev

Has this now been resolved?

If so what was the conclusion?
 
Hi Brad

I was going to put something up before now but as so much time has pasted since the event I didn’t think it current, but seeing, you have asked.

Under the Deer act for Scotland 1996 you can (this is from memory):- enter on to land with a firearm you other wise have no authorised access if your intent is to prevent unnecessary suffering to a injured/sick deer. You may dispatch the deer with a firearm (not relevant in my case). You then should contact the owner of the land as soon as reasonable practicable to inform him of the situation and ask his permission to remove the venison/deer.

In view of the above the Police have informed me that there is no case to answer. It did take them several weeks for them to tell me this and put my mind at rest. In fairness I suppose they would put me to the “bottom of the pile” while they chased real villains. I am sure they would have been round quicker to remove my firearms if they thought I was a criminal.

I posted this on a few websites at the time and was surprised that no one on any of the sites (myself included) knew the real legal position, a lot of guys off the sites stalk in Scotland some on a professional basis as well. A lot of people thought you could not take your firearms on to the land you did not have permission but that is not the case.

The law for once seems quite reasonable; it is quite similar to the law surrounding dealing with deer involved with RTAs.

I would like to say that the BASC were very good at a time when I was quite worried and that the above act applies to SCOTLAND ONLY. If you stalk in England I am not sure that the law will be the same.

One other thing you may in Scotland walk on land with your firearm (but do not discharge it) that you have no authorised permission to shoot on providing you can show good reason for being there.(walking to or from land you do have permission to shoot on is normally accepted as good reason).

Be careful out there.

Thar
 
Thar said:
If you stalk in England I am not sure that the law will be the same.

Kev.

No the law is not the same in England and Wales. Something that we who deal with RTA's should always bear in mind.

Good to see that it was "all a storm in a teacup" in the end.

Cheers

Brad.
 
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