big cat

taln

Well-Known Member
What are the laws on shooting big cat on your ground.would you be in trouble by doing so or some kind of hero.1000 pounds richer:doh:
 
theres supposed to be one never seen it though:rolleyes:just wish to know the legaletes as sporting rifle put up a reward.would like to see what would happen if you claimed such reward
 
The reward that I saw was for legally shot cat anyway...

I saw one about 5 years ago around Whitehaven, Cumbria.
 
It's just a 'feral' cat, only bigger! Shoot it!
It will also endanger humans and other animals.
It's an interesting one, but I wouldn't think twice.
BUT, make sure you shoot it facing you so that it is 'self defence'!
MS:)
 
As far as I know officially there are no big cats in our countryside therefore if you don't tell anyone noone will miss it and you could not possibly have shot something that doesn't exist.

If you do tell someone then every interfering busybody will want to become involved and a lot of them will want you to "pay for your crimes."

So, I think you have a choice should the opportunity ever present itself.
 
No FLO is going to give you "big cats" on your conditions so you'd have to rely on "self defence" or "any legal quarry". It's not specifically illegal to shoot big cats so by definition they should be legal quarry. The only thing is that I'd want to be using something big enough not to have to worry about a second shot!!
 
Sporting Rifles' offer of £1000 for a legally shot Big Cat is an utter con! If you read the whole article it says they want 'exclusive rights to the photographs'. Anyone with half a brain could make 10 x that amount in the first day if they kept the image rights for themselves and a fortune if they went through an agent or media company! TV and Newspapers throughout the world need saleable content 24/7 and a Genuine Black Panther would have them coming from all corners of the globe with chequebooks in hand! Would you want all that to go to Pete Carr?? £1000 = Peanuts for a monkey!
 
The reward that I saw was for legally shot cat anyway...

I saw one about 5 years ago around Whitehaven, Cumbria.

OLY would your open ticket cover such a shot if it was on your land:confused:

Don't think so, surely you would need feral cat or something specifying it in the conditions of your FAC?

It wasn't on my land, I saw it whilst working - in between the sports ground and Low Road. Initially near the watercourse, it then tracked up and over the old railway line and I lost it in the scrub on the land beyond.

In case you fancy a look - it was very leopard in shape/size but please bear in mind that it was 5 or 6 years ago now and didn't look the healthiest at the time either - hence I didn't stalk it too closely for a better look! Unfortunately the land was frozen, the scrub high and the sun was low - hence (as always with big cat sightings!) my view wasn't perfect, but it was definitely leopard profile/size from the fleeting one or two whole body glimpses I got. There were also no prints visible due to the frozen mud! I have also been told that there is/was an animal collection in the area that used to occasionally report escapees.

whitehaven rugby - Google Maps
 
"It was coming for me officer, I was in fear for my life and also worried that it could kill someone in the next village........ so I was forced to shoot it before it got too close......................!"

If any one ever did shoot one of these mythical beasties and claimed the prize, I imagine their mail box would be filled with death threats and letters written in green ink from the bunny huggers for some time afterwards
 
I find it astounding how often this thread comes around. I asked defra and have the response;
 

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No FLO is going to give you "big cats" on your conditions so you'd have to rely on "self defence" or "any legal quarry". It's not specifically illegal to shoot big cats so by definition they should be legal quarry. The only thing is that I'd want to be using something big enough not to have to worry about a second shot!!

Cant see why not, i have YETI and UNICORN on mine:lol:
 
On my fac i have the condition for 22/250 .243 shall be used for shooting dogs which are worring livestock so if i shoot one i would make sure photos were taken in the field with the sheep in
 
I find it astounding how often this thread comes around. I asked defra and have the response;
The first line of their letter seems contradictory:
Big cats are not a protected species in this country and owners and occupiers of land may kill them if they feel this is necessary to prevent damage to livestock.
Surely if they are not protected, you could hunt them regardless of whether they are causing damage to livestock or not...
It also doesn't address the question of whether you would contravene the conditions on your firearm certificate by shooting them.
 
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been reading all the threads but dont you think that the ammount of stalkers out at daybreak and dusk across the uk one would of been shot by now?
 
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