Polecat Protected or not?

[Foxyboy43]

Just read an article in a certain shooting magazine where a farmer and regular contributor from England relates his experiences with a family of polecats most of which he shot. Now, I may be wrong (what’s new) but I have always thought said polecats enjoyed protection in law under Article 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981? Anyone with more detailed knowledge offer an opinion, please?

 

[TURNBOLT]

No their protected.wildlife and countryside act 1981.

 

[Idlemusket]

yep protected

 

[Scandially]

Pine Martens too.... little devils they are too.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Oh dear - pretty much what I thought and feared then - so writing an article where he recounts shooting four and “has two or three left” kinda reads like an admission of guilt and pretty poor editorial oversight never mind knowledge of the law. Of course it may just be a poor April fool M’lord. If not he may soon be an ex-contributor and an ex-firearms owner!

 

[CarlW]

Just a thought: could they be escaped domestic ferrets gone feral that he is killing, rather than wild polecats?

 

[Heym SR20]

All wildlife is protected save for a very few exceptions - stoats, weasels, gray squirrels, feral cats, rats, mice, rabbits and foxes. Brown Hares and Deer may only be taken during open seasons.

All other species require a licence to be controlled.

more details Quarry species & shooting seasons | The British Association for Shooting and Conservation

 

[Foxyboy43]

Just a thought: could they be escaped domestic ferrets gone feral that he is killing, rather than wild polecats?

Might well be but throughout the 3 page article “polecats” is used repeatedly so the Essex-based writer clearly thought they were not ferrets! I suspect we will be hearing quite a bit more of what reads very like a confession of guilt! Another one for the Antis!

 

[Sonicdmb73]

Might well be but throughout the 3 page article “polecats” is used repeatedly so the Essex-based writer clearly thought they were not ferrets! I suspect we will be hearing quite a bit more of what reads very like a confession of guilt! Another one for the Antis!

Not necessarily. I kept ferrets growing up (well getting older) and we referred to the ones with polecat type markings as just that Polecats. Although the photo attached gives many different names ours were the Sable Mask type mainly. But referred to as polecats by everyone who worked, bred or sold them.

 

[User00036]

Totally agree Sonic, so is it illegal to shoot a feral ferret with polecat markings? Bit of a grey area, especially round the shoulders!

 

[Foxyboy43]

Indeed but the article’s inclusion of the statement “it is illegal to deliberately set a trap for any pure-bred polecat, but they may be shot” and indeed the tenor of the article where he “manages” to shoot four polecats including two young with one rifle shot kinda suggests he knew what he was shooting!! If they are indeed protected as we all seem to think they are this is indeed a very poor article and further bad news for the shooting community.

 

[Drum123]

Pretty sure theyre not fully protected.Shooting them is legal.Under section 5 of the wildlife and countryside act.

 

[CarlW]

Not necessarily. I kept ferrets growing up (well getting older) and we referred to the ones with polecat type markings as just that Polecats. Although the photo attached gives many different names ours were the Sable Mask type mainly. But referred to as polecats by everyone who worked, bred or sold them.

Yes. As a child, my dark-coloured ferrets, I always referred to as polecats, even though they were mustela putorius furo, as opposed to the true polecat, mustela putorius.

Lovely animals.

 

[User00036]

Agreed Carl, lovely animals, & kept as pets since ancient times until the introduction of the domestic cat. I never seen a wild polecat until recently, nor met any old boy who had seen one, here in the the eastern counties, were they extinct? I wonder if a lot of these polecats we are seeing aren't reintroductions from ferrets?

 

[Foxyboy43]

Curiouser and curiouser! Since my OP and following on from the conflicting views from members I have delved a little
deeper into the status of Polecats and it seems to be the case that a bit of confusion reigns over their status. Some agencies say they are fully protected, some say partially protected and others say they may be shot! The letter of the law as advised by Drum53 above shows they are not listed on Section 5 (protected species) of the C&W Act so by implication are indeed not protected yet many “respected” bodies say they are either fully or partially protected!
Soooo, it seems that the magazine’s article’s author might just be right (or not) but I for one would not wish to be relying on the apparent confusion as my defence in court. Just be careful would be the watchword.

 

[Fursty Ferret]

They can be legally shot, but you cannot trap them

 

[CarlW]

They can be legally shot, but you cannot trap them

Looks like you'd better keep your head down then, @Fursty Ferret ...

 

[Fursty Ferret]

I am not suggesting I have/would or advocate shooting them but in some situations it may be necessary and lawful

 

[Foxyboy43]

Interesting stuff - so could a reasonable defence be that you thought it was a feral ferret (alliteration) when you shot it?

 

[TURNBOLT]

They can be legally shot, but you cannot trap them

I stand to be corrected Fursty Ferret.They are not on section 5 .They can be killed or taken to protect poultry or pets in certain circumstances.