.308 for fox

latcheye

Well-Known Member
Has anyone got .308 for fox on their licence? The Met are happy to give me .308 permission to shoot fox whilst stalking deer, but not to licence the .308 for fox specifically which means I need 2 rifles. It would be useful to have any info to convince them they are wrong.
 
Not that old chestnut again - why don't they get the message that it makes absolutely no sense to try and apply that condition. :banghead:

There is a BASC guidance sheet that will help you which you can download from this link:

http://www.basc.org.uk/en/utilities/document-summary.cfm/docid/3D001190-BA52-43B5-91F72349FD5C6B90

Do they suppose it somehow becomes more dangerous to use against a fox when not stalking! :doh: Did they give any reason for it?

BTW: Like many others here, I can use my .308 for deer and any other lawful quarry - so that's basically anything down to rats. Are you a member of an organisation that will get behind you on this one?
 
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all my centrefires are deer and other lawful quarry so covered for fox.Even before the lawful quarry wording came in the 30-06 even had deer and fox,If it is safe to shoot deer on your ground surely it is safe to shoot fox.Never use the 06 lamping though,always use the 243 with 70grn v shock.Like a bullet that fragments when shooting at night , just feels a bit safer
 
Thanks. They said .308 is not a fox calibre, which I can't understand since they're happy for me to shoot fox with it when I'm stalking deer. Good point about lamping though they didn't mention this as a reason.I'll keep pressing now I know it's been aired before.
 
Has anyone got .308 for fox on their licence? The Met are happy to give me .308 permission to shoot fox whilst stalking deer, but not to licence the .308 for fox specifically which means I need 2 rifles. It would be useful to have any info to convince them they are wrong.

First of all, how long have you had your licence and what conditions do you have on it now?

My certificate states: The .308/7.62 & .25-06 Rifles, Sound Moderators and ammunition shall be used for deer and fox control and for zeroing on ranges, or land over which the holder has lawful authority to shoot.

The Met are happy to give me .308 permission to shoot fox whilst stalking deer, but not to licence the .308 for fox specifically which means I need 2 rifles

I am slightly confused here, why would you need two rifles? Shooting foxes Whilst stalking deer or not stalking deer coming across a Fox results in the same end!

So what we are saying is you can shoot a fox with your .308 if your intended quarry is deer, however if it is not you cannot shoot a fox! :confused:

I think you need to talk to your FEO and discuss this matter further, that's of course I have read your thread right!

ATB

Steyr.308
 
Okay, I can see where they are coming from then - they have read the HO Guidance chart of calibres/quarry at the end of Chapter 3 and are applying it without any thought that you can of course use a larger calibre for a minor species - dead is dead after all and there is no such thing as 'overkill', which they sometimes try to get in to the argument.

Do a search on this section of the forum and you'll find lots of other threads covering the same or similar subjects.

BTW. Might be an idea to point out to them that you are not asking for the rifle primarily for fox, but having satisfied the 'good reason' for deer merely want to include lesser species on it as per the HO Guidance. Check out 13.15 in the Guidance which clearly states that the chart they have referred to is only for establishing the 'good reason' to possess the firearm in the first place - and not to be applied prescriptively to additional quarry species. If they baulk ask for the reason in writing - it can have a good effect on focusing their thinking. :D
 
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Steyr, I've come across this wording before and it basically restricts you to shooting in daylight hours and in the Deer seasons! All well and good if you have Roe or Munties on your ground but if not you're stuck with long close seasons in your Foxing activities. It's all rubbish, you should be able to have a .308 for Fox once an initial need has been established elsewhere. That means that they can't really grant it for Fox, but once it's been granted for Deer you can have Fox as a secondary condition.

I have Fox (well any lawful quarry) on a .338 Win Mag, so a .308 for Fox is more than reasonable! Dead is dead, and a .308 will certainly fit that bill!
 
First of all, how long have you had your licence and what conditions do you have on it now?

My certificate states: The .308/7.62 & .25-06 Rifles, Sound Moderators and ammunition shall be used for deer and fox control and for zeroing on ranges, or land over which the holder has lawful authority to shoot.



I am slightly confused here, why would you need two rifles? Shooting foxes Whilst stalking deer or not stalking deer coming across a Fox results in the same end!

So what we are saying is you can shoot a fox with your .308 if your intended quarry is deer, however if it is not you cannot shoot a fox! :confused:

I think you need to talk to your FEO and discuss this matter further, that's of course I have read your thread right!

ATB

Steyr.308

He is saying that and so are the police dont foreget under the law and deer act you can only pursue deer during daylight hours without a special licience, so effectively the condition on his F.C will only allow him to shoot deer and foxes during those times. 1 Hour after sunset he is prohibited from using it under the act, So lamping with it would be illegal as he isnt in pursuit of deer:)
 
I know it's a pain when plod put on a restriction that they shouldn't.
I dunno why anybody would want to take a cannon like a 308 lamping for foxes though.
 
Has anyone got .308 for fox on their licence? The Met are happy to give me .308 permission to shoot fox whilst stalking deer, but not to licence the .308 for fox specifically which means I need 2 rifles. It would be useful to have any info to convince them they are wrong.
How are they going to word that on your ticket?
If it says "to be used for larger vermin
ie foxes and for deer destruction" that should entitle you to shoot foxes at any time
 
I know it's a pain when plod put on a restriction that they shouldn't.
I dunno why anybody would want to take a cannon like a 308 lamping for foxes though.


Good job I have another rifle for foxing with a lamp if I took my cannon 270 it would rattle a few teeth at night:rofl:
 
Cannon's going off in the wee small hours a few years back, within earshot of a Ducal bedroom, may have eased a certain individuals request to have an uncut boomer moderated!:D
 
Les, a bit surprised to see a stalker such as yourself using that old favourite of the uninformed F.E.O.
It's not that, I think that if you're entitled to it then you should have it no question.
For me it's horses for courses, big bang = big animals.
I use my 6.5 for most things but if I'm lamping foxes only use the .223.
I know it's personal choice I just don't see why you'd want to use such a big calibre that drops like a stone for lamping foxes.
 
Fair comment Les. hope none of the .308 users think I'm being funny when I describe it as "Throw & wait"!:D
Would be a fair comment though :D
Still can't see how they are going to word it on the ticket, if it's authorised for larger vermin then what time you use it can't be an issue.
Last time I spoke to Bill Harriman at the BASC (few years back now) he told me that there is no point of law that allows clauses in the issue of a fac.
 
Don't want to change the direction of the original post , but wouldn't it upset the applecart if B.A.S.C. really did fight a bit on this sort of issue.
 
Don't want to change the direction of the original post , but wouldn't it upset the applecart if B.A.S.C. really did fight a bit on this sort of issue.
They were more than happy to fight for my mate who was told that to shoot deer he had to either do DSC1 or have my name on his ticket as his mentor.
Thames valley insist on this and the BASC said they would like to take tvp to court over it as a test case.
My FAO actually told me if it went to court they would lose but in the meantime my mate would be tied up for 9 months and not get his ticket
 
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