A Closed season for hares?

[HistoricBore]

Have other seen the short article in the Times yesterday, plus a letter today, on the subject of introducing a closed season for the shooting of Hares?

A lady peer is introducing a Private Member's Bill to this end. It seems sensible to me, but I am no expert.

HB

 

[cjm1066]

Hare Preservation Act 1892 prohibits sale between March & July.

While they did decline I suspect they are increasing locally.

This seems another well I tended bill based more on sentiment than pragmatism.

 

[Sinistral]

https://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/Hare_Close_Season_Bill.pdf

 

[Greenmist]

Eight month closed season! For what reason? Hares are possibly the best example of self regulation, most people like to see them and only cull when numbers get excessive

 

[Nickb]

If there was a closed season I would suggest April to August.

 

[Nickb]

Hare Preservation Act 1892 prohibits sale between March & July.

While they did decline I suspect they are increasing locally.

This seems another well I tended bill based more on sentiment than pragmatism.

Up North there has been a huge increase , seeing hares everywhere where previously never saw any.

I shoot hares but have self regulation stopping at end of March and start again September.

I appreciate most people don't shoot hares but more legislation is just another nail in the coffin.

 

[bobt]

we get 6 or 7 hares every drive on our small shoot,

instructions are only shoot one if YOU want one,

the dogmen wont follow any closed season anyway,

 

[Smellydog]

Ridiculous. They pretty much breed all year around and can reach near plague proportions.
If there are any real lord's in there with land it'll get thrown out!

 

[Tazz]

On one estate I know the keepers approach to Hares is to shoot them all off as they attract Travellers/Coursers sad for the Hares and he doesn’t like doing it but a reflection of the times we live in

 

[Nickb]

the dogmen wont follow any closed season anyway,

Exactly this.

 

[Nickb]

They won't stop there , next a close season on foxes and woodies.

 

[Greenmist]

On one estate I know the keepers approach to Hares is to shoot them all off as they attract Travellers/Coursers sad for the Hares and he doesn’t like doing it but a reflection of the times we live in

Same in Oxfordshire

 

[Zio65]

Here closed from December and open in september

 

[Camdig]

Already a season for hares in Scotland open season is from 1st of October to the 31st of January.
Hares around me are basically nocturnal and plenty of them.
Unusual protection for an invasive species.

 

[Donkey Basher]

We have what is best described as an ‘abundance’ of hares on the farm. We were going to shoot some this winter but too many deer needing culling to spend the time on the hares! I’m sure we’ll be asked to thin them out a bit later this year.

 

[andyk]

Hmm, supported by the Angling Trust .

Clearly think throwing their lot in with LACS and Co will garner them some goodwill.

Naive, and hopefully any members on here might point that out to them.

 

[Demetrius]

Sadly for the hare, properly hung, prepared, and cooked, they taste absolutely divine.........

D.

 

[TringSaint]

I am seeing more hares on my permissions this spring than I did last year.
Not shot one for years mainly because the numbers dipped a lot and on two of my perms the landowners don’t want them shot.

 

[Heym SR20]

Already a season for hares in Scotland open season is from 1st of October to the 31st of January.
Hares around me are basically nocturnal and plenty of them.
Unusual protection for an invasive species.

Invasive Species. The European Hare is a native to Europe, ditto the Mountain Hare. The UK was part of mainland Europe until about 9000 years when rising sea levels cut us off. Hares have been part of folklore. Some opine Hares were reintroduced in the Iron Age, Rabbits and Fallow deer were brought across by the Romans.

I like Hares. Wonderful to see and also wonderful to eat. It is a sad state of affairs that the solution to stopping poachers is to get rid of their quarry.

Scotland we have a close season for Hares, and we can no longer take Mountain Hares.

 

[Jimbob39]

Far more hares than rabbits here. Next door had a hare day a couple of years ago and we shot over 500. Can count in excess of 50 in a 30 acre field most night we go out. Lots of damage caused by them too.