Deer Caliber for Foxing in Northern Ireland
I dont think you will get it passed for foxes, i tried to get my 308 passed for foxes as well and they just said no although local firearms officer said i could shoot them while stalking but not to lamp them. but with out this in writing on the permit i dont know how legal it would be.
Claret_Dabbler
Well-Known Member
I would think you have little chance of this. Fox as target of opportunity while stalking yes, but they will not authorise a deer legal rifle as a primary foxing rifle.
Orion
Well-Known Member
Where's the logic in that? If the initial good reason for possession of the rifle is deer, then is there any difference to public safety in whether a fox is the quarry whilst out stalking or out solely for fox? Do they actually use the 'fox whilst stalking' condition? I appreciate that different criteria apply to N.Ireland compared to England & Wales, but if you already have the rifle why not be permitted to use it?
Claret_Dabbler
Well-Known Member
The basic position here in NI is that the police will not license a deer calibre for use in the field unless (a) You have DSC1 and (b) you have permission on land which holds deer. End off. You can shout and protest, but that is the position.
You can hold a deer rifle and ammo for use outside NI, or for target use at an approved range, without meeting these criteria, but they will not condition you for any other use in NI in these circumstances.
The OP's is in this position, he has a deer rifle, but no land with deer. Therefore the PSNI will view that he is asking for the 6.5's primary condition to be a fox rifle. They won't do this. They will give him a 22cf no bother, but they won't condition the 6.5 for foxes specifically.
I am not saying this is logical, but this is the position.
Orion
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the clarification Brian.
Strange that PSNI will change the 'good reason' around like that though. If the OP has satisfied the initial 'good reason' for possession of the rifle for use outwith NI, then one might think that any additional use/condition thereafter would be treated as supplimental?
As you say, not logical but by the sound of it a bit like some of the more rabid English FLDs on steroids!
Strange that PSNI will change the 'good reason' around like that though. If the OP has satisfied the initial 'good reason' for possession of the rifle for use outwith NI, then one might think that any additional use/condition thereafter would be treated as supplimental?
As you say, not logical but by the sound of it a bit like some of the more rabid English FLDs on steroids!