General rules on Game and Hunting

You must:

The law imposes many restrictions on when and where you can hunt. You must obtain permission from the person holding the right to hunt on the land in question, whether your quarry is game, deer or rabbits. In most cases it will be the owner or occupier of the land who has the right to authorise hunting. For many forms of hunting you must also have a game licence and valid certificates are always necessary for any firearms involved. It is a crime to take any animals or birds without the necessary permission and licences. Trespassing in search of game is also a crime, as is most hunting at night, and severe penalties can be imposed on offenders, especially those carrying firearms. Similar rules apply to fishing on any river or loch.

Even where the law permits you to kill or capture birds and other animals, certain methods are prohibited because they are cruel or indiscriminate. In addition the general law on firearms must also be considered. For example, repeating shotguns that are used by some hunters in Europe, are illegal in Scotland.