Pheasants

[oap]

Is it legal to set wire cages to trap pheasants and kill them just because they are in your garden?

[rio116]

they are not in season at the mo but why would you want to do that? What harm do they do?

[oap]

No harm as far as I am concerned but I noticed these cages in someone's garden yesterday and wondered if it was legal. Personally I think it should be reported.

[Catso]

I believe 'the season' refers to shooting them, not any other forms of control. It's perfectly legal to kill them - they are not a protected species.

As to harm, they do loads in gardens - they are voracious eaters. They can destroy a row of veg in a week. Though also love the fresh tender growth (that will be starting about now) on flowers - they eat the growing tips out.

Though I've never seen it, I've been told they scratch up and eat bulbs, which does sound a bit far-fetched to me.

[gessoo]

Regarding killing wild birds.

It is unlawful in the UK to kill wild bird except with some exceptions.

http://www.naturenet.net/law/birds.html#kill

You need a licence to kill a pheasant (game bird).

Report the person concerned.

[ugly_bob]

If you run a pheasant over, you are not allowed to stop and pick it up - classed as poaching. You can (if for some reason you want to) pick one up thathas been run over by someone else.

[kovac]

I'm with gessoo on this one. I would report the individual. I have loads of pheasants in my garden and they're beautiful creatures, if not a little stupid. No pheasant has ever done any harm in my garden.

[Catso]

I forgot that; gessoo is right, you would need a game licence to deliberately kill a pheasant.
And I was wrong about shooting them: the close season applies to any killing of game birds.
But, are you sure he's trapping them? Not just keeping some in his garden. You can buy them, you know. And, stupid though pheasants may be, I find it difficult to believe they're daft enough to be trapped, especially in a garden, I'd have thought they'd be very wary. And have you seen him kill them? I'd imagine most (normal) people would much rather just take them a few miles away and release them.
Can't you just sneak into his garden and let them go? If it bothers you, why don't you attract them into your garden in preference to his, then they wouldn't get caught. Just put loads of food down, they'll soon get the idea.

[oap]

Thanks for all your answers. Together with your answers and a telephone call to the RSPB we then approached the people in question and within five minutes the cages were taken away. May the pheasants, only two, I may add hopefully enjoy their freedom.

[gessoo]

Well done oap. I am so pleased that you tackled it so well. Sometimes these things are done in ignorance by those concerned. I presume those pheasants were being fattened up for a tasty Sunday lunch. May they enjoy their freedom. Unfortunately, the vast majority are bred purely for shooting and eating anyway, so lets hope these two lay low!