Hunting Laws For A Newbie.

[OutOfSightHound]

Hi I'm trying to find out about laws regarding hunting foxes and rabbits with sight hounds. It seems there are laws for hunting deer, pigs, but all I can find is that coursing is illegal. Coursing though is a gambling activity on a canned hunt of which the objective is not to catch the hare but score points. So I'm at a loss as animals welfare acts don't spell out the use of dogs for vermin control just that setting a dog onto another animal for sport is illegal. I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for hunting hare rabbits with greyhounds and the like. The death is fast too for the rabbit. I have rang the various department of agriculture etc and each time you ask they say they don't know, but say don't hunt to be on the safe side. Once I have all the correct information I was hoping to put it on the web for others

[cactus]

To be honest it seems to be a bit of a grey area, and one that the public servants won't readily offer up advice on as you have found out. My understanding of it is this, you are allowed to hunt pest animals with dogs as long as the dog can affect a quick and relatively humane kill. You are not allowed to set the dog onto another animal for sport etc as you have said, and it is illegal to be cruel to any animal. If you plan on hunting foxes with dogs then it is probably best to have a dog that is large enough to be able to kill the fox quickly. Rabbits and rats can be hunted with smaller dogs.

 

I might be wrong with some of this as I don't use dogs on foxes, but that's my understanding of things, others will know more.

[RunningDog]

 Yeah cactus pretty much nailed it.

 It is very much a grey area. Each state has different laws/regulations as well, but generally speaking it revolves around the hunted animal being 'vermin' and as cactus said, your dog is supposed to be able to humanely dispatch the animal being hunted.

[OutOfSightHound]

I gather if I don't do stupid stuff and make sure I dispatch any vermin that isn't dead after my dog munches it I'm fine. I did apply for a hunting permit and stated I was hunting with sight hounds for the purpose of vermin control. I got it too, I'm just a little nervous as I'm organizing a group hunt with some friends and we are having a little competition for who catches the most bunnies.

[Bart1]

Not to sure about the laws on rabbits or any other laws on hunting with dogs but I don't think a dog would munches down on a rabbit as if it is having a feed they would kill a rabbit out right .as I only shoot them for the table as they are good eating

Happy hunting