A Little Plain Law For Game Preservers, Wildfowlers, Keepers And Poachers

By Ralph Payne-Gallwey

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Jun 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781446549582

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A LITTLE PLAIN LAW FOR GAME PRESERVERS, WILDFOWLERS, KEEPERS AND POACHERS

TRESPASSERS

IF a person shoot over the boundary of his own land at game that is on, or has risen from, the land of another, and then goes to pick it up or sends his dog for it, he is a trespasser, and may be summoned.

But if a person fire at a bird that rises on his own land, and then fails dead or wounded on the land of another, whether it be killed over the boundary or not he may pick it up, and take or send a dog into his neighbour’s land without committing a trespass.¹

When crossing a boundary for such a purpose, make a point of leaving your gun on the ground over which your right of shooting extends.

Some poachers think they are safe when on a high road so long as they are not seen to leave it. It should be borne in mind that any poacher who shoots from the road, or sends a dog to hunt over land through which the road passes, may be summoned for trespass in pursuit of game; in the latter case as if he had himself accompanied the dog.

It is also worth noting, especially by keepers and watchers, that should a band of men go out poaching by day or night, any one, or all of them, may be summoned for trespass in pursuit of game so long as one of their number actually commits a trespass, and his companions are evidently assisting him as accomplices.

This law greatly strengthens the powers of landlords and keepers, and is a very useful one, though not generally known; it being commonly supposed that, unless a poacher be actually surprised in the act of trespassing when out with a confederate who is seen so to offend, he cannot