http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/69/section/11/enactedWildlife and Countryside Act 1981National parksRights of wayWildlifeNature reservesNature conservationKing's Printer of Acts of Parliament2019-03-22
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 11(2A)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 1(6)(b)s. 30s. 35(2)reg. 2sch.Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 12A-12G and cross-headingWildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(2)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 16A(1A)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(4)(a)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 16A(ab)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(4)(b)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 16A(5B)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(4)(c)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 21(ga)(gb)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(6)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 26(2)(c)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(7)(a)(ii)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 26(3)(c)Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024s. 7(7)(b)(ii)s. 30s. 35(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 53(3)(c)(ia)Deregulation Act 2015Sch. 7 para. 2(b)s. 115(7)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 53B(4A)(4B)Deregulation Act 2015Sch. 7 para. 4s. 115(7)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 53ZADeregulation Act 2015Sch. 7 para. 3s. 115(7)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 54B 54CDeregulation Act 2015Sch. 7 para. 5s. 115(7)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Sch. 13ADeregulation Act 2015Sch. 7 para. 6s. 115(7)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Sch. 14ADeregulation Act 2015Sch. 7 para. 7s. 115(7)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 16(3)(ea)Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026s. 47(2)s. 59(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 16AA(5A)Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026s. 48(3)s. 59(2)Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981s. 16AA(9A)Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026s. 48(5)s. 59(2)
PART IWildlifeProtection of other animalsProhibition of certain methods of killing or taking wild animals
11
1
Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
a
sets in position any self-locking snare which is of such a nature and so placed as to be calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild animal coming into contact therewith;
b
uses for the purpose of killing or taking any wild animal any self-locking snare, whether or not of such a nature or so placed as aforesaid, any bow or crossbow or any explosive other than ammunition for a firearm; or
c
uses as a decoy, for the purpose of killing or taking any wild animal, any live mammal or bird whatever,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
2
Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
a
sets in position any of the following articles, being an article which is of such a nature and so placed as to be calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild animal included in Schedule 6 which comes into contact therewith, that is to say, any trap or snare, any electrical device for killing or stunning or any poisonous, poisoned or stupefying substance ;
b
uses for the purpose of killing or taking any such wild animal any such article as aforesaid, whether or not of such a nature and so placed as aforesaid, or any net;
c
uses for the purpose of killing or taking any such wild animal—
i
any automatic or semi-automatic weapon ;
ii
any device for illuminating a target or sighting device for night shooting ;
iii
any form of artificial light or any mirror or other dazzling device ; or
iv
any gas or smoke not falling within paragraphs (a) and (b);
d
uses as a decoy, for the purpose of killing or taking any such wild animal, any sound recording; or
e
uses any mechanically propelled vehicle in immediate pursuit of any such wild animal for the purpose of driving, killing or taking that animal,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
3
Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person—
a
sets in position any snare which is of such a nature and so placed as to be calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild animal coming into contact therewith; and
b
while the snare remains in position fails, without reasonable excuse, to inspect it, or cause it to be inspected, at least once every day,
he shall be guilty of an offence.
4
The Secretary of State may, for the purpose of complying with an international obligation, by order, either generally or in relation to any kind of wild animal specified in the order, amend subsection (1) or (2) by adding any method of killing or taking wild animals or by omitting any such method as is mentioned in that subsection.
5
In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (1)(b) or (c) or (2)(b), (c), (d) or (e), the animal in question shall be presumed to have been a wild animal unless the contrary is shown.
6
In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (2)(a) it shall be a defence to show that the article was set in position by the accused for the purpose of killing or taking, in the interests of public health, agriculture, forestry, fisheries or nature conservation, any wild animals which could be lawfully killed or taken by those means and that he took all reasonable precautions to prevent injury thereby to any wild animals included in Schedule 6.