Game Act 1831

1. Introductory Text

2. [1.]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3. 2. What shall be deemed Game.

4. 3. Days and Seasons during which Game shall not be killed. Penalty for laying poison to kill game.

5. 3A. Sale of birds of game

6. 4. † Possession of Game illegal after Ten Days in Dealers, and Forty Days in other Persons, from the Expiration of the Season.

7. 5. This Act not to affect the existing Laws respecting Game Certificates.

8. 6. Every certificated person may kill Game, subject to the Law of Trespass. Proviso as to Game-keepers.

9. 7. Under existing leases the landlord shall have the game except in certain cases.

10. 8. This Act not to affect any existing or future agreements respecting game, nor any rights of manor, forest, chase, or warren.

11. 9. This Act not to affect any of His Majesty’s Forest Rights, &c.

12. 10. Not to affect any Cattlegates or Right of Common. Lord of manor to have the game on the wastes.

13. 11. Landlord, having the Game, may authorize others to kill it.

14. 12. Where the landlord, &c. has the right to the game, in exclusion of the occupier, the occupier shall be liable to a penalty for killing it.

15. 13. Lords of manors may appoint gamekeepers. Powers of gamekeepers of manors.

16. 14. Lords of Manors may grant Deputations.

17. 15. Regulations respecting appointment of gamekeepers in Wales.

18. 16. All appointments of gamekeepers to be registered with the clerk of the peace.

19. 17. Certificated Persons may sell Game to licensed Dealers. Proviso as to Gamekeepers.

20. 18. Justices to hold a special session yearly for granting licences to persons to deal in game. Dealers in game to put up a board.

21. 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22. 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23. 21. Proviso as to Partners.

24. 22. Licences When to become Void.

25. 23. Penalty for killing game without a certificate. Penalty to be cumulative.

26. 24. Penalty for destroying or taking the Eggs of Game, &c.

27. 25. Penalty for selling Game without Licence, and on certificated Persons selling to unlicensed Persons.

28. 26. Exceptions as to innkeepers.

29. 27. Penalty on persons buying game except from licensed dealers.

30. 28. Penalty on licensed dealers buying game from uncertificated persons, or otherwise offending.

31. 29. As to buying and selling Game by the Servants of a licensed Dealer.

32. 30. Penalty on persons trespassing in the day-time upon lands in search of game. Where the Occupier of the Land, not being entitled to the Game, allows any Person to kill it, the Party entitled to the Game may enforce the Penalty.

33. 31. Trespassers in search of game may be required to quit the land, and to tell their names and abodes, and in case of refusal may be arrested. Penalty. Persons arrested must be discharged unless brought before a justice within 12 hours.

34. 31A. Powers of constables in relation to trespassers.

35. 32. Penalty on Persons found armed using Violence, &c.

36. 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

37. 34. What to be deemed daytime.

38. 35. The Provisions as to trespassers not to apply to persons hunting, &c.

39. 36. Game may be taken from Trespassers not delivering up the same when demanded.

40. 37. Application of penalties for offences against this Act.

41. 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

42. 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

43. 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

44. 41. Time for Proceedings, and Mode of enforcing the Appearance of Offenders.

45. 42. Prosecutor not required to prove a Negative.

46. 43. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

47. 44. Appeal to quarter sessions.

48. 45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

49. 46. This Act not to preclude actions for trespass, but no double proceedings for the same trespass.

50. 47. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

51. 48. Act not to extend to Scotland or Ireland.

52. SCHEDULES

    1. Schedule (A.)

       Form of Licence

       1. At a special session of the justices of the peace...

       2. This licence will expire on

       3. (Signed) Justice of the peace. Justice of the peace.]

    2. Schedule (A.)

       Form of Licence

       1. The islands council of . . . (or, as the...

       2. This licence will expire on

       3. (Signed) . . .

    3. Schedule (B.)

       1. . . . . . . . . . ....