Hunting General Licences - England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland 2026 Updated.

[Shoto1]

England

All the latest news and advice concerning general licences, in England, and how they affect you.

basc.org.uk

 

[pjgtech]

Thanx for the link, here s the useful table as well...

 

[Bazzatron]

Interesting - I wish BASC has highlighted the specific changes more clearly, but is a good opportunity for everyone to look up their target species and check that they're operating legally.

With regards to "[for the purpose of] conserving wild birds of conservation concern" - I'm not sure how they intend on this being interpreted, surely killing, for example, a Magpie will decrease demand on a food supply and "conserve wild birds of conservation concern"?

 

[Bighit]

All the others here .

 

[Shoto1]

Many thanks to @P8X, @pjgtech & @Bighit for their contributions on these updates.

 

[P8X]

Interesting - I wish BASC has highlighted the specific changes more clearly, but is a good opportunity for everyone to look up their target species and check that they're operating legally.

With regards to "[for the purpose of] conserving wild birds of conservation concern" - I'm not sure how they intend on this being interpreted, surely killing, for example, a Magpie will decrease demand on a food supply and "conserve wild birds of conservation concern"?

BASC are just offering a quick reference at a glance, with those tables.

The relevant GL will explain it great detail.
The GL's authorise the exceptions to the laws that protect all wild birds, and need to be thoroughly read, understood and adhered to.
The lack of exact compliance leaves a shooter open to prosecution, and just to be very clear, the owness is placed on the shooter, not the landowner

 

[Bazzatron]

BASC are just offering a quick reference at a glance, with those tables.

The relevant GL will explain it great detail.
The GL's authorise the exceptions to the laws that protect all wild birds, and need to be thoroughly read, understood and adhered to.
The lack of exact compliance leaves a shooter open to prosecution, and just to be very clear, the owness is placed on the shooter, not the landowner

Yeah, I did have a look at the text of the new regs, but it didn't really make it very clear what strictly constitutes conservation.

Also, took me a hot second to realise what you meant by"owness", but it's "onus"! I know everyone *loves* a correction, so sorry about that! I mean well!

 

[P8X]

Yeah, I did have a look at the text of the new regs, but it didn't really make it very clear what strictly constitutes conservation.

Also, took me a hot second to realise what you meant by"owness", but it's "onus"! I know everyone *loves* a correction, so sorry about that! I mean well!

Yeah I'm certainly not perfect. Thanks for spotting the spelling error.

Below is the list of wild birds of conservation concern and also the list of woodland birds of conservation concern
This list used to be known as the RED LIST.
Basically GL40 allows birds listed to be shot / killed, to protect this list of birds and you have to have concrete reasoning for using this exemption.

List of birds of conservation concern and woodland birds of conservation concern

www.gov.uk

In my opinion, using GL40 for conservation of wild bird is the trickiest of the GL exemptions to shoot under, as you really have to have concrete proof that the bird you intend to shoot, is a danger to one or more of the birds on the red list.
Its that tricky that I've not shot under this GL for a long time

 

[JohnLindop303]

Thanks to the contributors for highlighting the new GL’s for bird pest species control.
What I find intriguing is the variation from region to region in the species that can be shot
and the reasons that make this OK. I wonder why some species endanger something in one region
yet appear not to in others. Am I being cynical here or is there something else at play in the decision making?

 

[RockSolidAlibi]

Thanks to the contributors for highlighting the new GL’s for bird pest species control.
What I find intriguing is the variation from region to region in the species that can be shot
and the reasons that make this OK. I wonder why some species endanger something in one region
yet appear not to in others. Am I being cynical here or is there something else at play in the decision making?

Different countries have quite different terrain and habitats leading to a difference in the overall balance of the creatures found in those areas. For example ones that are an issue due to over abundance in England may be relatively rare and thusly not an issue in Scotland or vice versa.

 

[JohnLindop303]

Thanks for your comments. I understand what you are saying and one would like to think that this was the case but I’m not totally convinced. I wonder why Magpies, for instance, that are a significant threat to songbirds anywhere are not even on the pest species list for Wales.

 

[RockSolidAlibi]

Thanks for your comments. I understand what you are saying and one would like to think that this was the case but I’m not totally convinced. I wonder why Magpies, for instance, that are a significant threat to songbirds anywhere are not even on the pest species list for Wales.

The welsh do enough singing on their own they dont need more

 

[JohnLindop303]

Thanks for your comments. I wondered if it was something to do with the 20mph speed limit.

 

[Mike Nesbitt]

Thanks for your comments. I understand what you are saying and one would like to think that this was the case but I’m not totally convinced. I wonder why Magpies, for instance, that are a significant threat to songbirds anywhere are not even on the pest species list for Wales.

If there is a species of bird causing a particular problem one can apply for a special licence restricted to the problem, the fact that the process can be so slow that the damage is done before it may be approved is another matter

 

[Pete236]

So much has changed since I last went hunting, in particular for Corvids and pigeon.
Checking out the birds which are listed as being of conservation concern, there are at least 6 species which I have seen decline over the last 3 years at my bird feeders and in the area, at the same time as Magpie and jackdaw numbers have increased. Whereas there used to be a pair of Maggies in an area approx. 1 square mile, there are now half a dozen and Ive only seen one Greenfinch, 2 Dunnocks and 1 Bullfinch this year as opposed to whole broods in previous years.

This is of course anecdotal, as there are no other witnesses. And as such, provides me with zero legitimacy should I shoot a corvid.

Has anyone been able to collate proof in a situation like this? I cant think of any way in which to collect evidence that could be used to sucessfully defend my position should the need arise.

Any info would be very much appreciated. I have a lot of catching up to do!

Thank you.

 

[Dodgyeye]

For GL40 you need to look up which birds of conservation concern are on the red list in your area. If none, no shooting under GL40.

 

[JozHW]

Interesting - I wish BASC has highlighted the specific changes more clearly, but is a good opportunity for everyone to look up their target species and check that they're operating legally.

With regards to "[for the purpose of] conserving wild birds of conservation concern" - I'm not sure how they intend on this being interpreted, surely killing, for example, a Magpie will decrease demand on a food supply and "conserve wild birds of conservation concern"?

Interesting,thanks for listings,recently struggled to clarity regarding shooting of wood pigeon over wild bird seed grown by farmers basc did nt seem to know ,likewise defra were vague to ??