Game Act 1831
The Game Act 1831 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was passed to protect game birds by establishing a close season during which they could not be legally taken. The act also established the need for game licences and the appointing of gamekeepers. It has covered the protection of game birds to this day.
Game covered
The act designated certain species as game birds and their open season, when they may be shot:- Red grouse, 12 August – 10 December
- Black grouse, 20 August – 10 December
- Pheasant, 1 October – 1 February
- Partridge, 1 September – 1 February
The great bustard was protected under the act, with its open season decided as 1 September to 1 March. This protection was little use, however, as the great bustard became extinct in Great Britain in the 1830s. It is currently part of a reintroduction programme.
Capercaillie are not protected in the act, as they were extinct in Britain at the time. They were reintroduced to Scotland in 1837.
Brown hares are mentioned in the act but have no closed season. Two Hares Acts were passed in the 19th century. The first, in 1848, removed the requirement for a game certificate for occupiers to kill hares, regulated where hunting could take place, and the banned of baiting with poison. The second, in 1892, among other things, prohibited the sale of hare meat between March and July, which is the animals' breeding season.
Game licences
The act made it lawful to take game only with the provision of a game licence. Also, it made an excise licence necessary to deal with game.[Image:Phasianus colchicus 2 tom (Lukasz Lukasik).jpg|right|thumb|The Game Act 1831 protects game birds in England and Wales.]
Game licences were abolished in England and Wales on 1 August 2007, as well as the need for game dealers licences, and the law changed to allow selling game, except hare, year round. In Northern Ireland, game licences and game dealing licences were abolished on 13 June 2011. In Scotland, game licences and game dealing licences were abolished on 29 June 2011.