CHAPTER V 



THE LAW AS IT AFFECTS WILDFOWLERS 



A CERTAIN class of people look upon all shooters who visit 

 grounds which are in every sense free to the public, as poachers 

 or thieves who come to do harm, though the free-shooting wild- 

 fowler of the genuine type is invariably as good a sportsman 

 as one need wish to see. Of course there are black sheep 

 in every sport who give it a bad name, but why should honest 

 sportsmen suffer for the sins of others? Until the weeding- 

 out of undesirables can be carried to a practical end — which 

 is the aim of the Wildfowlers' Association — I see no means 

 of ascertaining the genuineness of the wildfowler. Until such 

 measures can be brought to pass the free-shooter will always be 

 looked upon by the individuals above referred to as one who 

 means no good. Of course, locally, individual practice in wild- 

 fowl shooting becomes established in the minds of the people, 

 and in such cases the bitter feeling of unreasonable folk is 

 being toned down considerably. 



We cannot easily make matters clear relating to free wild- 

 fowling grounds without recourse to the game-laws. Privileged 

 places as defined by law consist of forests, chases, purlieus, 

 free warrens, parks, and manors over which the Crown and 

 lords of manors have sole powers. Commons and foreshores 

 are not mentioned, and it is these which most affect the wild- 

 fowler. Of course we need not discuss the rights of jurisdic- 

 tion empowered over the privileged places named, as they do 

 not seriously concern our subject, but we must perforce make 



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