56 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



Government does not encourage or restrict shore-shooters 

 unless it has serious reasons to do so, the Crown is generally 

 considered neutral in this matter. 



SHOOTING GAME ON FORESHORES AND 

 CROWN LANDS 



As to killing game on foreshores, it may be questioned very 

 much whether this can be legally done where no grants of 

 right exist. On tracts where no one can claim a right to 

 prevent the public's enjoying sport, certainly no one can claim 

 the game to be met with thereon. Consequently, for all the 

 purposes of common law, a certificate to kill game keeps a 

 shooter within the law, but, despite this, he cannot state that 

 he has any right to kill the game on permitted foreshores. 

 Before a person can state he possesses a right to shoot game 

 he must either be legally permitted to do so by invitation or 

 written permission, or be an owner or occupier of land holding 

 rights to the sporting. With regard to foreshores and lands 

 under the ruling of River or Crown Commissioners, the letting 

 of sporting rights is not entertained. The tenancy of the 

 land takes with it, in the ordinary sense, the sporting that may 

 be involved. In reality, the sporting over Crown lands is 

 vested in the Crown ; but, as the importance of such a right 

 over foreshores may now be cited as neutral, the view as to any 

 sporting rights has been likewise considered by those dealing 

 with the affairs in question. It would therefore be just as 

 likely to suppose (since the Crown has not exercised any enjoy- 

 ment with the game on foreshores and small outlying properties) 

 that to reserve any game rights would mean that no one could 

 legally shoot game either as Crown tenant or free gunner. 

 Such things are quite possible, however, and, if the Crown so 

 wished, it appears that all shooting on foreshores and the shoot- 

 ing of game on lands under its control could be stopped. The 

 tenancy of the land would, of course, under the Ground Game 



