405 Poachers and Poaching. 



wounded game, and in the latter case would be liable to 

 prosecution for trespass in pursuit. 



It is in connection with day and night poaching that 

 the gamekeeper's rights are of most importance, and the 

 conditions under which he acts must be correctly observed. 

 Trespass in pursuit usually constitutes the offence, and it 

 is the keeper's duty, if he knows the men poaching, 

 simply to lay an information against them ; if he does not 

 know them, he must demand their names and addresses, 

 and if he believes them to be given correctly he must order 

 them off the land and lay an information. If he be con- 

 vinced the names and addresses given are false, or if they 

 refuse to obey his orders to leave the land, or, having left 

 it, return, he then possesses the right to arrest them, convey 

 them to the police station, and lay his information. If 

 he see newly-killed game actually in their possession he 

 can demand it in the name of his master, and, if necessary, 

 seize it. He is not entitled to search them for what he 

 may suspect them to possess. 



Except under the above circumstances a gamekeeper 

 possesses no right of arrest unless the poachers be five 

 or more in number, or any of them be carrying a gun, 

 or any of them by threats or acts of violence endeavours 

 to prevent the keeper from ascertaining their names. 

 Whatever the outcome, whether he fail or not, then the 

 keeper has to lay an information for the more serious 

 offence of being one of five or more, armed and endeavour- 

 ing to prevent or actually preventing him by violence from 

 executing his duty, and of being trespassers in pursuit to 

 the number of five or over. 



It is not generally known that a gamekeeper who 

 witnesses a trespass in pursuit of game upon land over 

 which he has no authority is, however, quite competent 

 to lay an information against anyone he may see poaching 



