The Game Act 1831 (1 & 2 Will. 4. c. 32) 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.
As well as adhering to the seasons, game may not be taken on Sundays or Christmas Day.
The great bustard was protected under this 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 this 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.[4] The second, in 1892, among other things, prohibited the sale of hare meat between March and July, which is the animals' breeding season.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7][8] In Northern Ireland, game licences and game dealing licences were abolished on 13 June 2011.[9][10] In Scotland, game licences and game dealing licences were abolished on 29 June 2011.[11][12]
Although it is not included in this Act, a game licence was required to shoot woodcock and common snipe until 1 August 2007. Wildfowl are protected and their close seasons are stated in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
^The provisions of the Game Act 1831 regarding game dealing licences were subsequently extended across the United Kingdom by section 13 of the Game Licences Act 1860.[2]
^The citation of this Act by this short title was authorised by the Short Titles Act 1896, section 1 and the first schedule. Due to the repeal of those provisions it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
^"Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, Explanatory Notes"(PDF). Scottish Parliament. 9 June 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2024. The game licensing regime is repealed and not replaced... It is also proposed that the current restriction on when game can be sold is removed.
Halsbury's Statutes of England. Third Edition. Butterworths. London. 1969. Volume 14. Pages 448 to 469.
"The Game Act, 1831". Halsbury's Statutes of England. (The Complete Statutes of England). First Edition. 1929. Volume 8: [1][2][3]. Page 1066.
J M Lely. "The Game Act, 1831". The Statutes of Practical Utility. (Chitty's Statutes). Fifth Edition. Sweet and Maxwell. Stevens and Sons. London. 1894. Volume 4. Title "Game". Pages 5 to 23.
Welsby and Beavan. Chitty's Collection of Statutes, with Notes thereon. Third Edition. Henry Sweet. Stevens and Sons. London. 1865. Volume 2. Title "Game". Pages 234 to 249.
James Paterson. "Game Act". The Game Laws of the United Kingdom. Shaw and Sons. London. 1861. Pages 1 to 83.
John Locke. The Game Laws. Second Edition. Shaw and Sons. London. 1840. Pages 1 to 60. Fourth Edition. 1856. Pages 93 to 178.
William Gurdon. "New Game Act". The Statutes in Force Relating to the Preserving and Killing of Game. Saunders and Benning. London. 1839. Pages 47 to 99.
John Collyer. The Criminal Statutes of England. Printed for S Sweet. London. Printed for W Wrightson. Birmingham. 1832. Pages 698 to 711. Note is at pages 710 and 711.
A F Jenkin. "The Game Act, 1831". The Law Relating to Parish Councils. Knight & Co. London. 1894. Pages 396 to 398.
