Game (Hares) Act 1971

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AT 20 of 1971

GAME (HARES) ACT 1971

Game (Hares) Act 1971 Index


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GAME (HARES) ACT 1971

Index Section Page

1 Blue or mountain hares to cease to be ‘game’ ............................................................. 5
2 Power of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture to
remove protection from brown or common hares ..................................................... 5
3 Prohibition of competitive coursing............................................................................. 5
4 Amendments of enactments, etc ................................................................................... 6
5 Short title and commencement ..................................................................................... 6
SCHEDULE 7

SECTION 4 7
ENDNOTES 9

TABLE OF LEGISLATION HISTORY 9
TABLE OF RENUMBERED PROVISIONS 9
TABLE OF ENDNOTE REFERENCES 9

Game (Hares) Act 1971 Section 1


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GAME (HARES) ACT 1971

Received Royal Assent: 28 July 1971
Passed: 19 October 1971
Commenced: 19 October 1971
AN ACT
to remove protection from certain hares.
GENERAL NOTE:
The maximum fines in this Act are as increased by the Fines Act
1986 and by the Criminal Justice (Penalties, Etc.) Act 1993 s 1.
1 Blue or mountain hares to cease to be ‘game’

For the purposes of the Game Acts 1882 to 1958, blue or mountain hares shall
cease to be classified as game.
2 Power of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture to

remove protection from brown or common hares

(1) The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture may by order
provide that the distinction made by this Act between the blue or
mountain hare and any other variety of hare named in the order shall
cease to exist and thereupon the Game Acts 1882 to 1971 shall apply to
such named variety or varieties of hare as they apply to the blue or
mountain hare.1

(2) Any order made by the said Department under this section shall not take
effect until approved by resolution of Tynwald.2

3 Prohibition of competitive coursing

(1) The competitive coursing in the Isle of Man of hares of any variety
whatsoever is hereby declared to be illegal and any person who takes
part in the same shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on
summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £2,500.
(3) For the purposes of this section —
Section 4 Game (Hares) Act 1971


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(a) the coursing of hares shall be deemed to be competitive coursing
if any of the following circumstances are applicable: —
(i) the coursing is done by two or more dogs for the purpose
of ascertaining the comparative merits of those dogs in the
coursing of hares whether for the purpose of betting or
wagering thereon or otherwise, or
(ii) the public is invited, whether directly or by implication
and whether on payment or otherwise, to the venue of the
coursing;
(b) “competitive coursing” includes such coursing by whippets and
other dogs which hunt by sight as well as coursing by
greyhounds.
(4) A person shall be deemed to take part in competitive coursing if he
participates in any capacity in the organisation, promotion or
administration thereof, attends the venue thereof as a spectator or lays or
accepts any bet or wager thereon:
Provided that a person shall not be guilty of an offence of attending the
venue of competitive coursing as a spectator if he satisfies the court that
he attended there for the purpose of obtaining evidence for a prosecution
under this section or for any other lawful purpose.
4 Amendments of enactments, etc

The enactments mentioned in the Schedule to this Act shall have effect subject
to the amendments specified in the third column of that Schedule, and may be
further amended by any order made under section 2 of this Act for the purpose
of conforming to that order.
5 Short title and commencement

(1) This Act may be cited as the Game (Hares) Act 1971 and shall be
construed as one with the Game Acts 1882 to 1958, and those Acts and
this Act may be together cited as the Game Acts 1882 to 1971.
(2) This Act shall come into operation when the Royal Assent thereto has
been by the Governor announced to Tynwald and a certificate thereof
has been signed by the Governor and the Speaker of the House of Keys.
Game (Hares) Act 1971 Schedule



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SCHEDULE

SECTION 4

Sch amends the following Acts —
Game Act 1882 q.v.
Prevention of Damage by Agricultural Pests Act 1956 q.v.
Game (Hares) Act 1971 Endnotes


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ENDNOTES

Table of Legislation History

Legislation Year and No Commencement






Table of Renumbered Provisions

Original Current






Table of Endnote References

1
Subs (1) amended by SD155/10 Sch 3. 2
S 2 amended by SD155/10 Sch 3. Subs (2) amended by GC121/86.