Hi
Does anyone know how to apply for a private hunting licence for your land ?
thanks
Helen

You're not bloody hunting on my land,use your own.

hmm - grammatical error on my part ...
any other thoughts on the hunting issue - don't fancy dogs and guns appearing on MY land whenever they want

Ignore Nobrot.  He can't take the sun anymore :-)
Don't quote me but this is how I understand the situation (I'd be glad to be corrected).
The only way you can get a shooting/hunting licence is to be a member of a hunters (casadores) association.  You can (and some do) then shoot anything that has it's back to the sun.  Some of them use shotguns to bring down small birds ???
The irony is that if you have just an air rifle, you aren't allowed to shoot any living thing (not even rabbits or rats) even on your own land.  Some Guardia Civil who saw me with my air rifle on my land told me I had to go to the local town hall for a permit.  I don't know if this is a licence to own a gun or to shoot vermin etc.  I'll let you know when I get around to applying.

I was told that no one has a right to come onto someone else's land, to hunt or anything, but traditionally they do unless you say not to.
And, that if you contact the relevant cazadores society, they will come an put signs on your boundary saying that it is private (to the owner) hunting. Not sure if that works well though.

Once they know there is someone living there they will usually give it a wide berth.However expect to get the odd peppering once in a while

When I first came here eight years ago, I'd brought the UK attitudes with me (keep off my land etc.) but after a while I realised they were doing me a favour by helping to keep the rabbits down, albeit never a total solution.  The only thing I moan at them about now is if they let their dogs rummage around the garden area or if they pepper me or the house with shot (it's happened a few times.)
The local land owners don't seem to have a problem with it so why should we ?

Hi Helen,

I just put some signs on my land with "finca particular, PROHIBIDO CAZAR". Works fine. Ones a year or so there is a hunter who does not respect the signs. That is alway a good day for me to do some work with the chainsaw or brushcutter on the finca ;D

Mark

I have a problem with it, they litter the place with spent cartridges, regularly shower the house or almacen with shot, their dogs have run through the house to say nothing of the damage they are doing to the dwindling bird population.

They are not supposed to shoot within so many metres of a house but seem to take no notice even when they can see people around the property.

Fortunately it is getting very expensive so the numbers have dropped in the last few years but If the "locals" want to do it then let them buy their own land to do it on.......

wrote on Jul 21^st, 2013 at 6:51pm:

I was told that no one has a right to come onto someone else's land, to hunt or anything, but traditionally they do unless you say not to. And, that if you contact the relevant cazadores society, they will come an put signs on your boundary saying that it is private (to the owner) hunting. Not sure if that works well though.

We did it through the Medi Ambient offices in Amposta.  Took all the usual documents with us and they contacted the local hunting society and provided the official signs.  Didn't cost us anything.  That was about five years ago and so far so good.

I usually just ask them to hunt somewhere else, politely of course, as I have donkeys goats pigs ducks and chickens. Never had a problem with the locals, as I know them all.
Also most of them can't be arsed to come this far up the mountain :)
I have a very loud music system by the pool too, that helps ;)

We used to have the hunters all the time - we are not too far up the mountain so in easy reach of what I call the 'breakfast hunters' as opposed to the 'proper ones who are out at 6am.

They have a big breakfast in the village and then pop up and blast away at anything and everything.

Had the house sprayed once or twice, so as per Pondgirl - went to the Medi Ambient and after about 6 months, the signs were put up. No trouble since, and less every year as it is becoming more expensive for them.

The whole of the mountain is 'hunting zone' unless otherwise specified, and you need to have a licence to hunt if you wish to shoot, even on your own land.

Bigyin wrote on Jul 21^st, 2013 at 7:43pm:

When I first came here eight years ago, I'd brought the UK attitudes with me (keep off my land etc.) but after a while I realised they were doing me a favour by helping to keep the rabbits down, albeit never a total solution.  The only thing I moan at them about now is if they let their dogs rummage around the garden area or if they pepper me or the house with shot (it's happened a few times.) The local land owners don't seem to have a problem with it so why should we ?

Obviously not in our situation, yesterday we had 2 men releasing rabbits on our land, no requests could they, just went ahead.

Why would they release rabbits when there are millions of the little blighters around already ?

Bigyin wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 10:46am:

Why would they release rabbits when there are millions of the little blighters around already ?

Where have you been Bigyin, this is E.U. year of the rabbit ever heard of Bugs Bunny, the rabbit strikes back.
Yours a diplomatic rabbit loving ( CENSORED ) Bulldog.
Power to the rabbits a ( you have been warned once censored from big Nige and his enforcer Rita. )

As I am absolutely against hunting in any form I have fenced in our land so nobody can shoot here.apart from that the law says that one can only shoot with their back to a dwelling and there must always be a distance of 150 m.Don't worry before we were enclosed 2 hunters came on our land with shotguns ,my husband chased them of with a cricketbat and I can tell you they would have won the 400 m straight had they baan in the olympics.use your rights as every body here in spain.

If you're a rabbit lover you can come and collect all mine free of charge (you'll need a big truck).

the advantage of fencing in your property is what is outside stays outside and what is inside stays inside.Simple.

Bigyin wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 10:46am:

Why would they release rabbits when there are millions of the little blighters around already ?

Funny to hear there are so many rabbits in your area. At our place (el pinell de brai) there is hardly a rabbit left. When we came here in 2006 we did see rabbits a few times every week, but now we see more mountaingoats then rabbits. Don't know what happend but it is not because of the hunting, there are not that much hunters overhere.

Mark

wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 4:37pm:

the advantage of fencing in your property is what is outside stays outside and what is inside stays inside.Simple.

If I could afford to fence off four hectares I would.

El Alto,  I don't know if altitude makes a difference.  Depending on exactly where you live, you're probably at least 100m higher up than us and possibly quite a bit more.  Round here the rabbit population often reaches officially classified plague proportions.  Talking of fencing, it cost me a fortune and a lot of labour just to fence off my veg patch to protect from bunnies.

If the important part (your veg.part) is already fenced in ,what is your problem? rabbits do not climb trees so they won't eat your olives.may be little by little you can even fence  a little bit more so you won't even se them anymore.
Live and let live.

I'm already working on the flower beds.  I believe in live and let live but rabbits are vermin.

Actually, you say they don't climb trees but they do chew the bark and I have lost a lot of young olive trees because of this and the locals have to spend a lot of time and money protecting their olive and citrus trees and their other crops.

El_Alto wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 5:58pm:

Bigyin wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 10:46am: Why would they release rabbits when there are millions of the little blighters around already ? Funny to hear there are so many rabbits in your area. At our place (el pinell de brai) there is hardly a rabbit left. When we came here in 2006 we did see rabbits a few times every week, but now we see more mountaingoats then rabbits. Don't know what happend but it is not because of the hunting, there are not that much hunters overhere. Mark

Maybe the goats have eaten the vegetation the rabbits would normally feed on. Goats destroy the land.

I ain't got any flippin' goats Nob but I got rabbits in abundance.

Bigyin wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 7:46pm:

wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 4:37pm: the advantage of fencing in your property is what is outside stays outside and what is inside stays inside.Simple. If I could afford to fence off four hectares I would.

Ditto ten hectares with a road into Els Ports running through it.  We have two hunting dogs and they keep the rabbit population down but we still see at least one live one every day.  They aren't exactly an endangered species and they taste really good.

One a day ?  I wish !!

wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 9:18pm:

El_Alto wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 5:58pm: Bigyin wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 10:46am: Why would they release rabbits when there are millions of the little blighters around already ? Funny to hear there are so many rabbits in your area. At our place (el pinell de brai) there is hardly a rabbit left. When we came here in 2006 we did see rabbits a few times every week, but now we see more mountaingoats then rabbits. Don't know what happend but it is not because of the hunting, there are not that much hunters overhere. Mark Maybe the goats have eaten the vegetation the rabbits would normally feed on. Goats destroy the land.

My goats don't destroy my land ???

Interesting piece on the iberianature website regarding ´Rabbits in Spain´
http://www.iberianature.com/spainblog/category/mammals/rabbits-in-spain/

cactus jack wrote on Jul 27^th, 2013 at 10:51pm:

wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 9:18pm: El_Alto wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 5:58pm: Bigyin wrote on Jul 27th, 2013 at 10:46am: Why would they release rabbits when there are millions of the little blighters around already ? Funny to hear there are so many rabbits in your area. At our place (el pinell de brai) there is hardly a rabbit left. When we came here in 2006 we did see rabbits a few times every week, but now we see more mountaingoats then rabbits. Don't know what happend but it is not because of the hunting, there are not that much hunters overhere. Mark Maybe the goats have eaten the vegetation the rabbits would normally feed on. Goats destroy the land. My goats don't destroy my land ???

Not talking about 2 or 3 pets, in a pen, I'm talking about wild goats or goats put out to pasture in the garrigue. Anywhere goats have been local flora and fauna suffers.

Spain, the land of the rabbit according to the Romans.  I don't feel guilty about depriving the lynx of their breakfast as I've never come across one round here.  I've seen myxomatosis most years and I agree that it's not a pretty sight.  It's usually evident in August.  However, it certainly doesn't "decimate" the population as they are back the following year and on average, in increasing numbers.  In several of the past few years they have been declared as a plague.
Hivi,  what is your response to the damage done to trees and other crops ?

If there are so many rabbits around here,l I am finding it hard to comprehend why 2 Spanish men would bring up a cage full of rabbits and release them on my land.

Perhaps they have been eating veggies or crops, or they think you may like rabbit stew?

When were they released ?  Hunters have been known to take cages full of  birds up the Barranc de  Caramella. leave them overnight and then release at dawn.  The birds are so keen to escape that they make easy targets for the gun happy hunters (?).

rabbits eating the bark of trees.Maybe it is an idea to wrap something around the bottom part of the tree.Of course I realize that people who have 4 ha or 10 ha have a lot of fencing to do.but then you knew that when you bought it.My suggestion is protect your trees and fence in whatever you can afford.Another thing are you sure these people put the rabbits on your land? because I know that there are fenced in areas where the hunters put out rabbits to train their young huntingdogs,if you happen to live in an area like that you would have a lot more rabbits than normal. check with your local huntingclub.

Yes, that what I and the local farmers have to do which is expensive and time consuming.  Thank you for your words of wisdom regarding what I knew when I bought the place.  In fact, whilst viewing the property I did not see a single rabbit and was not at that time friendly with the neighbors and so had know way of knowing.  I did not say that people put rabbits on my land.  That was someone else.  I don't know where you live but it can't be in low lying campo otherwise you would have the same problem.  Anyway, at the end of the day, I have rabbits which are a nuisance and you don't so happy trails for you.
Anything else you feel I ought to know ?

The original poster of this thread still has not had their question answered.

wrote on Jul 28^th, 2013 at 1:07pm:

rabbits eating the bark of trees.Maybe it is an idea to wrap something around the bottom part of the tree.Of course I realize that people who have 4 ha or 10 ha have a lot of fencing to do.but then you knew that when you bought it.My suggestion is protect your trees and fence in whatever you can afford.Another thing are you sure these people put the rabbits on your land? because I know that there are fenced in areas where the hunters put out rabbits to train their young huntingdogs,if you happen to live in an area like that you would have a lot more rabbits than normal. check with your local huntingclub.

Why would anyone in their right mind spend tens of thousands of Euros fencing in their land and wrapping a protective something or other around a thousand trees to keep rabbits out when  a couple of hunting dogs will take care of most of them?  And you get free, highly sustainable, nutritious protein too.  Win/win.

I quite agree to an extent.  Four hectares would require approx 800m of fencing (plus gates).  Based on what it cost me to fence off my veg patch (60m only 1m high) plus gates, footings and labour, it's a non starter.
I only planted 92 olive trees and protecting them is very cheap but again, more work.  I've also protected my fruit trees.
Most of the olive and orange fields which are farmed commercially are not fenced but newly planted trees are protected.  Mature olives aren't a problem but the critters still ring bark mature citrus.
I don't want to keep dogs as I feel that they are vulnerable to all sorts of hazards out here especially if allowed to roam free as they would have to be to be effective.  The commercial fields are in the main away from the farmers dwelling and so dogs would not be a solution in that case either.
Does anyone have any strong feelings about shooting rats ?  ::)

I think ritaRATbag might......

Ha! Ha!

Bigyin wrote on Jul 28^th, 2013 at 2:53pm:

I quite agree to an extent.  Four hectares would require approx 800m of fencing (plus gates).  Based on what it cost me to fence off my veg patch (60m only 1m high) plus gates, footings and labour, it's a non starter. I only planted 92 olive trees and protecting them is very cheap but again, more work.  I've also protected my fruit trees. Most of the olive and orange fields which are farmed commercially are not fenced but newly planted trees are protected.  Mature olives aren't a problem but the critters still ring bark mature citrus. I don't want to keep dogs as I feel that they are vulnerable to all sorts of hazards out here especially if allowed to roam free as they would have to be to be effective.  The commercial fields are in the main away from the farmers dwelling and so dogs would not be a solution in that case either. Does anyone have any strong feelings about shooting rats ?  ::)

I don't wish to take you to task again Bigyin but making wild murderess threats to one of the greatest TV stars ever to be exported from the U.K. Roland Rat whose signed tea mug takes pride of place on my mantelpiece I would request you remove this threat as after reading your post Roland had to take two valium to calm his artistic nerves and is now under therapy.
Yours a concerned rodent following Bulldog.

Tut tut Bulldog  I take exception to your suggestion that I could be as callous as to attack a mug, especially one sitting on a mantelpiece.
You can tell it to calm down and and chill.  "murderess" ?

Dear Nige and Rita.  I would like to move that Bulldog be appointed the official forum nutter (I know I shouldn't encourage him).  :o

wrote on Jul 28^th, 2013 at 12:53pm:

When were they released ?  Hunters have been known to take cages full of  birds up the Barranc de  Caramella. leave them overnight and then release at dawn.  The birds are so keen to escape that they make easy targets for the gun happy hunters (?).

They were released day before yesterday. about 5 in the evening, to multiply ready for the hunting season.

Gun for hire.  No charege so long as I can take the bunnies. PM me.

Bigyin wrote on Jul 28^th, 2013 at 2:53pm:

Does anyone have any strong feelings about shooting rats ?  ::)

None at all, it's more humane than poisoning them, but I probably wouldn't eat them. 

We've actually had more damage done to trees by wild boar and goats than rabbits.  We've also had seedlings eaten by mice.

wrote on Jul 28^th, 2013 at 8:54pm:

wrote on Jul 28th, 2013 at 12:53pm: When were they released ?  Hunters have been known to take cages full of  birds up the Barranc de  Caramella. leave them overnight and then release at dawn.  The birds are so keen to escape that they make easy targets for the gun happy hunters (?). They were released day before yesterday. about 5 in the evening, to multiply ready for the hunting season.

It would be worth reporting this to the Agents Rurals.

We have three 'rabbit castles' near to us here that they build from piles of branches, pallets and earth, which are then fenced off to stop dogs from digging them up.

They then release baby bunnies into them and let nature take it's course.

A month or so later on they stand outside these warrens and blast away - what good sports they are.

Bulldog! I happen to have in my possession a picture single of Roland and Kevin singing Rat rappin'.
As a fan I thought you might be interested?
Bruixot

Merriman,  Not dissimilar to the raising of Pheasants, Partridge and Ducks etc. in the UK for the sport of those that can afford it ?

Many thanks for all the replies - lots of options to explore !
H