Shotguns

[Brumble]

Can anyone please tell me the laws in france on owing a shotgun?? My brother lives in Normandy and has had alot of fishing equipment stolen from his land and now he thinks someone is trying to poach his rather large and expensive carp he stocked his lakes with?? Just wondered if a shotgun can be used as a deterent if he catches someone on his land??

Thanks

[letrangere]

In order to hunt (game not poachers) you have to take an exam or two, friend of ours in 46 has just passed his and is absolutely delighted.  Correct me someone but aren't they in French and they're quite tough too?

But your question is actually more interesting.  The only place I know where your brother's proposed course of action is legal are the southern states of the USA.

M

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

The exam for the permis de chasse (unless it has been changed this year) is  in French but multiple choice, the questions are broadcast (with accompanying slides) so illiteracy is not a problem; I read an article in Chasseur Français which said it should be easy for anyone with a genuine interest in hunting as it is based on accurately identifying game (including sex and age) - and that the high failure rate was worrying because it suggested disinterested people are applying for it.

You are quite right, the use of guns against people is not sanctioned in France, they are for either game (permis de chasse) or sport (permis de tir). Details of the regulations were posted recently under the sports section.

[Brumble]

Thanks everyone i will certainly pass this info on!  Don't think traps will be of much use as he has so much land around his fishing lakes.  He has 2 large dogs but can't let them roam incase they go after the farmers cows as i have been told the farmer can shoot his dogs if they attack his live stock.

[Patf]

Pucette - what do you mean by " the questions are broadcast with slides"?concerning the chasse test. Eddie took the test and I helped him prepare for it. There is a manual with a great deal of information both on animals, birds etc also on rules and regulations, 200 pages in all. And all in french.The test itself was quite short but random choice of subjects so you really need to know it all. He failed by one mark. Nearly half the group failed, french as well as english. To be honest, I was quite relieved when he failed, but of course I didn't tell him that. Pat.

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

For example, there could be a question "what is this animal", a slide shown of the animal, and then four possible answers. The question is asked aurally ie spoken not in writing; the candidate has to mark the correct box. Hope that is clearer? Have never come across exams set like this and think it is an excellent way of testing knowledge rather than exam technique.

This may be out of date and I should be grateful if you would confirm how the current exams are taken? Are they written these days?

Illiterate and literate peasants tell me the exams are easy but they underestimate the depth of their knowledge of the subject. I've seen the books that you refer to and do believe that anyone who finds them difficult shouldn't contemplate pointing a gun at a wild animal.

The hunters I know here have both knowledge of and respect for nature; they can identify animals accurately from what to me are tiny traces and tell their age and sex at a glance.

[Patf]

I've just asked Eddie about the test and he said it was as you described.Pat.