What is lamping and is it illegal in the UK?

LAMPING is the practice of hunting at night while using a high voltage spotlight to startle prey before shooting or sending dogs after it.

But is it illegal, why do people do it and which dog breeds are used for the after-dark hunting practice?

What is lamping?

Lamping involves using very bright lights in pitch darkness to startle animals before shooting them or setting dogs on them.

Three people are usually involved — a driver, a shooter and a ‘lamp man’.

The light used for lamping is so bright that it will dazzle anything it shines on and the eyes of the animals reflect back even when the animal is partly hidden.

According to Ardmoor.co.uk: “In general terms, red/orange eyes signify a fox or other predator such as a cat.

“Green would tend to be deer, sheep or other similar herbivores and, when scanning the area, on seeing green eyes you should move the lamp quickly on so as not to disturb the animal.

“On seeing red/orange eyes, the lamp is held on the eyes to dazzle the prey allowing you a stationary target to aim at.”

Often shooters will be called into action by a farmer whose livestock or game is being attacked by a fox.

Lamping is also used to control rabbits, which can cause large scale crop damage if left unchecked.

According to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, it is “advisable to carry your firearm or shotgun certificate, or evidence of it, together with your written permission” when lamping.

Is it illegal to hunt deer, rabbits and foxes by spotlighting in the UK?

Lamping is legal when landowners and famers use the technique to control rabbits and foxes, although they must abide be a strict code of conduct.

However, it is illegal for other members of the public to us lamps at night to hunt wild animals.

Also, the Hunting Act 2004 prohibits the use of dogs for hunting most wild animals in England and Wales — the limited exemptions include using dogs to flush out an unidentified wild animal and collect dead ones — so it is never legal to set dogs on live prey under any circumstances.

However, despite lamping using guns being legal, hunters must abide by these rules set out by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation:

• Shooters must ensure safe lines of fire with backstops have been established and that they are used.
• Quarry must be clearly identified.  A shot must not be taken if only a pair of eyes can be seen
• Always use the appropriate firearm, shotgun or air weapon for the quarry species.
• It is a shooter’s responsibility to abide by the law.

Why do people go lamping?

Predator control is one of the main tasks for anyone managing land in the countryside.

To ensure wildlife in general thrives, not only does the habitat need to be appropriate, but so do its inhabitants, and the terrain will be of no use if it is infested with vermin and predators.

According to reports in magazines and newspapers aimed at people living on farmland, one of the main ways of controlling foxes is lamping.

Foxes have no natural predators, can reproduce in great numbers and are nocturnal, meaning they generally hunt at night — so many landowners believe lamping is the best way to control their numbers.

What dog breeds are used for lamping?

Some collie crosses are said to be good lamping dogs because they will stalk slowly up to prey when illuminated by the beam of the spotlight.

Lurchers are also understood to be good dogs to be worked on the lamp. Lurchers are usually a cross between a breed of sighthound — such as greyhound, saluki or whippet — with a collie or terrier.

However, as previously stated, it is illegal to set the dogs directly on the prey while lamping — they can only be used to flush out unidentified animals and collect dead ones after they’ve been shot.