FAC confusion - Advice please.

[Humphrey106]

I have an 'open' certificate with .223 being the largest calibre I am currently allowed to purchase. Yesterday I went to look at a new permission. It's not a huge amount of land (about 55acres) but offers good topography with nice safe back stops. The farmer was unaware what calibre the land had been cleared up to and he has lived there for ten years. He has a few problem foxes during lambing season.

1) Presuming the land hasn't been cleared for centre fire rifles in the past ten years (since the farmer moved in), am I still okay to shoot my .223 on there (i.e. is my open certificate deeming me responsible enough to make the decision that it is safe or does the land still have to be cleared and registered on a database)?

2) With the good lay of the land I am thinking it might be a good chance to request some larger calibres be added to my ticket I presume the FAO would have to come out and inspect the land to clear the calibres and then have them added to my FAC? Is this how it would all work?

3) Is there a database or phone number I can ring to check when the land was last cleared and what calibre it was cleared up to?

My FAC is due for renewal in May 2024.

[Mattnall]

1 Your open ticket means you make the decision. If it goes wrong it is you that will need to answer the tricky questions.

2 If the larger calibres are also added as part of the Open Ticket then the FEO will not need to look at the land (see above).

3 Perhaps speak to your FEO. However part of having an open FAC is that you make that call, it is not for someone else to do it for you. Even if it was cleared by the police it would still require you to make the determination that the shot is safe or not and it would still fall on your shoulders if something untoward happens in either case.

[Richiew]

You’ll need- any lawful quarry on your license then you’re not stuck to one species . Most land up our way in North Yorkshire seems to be upto 243 passed but I did get my 308 allowed for ALQ for deer etc instead of buying another rifle . Less rifles but ones that can do many roles keep the Feo happy. If it’s a small area of land a hmr works well upto a 100 yards ?? . Give the Feo a ring if you’re not sure, they re very helpful in our area. 
cheers

[Humphrey106]

22 minutes ago, Richiew said:

You’ll need- any lawful quarry on your license then you’re not stuck to one species . Most land up our way in North Yorkshire seems to be upto 243 passed but I did get my 308 allowed for ALQ for deer etc instead of buying another rifle . Less rifles but ones that can do many roles keep the Feo happy. If it’s a small area of land a hmr works well upto a 100 yards ?? . Give the Feo a ring if you’re not sure, they re very helpful in our area. 
cheers

Hi there,

Yes my license states 'Fox and any other lawful quarry'

[Richiew]

Sounds like you’re good to go . A nice varmint barreled tikka with sako 55 grain soft points is a good starting place. 
Good luck 

[dashed]

With regards to the larger calibre, you may need the ground cleared even though you have an open ticket. Some forces (mine included) want a named bit of land associated with your "good reason" and that named bit of ground needs to be cleared to the appropriate calibre.

I've just been through renewal and have an open ticket. The first bit of land I put forward to cover all my rifles had only historically been cleared to .223. They were happy to come out and clear it to a higher calibre but that would have delayed things so I just sent another permission form to cover my larger calibres.