Freedom of Information Request - Mountain Hare Licences
Date: 02 December 2025
Our ref: SIR182310/A5587016
Information Request – Mountain Hare Licences
Your Request
Can you please confirm no licenses were granted in 2023, 2024 and 2025 and specifically for taking mountain hare?
If this is negative I'd like to submit another request for sight of applications and licenses to take mountain hare over the same dates by any means.
Clarified request
I can confirm I'd like clarification if any licenses were granted under section 16.1(e) to kill mountain hare by means of falconry in the years 2023/2024/2025.
Also, to kill mountain hare by any means from 01 January 2023 to the date of request (4th November 2025).
Our Response
We can confirm that no licences have been granted or applied for under Section 16.1(e)1 to kill mountain hare by means of falconry from 01 January 2023 to 04 November 2025 (date of request).
We can also confirm that no licences have been granted or applied for under Section 16.1(e) to kill mountain hare by any other means from 01 January 2023 to 04 November 2025 (date of request).
Additional Information
Please note, licences to kill, take or disturb wild birds are issued under sub-section 16(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Licences for other protected species, including mountain hares, are issued under sub-section 16(3). Although outwith the scope of your request, we have received and/or granted licences during this period under:
• 16.3(a) and 16.3(e)
• 16.3(h)
which can allow for the killing of mountain hare by means of falconry. To be helpful these are attached separately.
We have redacted personal data from the documents because releasing personal data into the public domain in response to an access to information request would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We are therefore withholding the information under 11(2) (Personal Data) of the EIRs.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
Document downloads
Due to file size the attached information, referenced above, is available on request by contacting the FOI team at [email protected]. Please reference the case number (starting with SIR).
