{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/deer-scotland-act-1996/section-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/deer-scotland-act-1996/section-18.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/58",
  "legislation_title": "Deer (Scotland) Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/deer-scotland-act-1996",
  "path": "section/18",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Taking or killing at night.",
  "text": "(1) Subject to sections 25 and 41(2) of this Act and to subsection (2) below, any person who takes or wilfully kills or injures deer between the expiration of the first hour after sunset and the commencement of the last hour before sunrise shall be guilty of an offence.\n(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any agreement between the occupier of agricultural land or of woodland and the owner thereof, but subject to section 37 of this Act, SNH may authorise such an occupier or any person nominated in writing by such an occupier to take or kill, and to sell or otherwise dispose of, any deer on any such land or woodland during the period specified in subsection (1) above, where it is satisfied that—\n(a) the taking or killing is necessary—\n(i) to prevent damage to crops, pasture, human or animal foodstuffs, or to woodland; or\n(ii) in the interests of public safety; and\n(b) no other means of control which might reasonably be adopted in the circumstances would be adequate.",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Word in Act substituted (1.8.2010) by Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 8), s. 134(7), Sch. 1 para. 6; S.S.I. 2010/221, art. 3(2), Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 18(2) substituted (1.8.2010) by Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 8), s. 134(7), Sch. 1 para. 21; S.S.I. 2010/221, art. 3(2), Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 18(2)(a) substituted (1.1.2012) by Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 6), ss. 26(5), 43(1) (with s. 41(1)); S.S.I. 2011/433, art. 2(1)(f)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "asp/2026/6",
      "affecting_title": "Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "asp/2026/6",
      "affecting_title": "Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "words repealed",
      "affecting": "asp/2026/6",
      "affecting_title": "Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026"
    },
    {
      "type": "substituted for s. 18(2)",
      "affecting": "asp/2026/6",
      "affecting_title": "Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/58/section/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:29:29.246415+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}