Editing Hunting Act 2004 (section)

{{redirect|Hunting ban|trophy hunting bans|Trophy hunting#Regulations, ban and effects|hunting contravening bans|illegal hunting}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title = Hunting Act 2004<ref>The citation of this Act by this [[short title]] is authorised by [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/37/section/16 section 16] of this Act.</ref>
| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title = An Act to make provision about hunting wild mammals with dogs; to prohibit hare coursing; and for connected purposes.
| year = 2004
| statute_book_chapter = [[List of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 2004|2004]] c. 37
| introduced_by = 
| territorial_extent = [[England and Wales]]<ref>The Hunting Act 2004, [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/37/section/17 section 17]</ref>
| royal_assent = 18 November 2004
| commencement = 18 February 2005<ref>The Hunting Act 2004, [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/37/section/15 section 15]</ref>
| repeal_date = 
| amends = [[Game Act 1831]]<br />[[Game Licences Act 1860]]<br />[[Protection of Animals Act 1911]]<br />[[Protection of Badgers Act 1992]]<br />[[Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996]]
| amendments = [[Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005]]
| related_legislation = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| status = Amended
| original_text = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/37/contents/enacted
| legislation_history = 
| revised_text = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/37/contents|
}}

The '''Hunting Act 2004''' (c. 37) is an [[Act of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Act]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] which bans the [[hunting]] of most wild mammals (notably [[Red fox|fox]]es, [[deer]], [[European hare|hare]]s and [[American mink|mink]]) with dogs in [[England and Wales]], subject to some strictly limited exemptions; the Act does not cover the use of dogs in the process of [[Flushing (military tactic)|flushing out]] an unidentified wild mammal,<ref name="High Court case">{{cite web|url=http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2009/105.html|title=Director of Public Prosecutions (Crown Prosecution Service CCU South West) v Anthony Wright; The Queen on the Application of Maurice Scott, Peter Heard & Donald Summersgill v Taunton Deane Magistrates' Court [2009] EWHC 105 (Admin)|date=4 February 2009|publisher=British and Irish Legal Information Institute|access-date=15 February 2009}}</ref> nor does it affect [[drag hunting]], where hounds are trained to follow an artificial scent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmstand/f/st030225/pm/30225s12.htm|title=Official Report, Commons|date=25 February 2003|publisher=House of Commons|access-date=26 February 2008}}</ref>

The Act came into force on 18 February 2005. The pursuit of foxes with hounds, other than to flush out to be shot, had been banned in [[Scotland]] two years earlier by the [[Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002]]. Such hunting remains permitted by the law in [[Northern Ireland]], where the Act does not apply.