AndyRM
Elder Goth
Fair enough really!
Gamekeepers
- Thread starter Poacher
- Start date
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Fair enough really!
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
More info on Hen Harriers illegally killed on driven grouse moors, and yet more complete bullshit from the Moorland Association.
"A post-mortem examination concluded the mutilated bird had died by having its head pulled off while it was still alive."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-65494829
Maybe it's time to track down gamekeepers and pull their farking heads off? Certainly time to ban driven grouse shooting; they've had plenty of time to put their house in some semblance of order, and shown absolutely no intention of doing so. End it now!
"A post-mortem examination concluded the mutilated bird had died by having its head pulled off while it was still alive."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-65494829
Maybe it's time to track down gamekeepers and pull their farking heads off? Certainly time to ban driven grouse shooting; they've had plenty of time to put their house in some semblance of order, and shown absolutely no intention of doing so. End it now!
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
Further info on this case - the poor bird was killed on 11th April 2022. It's taken Natural England over a year to release this detail, and apparently the local police force have never issued an appeal for info from the public, as far as I can tell.
https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/...of-free-a-natural-england-tagged-hen-harrier/
It seems likely that Free was caught in an illegal pole trap, which would explain the leg being ripped off.
Edit: apologies for my previous post about pulling the heads off gamekeepers - it should also apply to the estate managers who give their instructions to the gamekeepers, and to the owners who instruct their estate managers.
In other news, two dogs died from poison at Fillingham Lake, Lincolnshire. News released on 30/4/2023.
https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2...ed-dog-poisonings-at-lincolnshire-beauty-spot
On 28/4/2023, Lincolnshire Police rural crime team led a multi agency raid, recovering "interesting finds which will need to be sent off for testing as part of the investigation into the persecution of birds of prey". No mention of where this raid took place, but I wonder if there's a connection.
D
Deleted member 121
Guest
I reckon that it is a seperate incident and some sad fück is actively targeting dogs personally. We live in a different world now. People try to decapitate cyclists with wire between two trees, around here, someone killed a cat and dumped it in a box on the doorstep of a new neighbour. People are more emboldened to do dumb shït...
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
Quite likely to be unconnected incidents, but it wouldn't be the first time a dog has died from poison intended for birds of prey.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-53672399
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
Owners of a driven grouse moor apply for licence to burn heather over deep peat, are refused a licence, but go ahead and burn anyway.
Pathetically low penalty.
"Dunlin Ltd, a property company worth nearly £20m based in Towcester, Northamptonshire, owners of the grouse-shooting estate Midhope Moor, pleaded guilty to six counts of burning peat without a licence on Wednesday. As well as the fine (of £2,645), the firm was ordered to pay costs of £125 and a surcharge of £720."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-65554705
Pathetically low penalty.
"Dunlin Ltd, a property company worth nearly £20m based in Towcester, Northamptonshire, owners of the grouse-shooting estate Midhope Moor, pleaded guilty to six counts of burning peat without a licence on Wednesday. As well as the fine (of £2,645), the firm was ordered to pay costs of £125 and a surcharge of £720."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-65554705
icowden
Squire
Based on Grouse Shooting charges that's about the fee for 58 birds.
Mr Celine
Well-Known Member
Beebo
Guru
Here’s a nice success story to lighten the mood. Admittedly from southern England where game keeping is rare and there’s a distinct lack of hunting moors.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-65646200
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-65646200
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
Two more Hen Harriers disappear over or near grouse moors.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-65814679
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-65814679
matticus
Guru
I *think* that incident was referenced on Springwatch last week. I haven't seen it yet, but two nights ago they had some more ... visceral footage, apparently: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/bbc-springwatch-slapped-complaints-viewers-27078944
Sounds very unpleasant, I'm not looking forward to it. Interesting that this past week they have shown a lot of the less jolly side of nature (e.g. a jay predating numerous small chicks from nests they were following closely from static cameras), whereas it used to be almost entirely focused on good news and fluffy/cute stuff.
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
Red Kite found poisoned (and previously shot!) next to grouse moor.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23616181.red-kite-found-brutally-killed-durham-beauty-spot/
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23616181.red-kite-found-brutally-killed-durham-beauty-spot/
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
Update on this case. Yep, as predicted, a gamekeeper, although the charges didn't include actually killing the birds, due to lack of proof, so he got a pathetically lenient suspended sentence. I'm grateful, though, that the bastard at least now has a criminal record.
Usual bullshit trotted out in mitigation: "Magistrates heard that Addison, a former military firearms instructor and part-time gamekeeper, told police that he had found the goshawks while walking his dog, at the same spot they were later found dumped. He said he took them home with the intention of putting them in the freezer and taking them to the British Trust for Ornithology in Thetford. But when a friend told him it was also illegal to be in possession of the birds, he “panicked” and took them back."
Yeah, right!
"Chief magistrate, Mary Wyndham, said the offences were dealt with in their “totality” and that they were so “serious” they justified a custodial sentence. However due to Addison’s age and health, this was suspended." Feck that! If you can't do the time...
https://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/man-72-avoids-jail-after-birds-of-prey-found-dumped-9319454/
OP
OP
Poacher
Regular
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-66113993
"Two men have pleaded guilty to wildlife offences after a video of a fox being unearthed and attacked by hounds was shared online.
Aaron Fookes, 30, from Somerset, and Stuart Radbourne, 39, from Wiltshire, appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court.
They were former members of the Avon Vale hunt which has since been expelled by the sport's governing body.
Fookes was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and fined £1,200.
Radbourne, of The Common, Bromham, who faced one charge of hunting a wild mammal with dogs, received a £580 fine."
Pity there was no custodial sentence, but it's better than nothing. Another accused, Alex Warden, is in court in two days time. Presumably he has pleaded not guilty, in which case the sentence may be more?
"Defence lawyer Sam Harkness said the "high profile" of the case had "destroyed the lives of the two defendants" and both had since lost their jobs."
Oh dear, I seem to have mislaid my violin. Has anyone seen the matchbox I keep it in?
"Two men have pleaded guilty to wildlife offences after a video of a fox being unearthed and attacked by hounds was shared online.
Aaron Fookes, 30, from Somerset, and Stuart Radbourne, 39, from Wiltshire, appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court.
They were former members of the Avon Vale hunt which has since been expelled by the sport's governing body.
Fookes was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and fined £1,200.
Radbourne, of The Common, Bromham, who faced one charge of hunting a wild mammal with dogs, received a £580 fine."
Pity there was no custodial sentence, but it's better than nothing. Another accused, Alex Warden, is in court in two days time. Presumably he has pleaded not guilty, in which case the sentence may be more?
"Defence lawyer Sam Harkness said the "high profile" of the case had "destroyed the lives of the two defendants" and both had since lost their jobs."
Oh dear, I seem to have mislaid my violin. Has anyone seen the matchbox I keep it in?