The ‘shooting’ community guilt

[Mickey mouse]

While this is very sad and regrettable, one incident should not tarnish the reputation of the whole shooting community any more than one farmer polluting a river should condemn the whole farming community. And I write that as a life time falconer who has bred goshawks in captivity and was actually a BTO ringer.

The RSPB and allied twitchers never mention that approximately 75% of raptors die from natural causes in their first year and about 50% of those that survive will die in their second year. These statistics are from The British Trust for Ornithologies own statistics from ringing returns. (The BTO is closely allied to the RSPB). I wonder how many of these are picked up dead and the death attributed to shooters because no tests are done?

Good statement

 

[bottletopbill]

 

[spin cycle]

might it not have been a gamekeeper given the public way they were dumped?

isn't killing stuff and dumping it publicly the illegal hare coursers way of trying to intimidate local communities?

case down s/w last month IIRC

 

[NFI]

Very true.
Would a gamekeeper shoot 5 birds of prey and leave them in a heap for someone to find. How much damage is a bird of prey going to do. A fox in a pheasant pen on the other hand. I’m not a shooting fan and I think that some gamekeepers take their job a bit too seriously. But on occasions like this I think that they’re being set up.

 

[willyorkshire]

It's like a fast food outlet here. Had 25 ducklings on pond and 2 Red Kites taking them. Down to 14 now, they'll soon be too big for Kites to tackle. Love to see the Kites. Too many ducks anyway and only mallards!

 

[bottletopbill]

Not nice but we have to accept some loses

 

[L P]

It's like a fast food outlet here. Had 25 ducklings on pond and 2 Red Kites taking them. Down to 14 now, they'll soon be too big for Kites to tackle. Love to see the Kites. Too many ducks anyway and only mallards!

Careful what you wish for, it's not uncommon to see 50-70 kites descend here when doing field work. There's a good reason many predators are at near extinction, it's the damage they do when not managed. We no longer have a single peewit nest other farm because of kites, half the hares. Not good for ground nesting birds at all. Without controlling predator numbers there will be no hope of reintroducing the peewit here ever again. I find it very sad that RSPB are allowed to act like it.

 

[bottletopbill]

This is why we need controls in areas not and not one rule applies to all of England.
Local folks know best and need to have a input

 

[Nearly]

A ladder trap hire network would work miracles on local corvid overpopulation.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

A ladder trap hire network would work miracles on local corvid overpopulation.

I made myself one, and was very disappointed, it took about 10 minutes to make on the youtube video, it took me considerably longer!

 

[Nearly]

I made myself one, and was very disappointed, it took about 10 minutes to make on the youtube video, it took me considerably longer!

Anything worth making will take longer but be too heavy to carry across a field.

 

[Wilksy]

I made this one based on the BASC plans, beefed it up to 2”x2” and tweaked the measurements so it fit on an old greenhouse frame base

 

[suffolksmallholder]

View attachment 1177421
I made this one based on the BASC plans, beefed it up to 2”x2” and tweaked the measurements so it fit on an old greenhouse frame base

Have you caught your calling birds yet?
SS

 

[Wilksy]

Have you caught your calling birds yet?
SS

It was for a mate about three years ago but it has caught when baited, you can just make out the old one behind it, mates dad runs Larsens for maggys and crows around the farm also

 

[Dry Rot]

Have you caught your calling birds yet?
SS

Just leave the top off and put a dead sheep inside. No call birds required for a ladder trap. When there's snow and it is being confidently used, put the top back on. The sheer weight of crows tipped mine over so they all escaped!

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Just leave the top off and put a dead sheep inside. No call birds required for a ladder trap. When there's snow and it is being confidently used, put the top back on. The sheer weight of crows tipped mine over so they all escaped!

I’m referring to the smaller trap as to ensure this is successful it has to have a caller in one side.
SS

 

[Dry Rot]

I’m referring to the smaller trap as to ensure this is successful it has to have a caller in one side.
SS

Larsen?

 

[willyorkshire]

Careful what you wish for, it's not uncommon to see 50-70 kites descend here when doing field work. There's a good reason many predators are at near extinction, it's the damage they do when not managed. We no longer have a single peewit nest other farm because of kites, half the hares. Not good for ground nesting birds at all. Without controlling predator numbers there will be no hope of reintroducing the peewit here ever again. I find it very sad that RSPB are allowed to act like it.

Not wishing for more!

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Larsen?

Yes.
The big trap catches the calling bird then you carry the Larsen to a suitable spot.
I caught maggies this way.
Never had issues with other covids.
SS

 

[goodevans]

Racing pigeon enthusiasts are equally likely to want to dispatch birds of prey