My God, we really are back to the dark ages again. Thank you DEFRA, Alec Hogg and Mr Benyon. Do we know which Estate this was on, and whether anyone has been charged – including the landowner – or is this yet another months-old revalation?
I’m afraid I would have to disagree slightly with Tony as, in my opinion, we haven’t exited the dark ages yet. And can we throw SNH in to the festering scum-filled pot?
Marco, you may be right, but remember the Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and Peregrine have all made a good comeback over the past three decades – but yes, when we see what is happening now to Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Golden Eagle (in places), and shortly to the Sea Eagle I fear, I am happy to bow down to your comment!
Makes me feel sick and so angry that this sort of thing is still happening. Lets hope that someone is prosecuted and punished severely for this hei’nous crime, but I doubt it will happen.
Unfortunatly Tony, the Red Kite picture isn’t so good up here. In the early 80’s the same number of Kite were released in both the Chilterns and the Black Isle. The Chiltern Red’s have done very well and multiplied beyond all expectations, however the Black Isle population
has remaimed fairly static. The reason? the Black Isles are surrounded by ‘sporting’ estates!
I know I am on the other side of the fence so to speak, but I think this is utterly Barbaric to think that any bird should have to suffer like this is beyond words.
Why can’t the actual LANDOWNER be prosecuted, rather than have denials from a gamekeeper. Surely the landowner is overall responsible for his/her estate?
Well, with vicarious liability now enacted in Scotland the theory is that the landowner CAN be prosecuted, but only if certain conditions are met. You can read about it here:
Heartened to see such strong reaction to this photo – a picture really is worth a thousand words….just remember there have been many, many incidents like this involving birds caught in “pole traps” [spring trap set on a post] on shooting estates and elsewhere in Scotland in the last few decades. Each one was a barbaric, disgusting act.All recorded by RSPB and reported to the police.
This is the reality of bird of prey persecution.
Pole traps were outlawed in the UK in 1904.
With the latest comments over the last few weeks from the estates with regards for the need for control of birds of prey, and their mis-information and in some cases lies to be honest, this picture under pins the landowner and the game-keeping fraternity total dishonesty to what goes on; on the shooting estates. If they have nothing to hide then let the conservationist in to see how well the estates are doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andie…this is Scotland ..we have always had the right to walk on open land…the more people who exercise that right…and of course taking care not to upset legitimate countryside activity [before some defender of the persecutors tries the age old disturbance angle!!]…the more chance there is of these people being caught.
What a sickening sight. This incident just reinforces the fact that we must all be as vigilant as we can when walking the hills. I hope vicarious liability will be used in this case against the land owner where the pole trap was found, even if the person who set it isn’t caught.
Once the investigation into this case is completed then it would be a good idea that a community meeting is held in the local town or village, close to the offending estate and organised by the NWCU/local WCO, to highlight the persecution of protected raptors and other wildlife and to generally educate people about wildlife crime law and what to do if they come across an incident or have knowledge of somebody committing wildlife crime.
Setting aside the criminality involved, the question to be asked is what sort warped mind would deduce that it was remotely acceptable to do such a thing. This is in the category of torturing animals and those that can do that have some very serious issues to be addressed.
It is a sad state of affairs that in this day and age there are still some mindless moronic gamekeepers who perpretrate these heinous crimes against wildlife while their wealthy employers turn a blind eye. Get rid of the shooting estates and make Scotland into a haven for wildlife then see the tourists and money roll in.
What a sensible and reasonable argument! State land snatching, causing huge rural depopulation, families being put out their homes, local communities collapsing, no wildlife due to an overabuldance of predators and not enough pray……….. The list of problems this would cause is endless! The issues here are a bit more complex I think!
You like most of the so called game industry grouseman have utterly no understanding of ecology, the preadtor prey balance has looked after itself for millenia before we interfered and could do so again the picture you paint is total nonsense
The evil pole trap is of course totally indiscriminate in what it catches. Many species of bird alight on posts and on one occasion I even found a pheasant was the victim – poetic justice may be, but still a horrendous fate for any bird.
Wingandaprayer – yes, the pole trap was indeed banned a long time ago, but it has never gone away. In fact when I came to live in Cumbria in 1963 I discovered that a local estate gamekeeper was in the practise of using this method to control birds of prey, but my enquiries resulted in me being banned from going onto the estate (I was carrying out an annual BTO Common Bird Census there at the time). It actually took until 1980 to get a conviction of another keeper at a different site (with the help of the RSPCA) and this was only for the setting of a pole trap (we photographed the culprit in action). Frustratintgly, we had spent three years of night-time vigils trying to get first-hand evidence that he was putting down Mevinphos on carcasses of rabbits in the open too. We actually saw hime doing this on one occasion, but were told that we had to get a professional witness to the crime before a charge could be laid. The obvious choice was our local policeman, but we could never understand why the gamekeeper never turned up when this person was with us – until we discovered he was a member of the shoot!!! The fine? £150 – and I received a victorious V-sign as the guilty party passed me on his way out of the courst! What a result for three years work!
To show just how indiscriminate and barbaric pole traps are, if anyone has a copy of the book ‘The Barn Owl’ I co-authored (Poyser 1982) you will see between pages 192 -193 a photograph of another victim – a Barn Owl I was studying at that time.
Geordie, the date (07/03/2012) relates to a computer upload, not the date the photo was taken. These numbers = July 3 2012, the date the photo was added to the blog.
What an awful picture, Whoever did this deserves the full force of the law brought to bear. I have seen problems with photos before though and until we know where this is and when, then we should be careful not to rush to conclusions. I can appreciate that if there is a police investigation ongoing then you cannot give specific details, but I am sure you could say when the photo was taken and in what area of Scotland this is. I am guessing this is a police or other investigator photo?
The Trap of choice for this crime is a Fenn Trap & they cost no more than £5.
Needless to say the trap is totally indiscriminate & because they are set so finely, they also easily catch other birds like Thrushes & Blackbirds.
I knew a keeper in Ireland, back in 1970, who caught Long Eared Owls using this trap, set on a pole, placed in the middle of a feed ride (cleared path) in the middle of a wood.
Like others here, I shall be praying that both the Keeper & the landowner are prosecuted in this case.
As already stated, we are restricted as to what information we can release about this one (for legal reasons and also to protect our sources). However, as regular blog readers already know, we’re not in the habit of fabricating evidence on this blog (can you identify a single instance where we have?). We don’t need to fabricate evidence – the game-shooting lobby provides enough evidence of illegal practice without us having to resort to making stuff up.
We’re also not in the habit of bowing to pressure from those using fake email addresses whose purpose is to either (a) muddy the waters and/or (b) expose us to potential legal action!!
Raptor Persecution UK 
Is this a recent photo and if so what’s the story behind it?
My God, we really are back to the dark ages again. Thank you DEFRA, Alec Hogg and Mr Benyon. Do we know which Estate this was on, and whether anyone has been charged – including the landowner – or is this yet another months-old revalation?
Sorry, we’re restricted on what we can report on this one. It is a recent photo from Scotland.
In which country did this take place?
Scotland
I’m afraid I would have to disagree slightly with Tony as, in my opinion, we haven’t exited the dark ages yet. And can we throw SNH in to the festering scum-filled pot?
Long shot I know but did the Buzzard survive.
No, it didn’t survive it’s injuries.
Marco, you may be right, but remember the Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite and Peregrine have all made a good comeback over the past three decades – but yes, when we see what is happening now to Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Golden Eagle (in places), and shortly to the Sea Eagle I fear, I am happy to bow down to your comment!
Makes me feel sick and so angry that this sort of thing is still happening. Lets hope that someone is prosecuted and punished severely for this hei’nous crime, but I doubt it will happen.
Unfortunatly Tony, the Red Kite picture isn’t so good up here. In the early 80’s the same number of Kite were released in both the Chilterns and the Black Isle. The Chiltern Red’s have done very well and multiplied beyond all expectations, however the Black Isle population
has remaimed fairly static. The reason? the Black Isles are surrounded by ‘sporting’ estates!
I know I am on the other side of the fence so to speak, but I think this is utterly Barbaric to think that any bird should have to suffer like this is beyond words.
Why can’t the actual LANDOWNER be prosecuted, rather than have denials from a gamekeeper. Surely the landowner is overall responsible for his/her estate?
Well, with vicarious liability now enacted in Scotland the theory is that the landowner CAN be prosecuted, but only if certain conditions are met. You can read about it here:
https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/vicarious-liability-whats-it-all-about/
Heartened to see such strong reaction to this photo – a picture really is worth a thousand words….just remember there have been many, many incidents like this involving birds caught in “pole traps” [spring trap set on a post] on shooting estates and elsewhere in Scotland in the last few decades. Each one was a barbaric, disgusting act.All recorded by RSPB and reported to the police.
This is the reality of bird of prey persecution.
Pole traps were outlawed in the UK in 1904.
With the latest comments over the last few weeks from the estates with regards for the need for control of birds of prey, and their mis-information and in some cases lies to be honest, this picture under pins the landowner and the game-keeping fraternity total dishonesty to what goes on; on the shooting estates. If they have nothing to hide then let the conservationist in to see how well the estates are doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Andie…this is Scotland ..we have always had the right to walk on open land…the more people who exercise that right…and of course taking care not to upset legitimate countryside activity [before some defender of the persecutors tries the age old disturbance angle!!]…the more chance there is of these people being caught.
What a sickening sight. This incident just reinforces the fact that we must all be as vigilant as we can when walking the hills. I hope vicarious liability will be used in this case against the land owner where the pole trap was found, even if the person who set it isn’t caught.
Once the investigation into this case is completed then it would be a good idea that a community meeting is held in the local town or village, close to the offending estate and organised by the NWCU/local WCO, to highlight the persecution of protected raptors and other wildlife and to generally educate people about wildlife crime law and what to do if they come across an incident or have knowledge of somebody committing wildlife crime.
Setting aside the criminality involved, the question to be asked is what sort warped mind would deduce that it was remotely acceptable to do such a thing. This is in the category of torturing animals and those that can do that have some very serious issues to be addressed.
It is a sad state of affairs that in this day and age there are still some mindless moronic gamekeepers who perpretrate these heinous crimes against wildlife while their wealthy employers turn a blind eye. Get rid of the shooting estates and make Scotland into a haven for wildlife then see the tourists and money roll in.
What a sensible and reasonable argument! State land snatching, causing huge rural depopulation, families being put out their homes, local communities collapsing, no wildlife due to an overabuldance of predators and not enough pray……….. The list of problems this would cause is endless! The issues here are a bit more complex I think!
You like most of the so called game industry grouseman have utterly no understanding of ecology, the preadtor prey balance has looked after itself for millenia before we interfered and could do so again the picture you paint is total nonsense
The evil pole trap is of course totally indiscriminate in what it catches. Many species of bird alight on posts and on one occasion I even found a pheasant was the victim – poetic justice may be, but still a horrendous fate for any bird.
Wingandaprayer – yes, the pole trap was indeed banned a long time ago, but it has never gone away. In fact when I came to live in Cumbria in 1963 I discovered that a local estate gamekeeper was in the practise of using this method to control birds of prey, but my enquiries resulted in me being banned from going onto the estate (I was carrying out an annual BTO Common Bird Census there at the time). It actually took until 1980 to get a conviction of another keeper at a different site (with the help of the RSPCA) and this was only for the setting of a pole trap (we photographed the culprit in action). Frustratintgly, we had spent three years of night-time vigils trying to get first-hand evidence that he was putting down Mevinphos on carcasses of rabbits in the open too. We actually saw hime doing this on one occasion, but were told that we had to get a professional witness to the crime before a charge could be laid. The obvious choice was our local policeman, but we could never understand why the gamekeeper never turned up when this person was with us – until we discovered he was a member of the shoot!!! The fine? £150 – and I received a victorious V-sign as the guilty party passed me on his way out of the courst! What a result for three years work!
To show just how indiscriminate and barbaric pole traps are, if anyone has a copy of the book ‘The Barn Owl’ I co-authored (Poyser 1982) you will see between pages 192 -193 a photograph of another victim – a Barn Owl I was studying at that time.
Is the date (7/4/12) correct on the photo properties if so why has it taken nearly 3 months to publish this barbaric behaviour.
Geordie, the date (07/03/2012) relates to a computer upload, not the date the photo was taken. These numbers = July 3 2012, the date the photo was added to the blog.
What an awful picture, Whoever did this deserves the full force of the law brought to bear. I have seen problems with photos before though and until we know where this is and when, then we should be careful not to rush to conclusions. I can appreciate that if there is a police investigation ongoing then you cannot give specific details, but I am sure you could say when the photo was taken and in what area of Scotland this is. I am guessing this is a police or other investigator photo?
The Trap of choice for this crime is a Fenn Trap & they cost no more than £5.
Needless to say the trap is totally indiscriminate & because they are set so finely, they also easily catch other birds like Thrushes & Blackbirds.
I knew a keeper in Ireland, back in 1970, who caught Long Eared Owls using this trap, set on a pole, placed in the middle of a feed ride (cleared path) in the middle of a wood.
Like others here, I shall be praying that both the Keeper & the landowner are prosecuted in this case.
Is there any more information on this? We surely need to be sure that it is recent and in Scotland.
As already stated, we are restricted as to what information we can release about this one (for legal reasons and also to protect our sources). However, as regular blog readers already know, we’re not in the habit of fabricating evidence on this blog (can you identify a single instance where we have?). We don’t need to fabricate evidence – the game-shooting lobby provides enough evidence of illegal practice without us having to resort to making stuff up.
We’re also not in the habit of bowing to pressure from those using fake email addresses whose purpose is to either (a) muddy the waters and/or (b) expose us to potential legal action!!