West Yorkshire Police are appealing for information after the discovery of a shot buzzard that was found dead in the East Morton area of Bradford, which is on the edge of Ilkley Moor.
The buzzard was found last Wednesday (17 April 2024).
Anyone with information should call the police on Tel 101, quoting incident reference: 13240209470.
Raptor Persecution UK 
There is a further report of a buzzard being shot and killed near Laskill, Bilsdale in the North Yorkshire moors national park. The BBC are also reporting the death of 2 dogs from suspected poison near Lindley Wood reservoir, also in North Yorkshire.
Looks like the wildlife criminals are being very active in protecting their interests!!!
The sooner the rest of the UK follows the lead taken by the Scottish parliament in licensing grouse shooting, but also takes the matter a step further by licensing all aspects of game shooting, so that shooting can immediately be suspended when wildlife crimes occur the better.
The current legislation which is supposed to protect nature and wildlife is just totally inadequate, and those committing the crimes know full well they will probably never be caught or face punishment for their wrong doings.
Your right John we need to have estate owners held accountable for what happens on their land like Scotland licenses revoked also the National parks need to up their game. This is on my doorstep we all know who the perpetrators are I spent 3 months last year after the 2 red kites we had been watching were killed a week apart on the same spot Westerdale devastated me wrote to everyone. 2 dogs were poisoned over nidderdale 1 dead 1 very ill walked by a young girl local shop keeper put up substantial reward for information. It needs to stop.
I can fully understand your frustration. The sad thing is that the local community know who is responsible but turn a blind eye. This really should be a matter of grave concern for the Parish Councils, who should be extremely vocal in raising concerns as to why criminal behaviour is being tolerated within their communities. Drug dealing or burglary wouldn’t be tolerated, so why should wildlife crime?
It makes me disappointed when local people support the shooting estates where the crimes are occurring by beating, picking up or providing catering on shoot days. These people should feel ashamed of themselves, as by helping the rogue estates on shoot days they are effectively supporting the crimes which are being committed.
It could be quite an effective message to the criminals if local people and local businesses stopped providing any services to those they suspect of engaging in crime. But this is easier said than done, as I suspect many small businesses or locals probably need the revenue. But there are good shooting estates which don’t engage in criminal activity, and which are working hard to help conserve habitats and wildlife. These are the estates which should be supported, and it could send a strong message if locals shunned the rogue estates but openly supported the good ones?
If it’s not already being done, perhaps the local police, and the rural crime teams could adopt a strategy of attending Parish Council meetings, to raise the issue of raptor persecution and challenge the local communities to “look in the mirror” ? It could be a simple process to start to treat raptor crime as a form of “anti social behaviour”. Change can come through legislation, but it can also come when local people decide enough is enough and make life very uncomfortable for the criminals.
You are absolutely right – the illegal killing has to stop.
All in a nutshell John well put. These people don’t think like us I have known many types of people who beat some were friends who I don’t mix with now they know my views but the sad thing is they want to fit in and don’t seem to have the intelligence to realise what goes on behind the scenes not educated being blunt.