Tag: shooting

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust finds its voice & calls for Government action on raptor persecution

Following North Yorkshire Police’s appeal for information about the recent discovery of a Marsh Harrier with gunshot injuries found in the Westerdale area of the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) has responded with an unusually robust statement.

On its Facebook page yesterday, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said that “It is no longer enough to condemn these actions – our communities and wildlife deserve to thrive together, and it is our collective duty to hold those responsible for destroying our wildlife to account“.

The social media post then linked to a full statement on the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s web site, reproduced here:

MARSH HARRIER SHOT ON NORTH YORK MOORS – OUR RESPONSE, 22 SEPTEMBER 2026

We are outraged to hear that in August, a marsh harrier was found shot at Westerdale within the North York Moors National Park.

Despite being protected by law, this poor bird had been left to suffer for days until found; sadly it couldn’t be treated and had to be euthanised to halt its suffering.

This latest case of cruelty and negligence, comes barely three months after a golden eagle was reported to have been shot 17 times in northern England and a tagged white-tailed eagle ‘went missing’ on the North York Moors, it is clear there are people in these landscapes who are careless and callous enough to harm these magnificent birds, and publicity does not stop their illegal behaviour.

North Yorkshire is nationally infamous for raptor persecution, with a report by the RSPB this year showing that one in five confirmed cases of shootings in England over the past ten years took place in our county. This is not an accolade or an achievement. We want to see anyone who has been involved in facilitating criminal actions like this to be held to account.

It is clear that the ‘self-policing’ approach of the shooting industry is failing and there is little sign of those who should be responsible taking clear visible action to stop and drive out this criminality. It is time for Government to take stronger action to prevent these wildlife crimes. 

Defra is also currently seeking evidence on the impacts of gamebird rearing, release and shooting, including wildlife crime, and we encourage anyone with relevant evidence or experience to respond to the call for evidence by 11:59pm on 1 November 2026.

Birds of prey play an important role in our ecosystems, bringing awe and wonder to the majority of Yorkshire folk lucky enough to see them, their appearance in our skies are down to the work of conservation bodies, volunteers and local people. Persecution robs everyone the chance of seeing these special birds and destroys all those years of effort.

We urge anyone who has information that can help North Yorkshire Police establish who was involved in this case to contact them. It is no longer enough to condemn these actions – our communities and wildlife deserve to thrive together, and it is our collective duty to hold those responsible for destroying our wildlife to account.

You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or emailing kimberley.laws@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting incident number 12260171320.

ENDS

With the exception of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, it’s quite unusual to see any of the country’s Wildlife Trusts speaking out so clearly and forcefully on the issue of raptor persecution. It’s long been a bugbear of mine that organisations like the Wildlife Trusts, who are in a position of authority and influence, have shied away from prominent campaigning on this issue.

So I applaud Yorkshire Wildlife Trust for its unequivocal stance and hope that other Wildlife Trusts will follow its lead and not be too frightened by the inevitable backlash from the game-shooting industry, who are probably already composing threats to report the YWT to the Charities Commission, in the same way the Moorland Association did against the charity ‘Friends of the Dales’ for its Eyes to the Skies campaign earlier this year.

Marsh Harrier found shot in North York Moors National Park – Police appeal for information

Press release from North Yorkshire Police (21 September 2026):

Marsh Harrier found shot in North York Moors

On 28 August 2026 a juvenile Marsh Harrier was found in the Westerdale area suffering from injuries that left it unable to fly.

Following examination, it was established that the bird had been shot and is believed to have been lying injured for several days prior to being found. Unfortunately, the injuries were so severe that there was no prospect of recovery, and on welfare grounds the bird had to be humanely euthanised.

Marsh Harrier (photo by Pete Walkden)

The Marsh Harrier is a specially protected bird of prey under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or disturb these birds, or to damage or destroy their nests or eggs.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for information in connection with this incident. Anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the area, or who has information that could assist the investigation, is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or emailing kimberley.laws@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting incident number 12260171320.

If you have concerns regarding the persecution of birds of prey or any other wildlife crime, please report the matter to the police. Information from the public can play a vital role in helping to protect wildlife and bring offenders to justice.

ENDS

Yet another raptor persecution victim, in a so-called National Park, in an area where gamebird shooting is prominent, and in an area well known as a wildlife crime hotspot (e.g. see here, here and here).

And not the first Marsh Harrier victim in Yorkshire either – for others see here, here and here.

This Marsh Harrier was found with shotgun injuries next to a Red-legged Partridge pen on a shooting estate in East Yorkshire in 2016. After expert veterinary attention and rehabilitation care she was released back to the wild (see here).

In 2017/2018 Amanda Anderson (then of the Moorland Association, the grouse moor owners’ lobby group in England) denied that her members were interested in obtaining licences permitting them to kill Marsh Harriers but several witnesses said otherwise.

Motive, means, opportunity. They’re all there, in spades, but the standard of evidence required to charge someone with the alleged shooting probably is not; without a direct witness in this remote landscape, there’s the (albeit slim) possibility that it wasn’t someone connected with gamebird shooting who shot this Marsh Harrier, and that’s enough reasonable doubt for this case to never get anywhere near a court of law.

Apart from the 2008 conviction of three gamekeepers on the Snilesworth Estate, I actually can’t remember anybody being charged and prosecuted for crimes against birds of prey in the North York Moors National Park in the following 18 years, despite a high volume of recorded crimes during this period*.

The closest the police have come was probably the Bransdale case during lockdown in 2020, where a witness reported seeing a number of armed men shooting at Buzzards on an estate in the North York Moors National Park, and five dead Buzzards were later found buried under rocks – four had definitely been shot and the fifth had probably been shot. Despite extensive investigative efforts by the police, there wasn’t sufficient evidence to charge anyone (see here).

Perhaps visitors and local residents of this National Park (and all the other National Parks where raptors are still targeted by criminals within the gamebird shooting industry) will consider making a submission to Defra’s current Call for Evidence on all aspects of gamebird shooting, to share their experience of finding injured and/or dead raptors in the National Park, or their disappointment at not being able to enjoy seeing the full suite of UK birds of prey that should naturally be breeding in these so-called protected landscapes.

You don’t even have to wade through the 100+ questions on the official submissions form to provide your evidence. You can simply write about your first-hand experience in an email, addressed to Gamebirds@defra.gov.uk (write ‘Call for Evidence’ in the subject line) and it’ll be accepted in to the review.

Closing date is 1 November 2026.

*Update: Thanks to the blog reader who reminded me about the 2013 conviction of gamekeeper Shaun Allanson for offences committed on the Blansby Estate, near Pickering, right on the edge of the North York Moors National Park.

FoI reveals some inconsistencies in Invermark Estate’s claims about shot Peregrine

Last month, NatureScot imposed a three-year General Licence restriction on part of Invermark Estate in the Angus Glens, in relation to the discovery of a shot Peregrine that was found on 3 September 2024. The Peregrine’s gunshot injuries were severe and it later had to be euthanised. Nobody has been charged or prosecuted in relation to this crime.

A statement attributed to Invermark Estate was published as part of an article in The Courier on 7 August 2026, the day the three-year General Licence restriction was announced. The statement read as follows:

The General Licence restriction was suspended two weeks after it was imposed as Invermark Estate had decided to make a formal appeal to NatureScot against the restriction. That appeal is currently ongoing.

When I wrote about that appeal, and published Invermark’s statement, I said it contained some interesting claims and that I intended to return to it in a future blog.

The first point of interest in Invermark Estate’s statement was the revelation that the shot Peregrine had been found “in the garden of a cottage“. This information was not previously available in the public domain.

The reason this information is of interest is because it allows us to pinpoint the location. It was already known that the General Licence restriction was imposed on tenanted land associated with Dalbrack Farm, as made clear in NatureScot’s restriction notice:

‘In the case of Invermark Estate, the restriction will apply to the Dalbrack Farm area of the estate. NatureScot received robust evidence from Police Scotland in relation to the shooting of a peregrine which was discovered in this area’. 

An examination of several maps shows that there’s only one cottage in this immediate area – Dalbrack Cottage, which neighbours Dalbrack Farm. It’s my understanding that Dalbrack Farm is tenanted, and Dalbrack Cottage is sub-tenanted.

Photo by Andrew Curtis, May 2021, used under Creative Commons Licence and annotated by RPUK

You’ll notice that Invermark Estate’s statement included the following carefully chosen words:

“While Invermark Estate owns the land in question, it does not manage it and there is no sporting activity where the bird was found (in the garden of a cottage)“.

Whilst this statement may be accurate, I would argue that it’s tightly worded and fails to inform the reader that the cottage in question is situated right on the edge of a grouse moor (remember, the Courier readers didn’t have the benefit of seeing a map). It looks to me like a deliberate attempt by Invermark Estate to infer some considerable distance between the estate’s grouse shooting activities and the garden of the cottage, because it fails to mention the proximity of the grouse moor and some of the estate’s grouse butts, which according to maps, are just metres away:

And these are not the only grouse butts in the area, as you can see from this map showing the part of Invermark Estate close to Dalbrack:

Map sourced from Andy Wightman’s Who Owns Scotland website, annotated by RPUK

What this map doesn’t tell us, of course, is whether these grouse butts are still in use; they could have long been decommissioned and are now just historical cartographic relics. This brings me to the second point of interest in Invermark Estate’s statement:

“While grouse shooting does take place on land some distance away, the vet who examined the bird concluded that it could not have flown any distance because of its injuries and that the shooting must have happened close to the locus“.

Unlike Invermark Estate, the general public has not been afforded sight of the post mortem report so we’re having to reply upon Invermark Estate’s claim about what it says. Would it be feasible for the bird to have been shot further up the hill and then it glided down to the cottage garden where it crash landed at the bottom of the hill, without having had to flap its wings? Instead of having to rely upon Invermark Estate’s claim, I’d rather see the PM report for myself so I’ve requested a copy via FoI from NatureScot. If/when it’s released, I’ll post a copy here.

But what I can test is Invermark Estate’s claim that “grouse shooting does take place on land some distance away…“.

The phrase “some distance away” is quite subjective, isn’t it? What does it mean? A few metres, a few kilometres, a few glens away? The inference is that grouse shooting does not take place nearby [to where the Peregrine was found with shotgun injuries].

How interesting, then, to see the map that Dalhousie Estates (owner of Invermark Estate) submitted to NatureScot as part of its application for a grouse shooting licence. I sourced this map via an FoI and have annotated it to show the location where the injured Peregrine was found. It looks pretty clear to me that Invermark Estate’s estimation of “some distance away” is quite different to mine and probably that of most other people!

The third and final point of interest (for now) in Invermark Estate’s statement is this:

“It is difficult to accept this restriction when no allegation has been made that our organisation was responsible for the offence, and equally difficult to see how imposing such a significant restriction upon us can represent a fair or proportionate outcome“.

Invermark Estate has claimed that ‘it doesn’t manage the land in question’ and that “An agricultural tenant and sub-tenant have full control over the land, and that tenancy agreement has been in place for more than ten years“.

It isn’t clear to me whether Invermark Estate is claiming it doesn’t manage the land where the injured Peregrine was found or whether it’s claiming it doesn’t manage ‘the land in question’, which I take to mean the land covered by the General Licence restriction.

If it’s the latter, then why would Invermark Estate be so concerned about what it describes as “such a significant restriction upon us“? How could it be a restriction, significant or otherwise, if Invermark Estate has no involvement with the management of the land under restriction?

If it’s the former, then why didn’t Invermark Estate make it clear in its statement that it manages the land for grouse shooting in immediate proximity to where the injured Peregrine was found?

It’s worth looking again at the area of restriction imposed by NatureScot, and comparing it with Invermark Estate’s grouse shoot licence boundary map.

Here is NatureScot’s map showing the area of General Licence restriction (map annotated by me to show the location of the injured Peregrine):

And here is the General Licence restriction area (purple dotted line – note, this is not precise) overlaid on to Invermark Estate’s grouse shoot licence boundary map, with a black star denoting the location where the injured Peregrine was found:

It’s clear then that the General Licence restriction area overlaps with a considerable chunk of moorland where Invermark Estate has the right to kill or take Red Grouse.

Are we to believe that Invermark Estate “does not manage” the land it owns and where the estate has a licence to shoot Red Grouse?

That would be extraordinary.

I await the outcome of Invermark Estate’s appeal against its General Licence restriction with interest.

Book launch: Prelude to Murder – Revenge Killing on a Highland Estate

Former Tayside Police Wildlife Crime Officer Alan Stewart’s book, co-authored by Lindsey Hamilton, has now been published.

Prelude to Murder: Revenge Killing on a Highland Estate focuses on the trial and subsequent conviction for murder of ex-Edradynate Estate Head Gamekeeper David Campbell, who was recently sentenced to a minimum 19 years in prison for the ambush and execution of former Edradynate Estate groundsman Brian Low, whom Campbell blasted with a shotgun whilst Brian was out walking his dog.

The book also provides commentary on the many wildlife crime investigations at Edradynate Estate during Campbell’s employment, mostly centred on the illegal poisoning and shooting of protected birds of prey, for which nobody was ever convicted.

There’ll be an official book launch at 7pm on Friday 11 September 2026 at Camserney Hall, Aberfeldy, PH15 2JL where the two co-authors will be in conversation with Jim Mackintosh. Entry is free – more details here.

There’ll be another event at 7pm on Thursday 24 September 2026 at Pittenweem New Town Hall, Session Street, KY10 2QL – more details here.

Prelude to Murder is available to buy from the publisher (Thirsty Books) or a signed copy direct from Alan Stewart.

A fascinating two-part documentary about Campbell’s trial and conviction is available on BBC iPlayer for the next 11 months. Murder Trial, Death of a Dog Walker can be watched here.

Invermark Estate appeals 3-year General Licence restriction imposed after evidence of raptor persecution

Earlier this month, NatureScot announced it was imposing a three-year General Licence restriction on Invermark Estate in the Angus Glens, relating to the discovery of a Peregrine with shotgun injuries found on 3 September 2024.

Invermark Estate boundary (in red), sourced from Andy Wightman’s Who Owns Scotland website

The three-year General Licence restriction on Invermark Estate doesn’t apply to the whole estate, just to land managed by Dalbrack Farm (outlined in red on the map below), which is owned by Invermark Estate, and prohibits the use of General Licences 01, 02 and 03 on that land from 7th August 2026 up to and including 7th August 2029.

In accordance with NatureScot’s Framework for implementing General Licence restrictions, Invermark Estate was entitled to appeal the restriction decision within 14 days of its implementation.

When an estate makes a formal appeal in writing, it effectively suspends the General Licence restriction notice until such time that NatureScot makes a decision on the appeal, which it tries to complete within four weeks.

I noticed yesterday that the decision notice to impose the three-year General Licence restriction on Invermark Estate had vanished from NatureScot’s website, which I interpret as meaning Invermark has appealed the restriction decision, and so NatureScot has temporarily suspended the restriction whilst the appeal is considered.

I’m not aware of any previous appeals made by other estates against General Licence restrictions ever being successful. Failed appeals include Raeshaw Estate and Corsehope Farm in 2016 (here, and a further failed judicial review in 2017, here), Burnfoot Estate and Wester Cringate Estate’s failed appeal in 2016 (here), Leadhills Estate’s failed appeal in 2020 (here, and for hilarious details of that failed appeal see here), Leadhills Estate’s (again) failed appeal in 2021 (here), Lochan Estate’s failed appeal in 2022 (here), Invercauld Estate’s failed appeal in 2022 (here), Moy Estate’s failed appeal in 2022 (here), and Raeshaw Estate’s (again) failed appeal in 2026 (here); Raeshaw has now lodged a judicial review against this latest decision (here).

Millden Estate said it would appeal its General Licence restriction in 2023 although I’m not sure whether it ever did. If it did appeal and I missed it, the appeal must have failed because the restriction was still in place in March 2026 when it was due to formally end. Lochindorb Estate is currently serving a General Licence restriction but I’m not sure it ever appealed, and if it did, the appeal must have failed because the restriction is still active today. The Milton of Drimmie Estate is currently serving a General Licence restriction and hasn’t made an appeal because the restriction is still in place and the appeal deadline has now passed.

General Licence restrictions are imposed on estates when there is sufficient evidence from Police Scotland that raptor persecution has taken place but when there is insufficient evidence to prosecute a named individual.

When NatureScot imposed the three-year General Licence restriction on Invermark Estate in August this year, a statement attributed to the estate was published in The Courier on the same day. It went like this:

There’s lots of very interesting stuff in this statement, and I intend to examine some of the claims in another blog.

But for now, I’m fascinated by Invermark Estate’s appeal against the General Licence restriction, which it claims is a “significant restriction upon us“, but has argued that it does not manage the land covered by the restriction.

Er, something doesn’t add up.

I’ll return to this soon!

UPDATE 7 September 2026: FoI reveals some inconsistencies in Invermark Estate’s claims about shot Peregrine (here)

Pressure building on Defra to consider gamebird shoot licensing in England

The Guardian ran an article at the weekend about Defra’s previously stated commitment to consider gamebird shoot licensing in England (for Red Grouse, Pheasants and Red-legged Partridges), following the recent introduction of grouse shoot licensing in Scotland.

The Guardian’s angle was that game shoot licensing ‘could stop [the] poisoning of birds of prey‘.

Yes, I suppose it could, but it won’t. Grouse shoot licensing hasn’t stopped illegal raptor persecution in Scotland, and so far, despite ongoing wildlife crime, not a single grouse shooting licence has been revoked.

That’s not to imply that I think the licensing approach is pointless. I don’t think it is, in as much as I see it as an important staging period towards an outright ban. Only when the Scottish Government sees that licensing has failed will it realise that this level of regulation is unenforceable and that only leaves one remaining option.

The Guardian article contains a few inaccuracies. It claims that, ‘Currently, about 30 million pheasants are set loose each year by shooting estates for people to pay to shoot‘ – that should read 50 million (in addition to about 10 million Red-legged Partridges), but what’s a difference of 30 million between friends?

The article also claims that ‘Seven satellite-tagged hen harriers were found poisoned or shot on or near grouse moors last year‘. That should read at least 16 Hen Harriers ‘disappeared’ in suspicious circumstances, more than likely shot, and one was found poisoned.

Regular blog readers won’t find much new in the article. The RSPB wants gamebird licensing, Defra has committed to consider the evidence for further regulation (as if it doesn’t already know!) and hold a public consultation on any proposed changes, and the Countryside Alliance is apoplectic about (a) the perceived lobbying influence of the RSPB and (b) the terrifying concept of landowners being held to account for anything.

Nevertheless, I was pleased to read this article because its important that this issue remains in the public sphere, if nothing else to put pressure on the Government to fufill its commitment to collect evidence, make policy change and open a public consultation on the inevitable downfall of gamebird shooting in its current format.

The article is available here.

Hen Harrier persecution on UK grouse moors – new research suggests only 0.5 – 10% incidents are detected

The ‘tip of the iceberg’ is a phrase often used by researchers and conservationists when describing the scale and extent of illegal raptor persecution in the UK, meaning that what is known or can be seen is only a small fraction of what is actually happening under the surface.

Killing birds of prey is an offence in the UK, and has been for over 70 years, so the people committing these crimes will often go to great lengths to hide the evidence (e.g. here), which is quite easy to do if the offender is a gamekeeper working under the cover of darkness on a privately-owned estate in a remote area with few witnesses around.

Satellite tagging has done much to help us understand the scale of these crimes in recent years, particularly on grouse moors where Golden Eagles (here) and Hen Harriers (here and here) are targeted, and now new modelling research is about to blow the lid on the whole sorry story.

If you thought that 149 dead or ‘missing’ Hen Harriers in the UK since 2018 was shocking, most of them on or close to grouse moors, it’s clear we don’t know the half of it. Prosecutions are rare, as demonstrated earlier this year when Yorkshire Dales gamekeeper Racster Dingwall became the first person ever convicted in England for Hen Harrier persecution, despite hundreds of confirmed persecution incidents recorded since the 1980s.

This male hen harrier died in 2019 after his leg was almost severed in an illegally set trap that had been placed next to his nest on a Scottish grouse moor (see here). Photo by Ruth Tingay

At a recent British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) conference earlier this year, new research was presented suggesting that there are around 400 Hen Harrier ‘persecution events’ across different life stages (e.g. nest, adult, 1yr and 2yr old birds) and that only 0.5 – 10% are detected.

This research was presented as a poster rather than a spoken presentation, and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, so caveats are needed at this stage but it is anticipated that the publication process is underway.

The Hen Harrier research is part of a wider PhD study, also examining ‘tip of the iceberg’ modelling scenarios for Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Red Kites – species that are long known to be the victims of illegal persecution on UK grouse moors.

The research is being undertaken at the Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Capetown, South Africa, as part of the research portfolio of Associate Professor Arjun Amar, well known for his studies linking the illegal persecution of raptors to driven grouse shooting in the UK, including the detrimental effects this can have at a population scale, particularly on Red Kites, Peregrines and Hen Harriers.

The research abstract submitted for the conference is as follows:

TIP OF THE ICEBERG: ESTIMATING THE TRUE EXTENT OF RAPTOR PERSECUTION ASSOCIATED WITH GROUSE SHOOTING

Arjun Amar, Koi Pillay, Rob Thomson, Steven Ewing.

Despite decades of legal protection, raptors continue to be persecuted in the UK, particularly in the uplands where red grouse shooting conflicts with raptor conservation. Detecting persecution associated with this conflict is challenging due to its illegality and the remoteness of grouse moors, meaning official crime records likely represent only the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ with many incidents remaining hidden as ‘dark figures.’ Here, we attempt to estimate the persecution levels and population data for Hen Harriers, Peregrine Falcons, Red Kites, and Golden Eagles. We then compare these estimates to recorded crime figures for the same species, period, and regions. Our findings suggest the actual scale of persecution is substantially greater than detected cases, underscoring the importance of recognising and accounting for ‘dark figures’ to avoid underestimating the severity of this threat to raptor populations.

I’m looking forward to seeing this research published in due course.

New documentary now available about Edradynate Estate gamekeeper David Campbell’s conviction for murder

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about a forthcoming BBC documentary about the recent murder trial of retired Scottish head gamekeeper David Campbell, who was convicted of shooting dead his former colleague from Edradynate Estate, Brian Low.

The BBC’s award-winning documentary series Murder Trial was given permission to film part of the police investigation and then subsequently inside the High Court during Campbell’s murder trial.

Former gamekeeper David Campbell during his murder trial. Screengrab from BBC documentary

For those of us who have followed the dozens of reports and police investigations over the years of raptor poisoning on and next to Edradynate Estate, and the failure of the authorities to hold anyone to account (sometimes justifiably due to lack of evidence, other times unbelievably in the face of apparently compelling evidence), I felt a strong sense of someone finally getting his comeuppance when the jury returned its verdict.

Campbell’s attitude during the police interview and then in the court room was chilling. The fortitude of Brian Low’s family in the face of such arrogance and appalling crime details, was remarkable.

Part one of Murder Trial: Death of a Dog Walker airs this evening at 9pm on BBC 2 Scotland but parts one and two are now available to watch on iPlayer, here.

Raeshaw Estate seeks judicial review of General Licence restriction relating to Golden Eagle Merrick being ‘shot & killed’

In February this year, NatureScot imposed a three-year General Licence restriction on Raeshaw Estate, a grouse-shooting estate in the Scottish Borders believed to be under the management of ‘grouse guru’ sporting agent Mark Osborne.

The General Licence restriction related to the disappearance of a satellite-tagged Golden Eagle called ‘Merrick’, who Police Scotland believe was ‘shot & killed‘ as she slept in a tree on neighbouring land close to Raeshaw Estate’s boundary, in October 2023.

Camera trap photo of Golden Eagle Merrick, from the South Scotland Golden Eagle Project
Raeshaw Estate boundary, from data provided by Andy Wightman’s
Who Owns Scotland website
Screen grab from Who Owns Scotland website, annotated by RPUK, showing the proximity of Merrick’s last known location and the Raeshaw Estate (shaded in blue)

In response, Raeshaw Estate issued what I would describe as a bombastic statement, arguing that the General Licence restriction was “wholly unjustified” and that the estate would “challenge [the restriction] vigorously through an appeal“.

Raeshaw subsequently appealed the decision to NatureScot but in April that appeal was lost.

Raeshaw Estate has now applied for a judicial review of NatureScot’s decision-making process and permission has been granted for a substantive hearing in September 2026. This permission to proceed indicates that the court thinks that Raeshaw Estate has an arguable case, although the grounds for that case are not yet public.

This isn’t the first time Raeshaw Estate has been subject to a General Licence restriction in relation to wildlife crime and nor is it the first time it has tried to overturn it via judicial review.

This is an unprecedented second General Licence restriction for Raeshaw Estate. It was one of the first estates to receive a General Licence restriction in 2015, based on clear police evidence that wildlife crimes had been committed although, just as with the latest General Licence restriction, there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any individual (see here).

Representatives of Raeshaw Estate applied for a judicial review of NatureScot’s 2015 decision but the Court of Session upheld NatureScot’s procedures and ruled the process was lawful (here).

Whilst under that first General Licence restriction, Raeshaw Estate applied for, and was granted, a number of ‘individual licences’ so the gamekeepers could continue to kill certain species as part of the estate’s grouse moor management plan (quite a lot of birds were lawfully killed – see here).

However, in 2017 the individual licence was revoked by NatureScot due to non-compliance issues and more suspected wildlife crime offences (see here).

I note that NatureScot has not suspended the latest General Licence restriction on Raeshaw Estate and at the time of writing, it is still in place.

General Licence restrictions imposed on two Scottish shooting estates after evidence of raptor persecution – Milton of Drimmie (Perthshire) & Invermark Estate (Angus Glens)

NatureScot has today announced a three-year General Licence restriction on two shooting estates: Milton of Drimmie Estate, near Blairgowrie, Perthshire, and Invermark Estate in the Angus Glens.

MILTON OF DRIMMIE ESTATE, PERTHSHIRE

The Milton of Drimmie restriction relates to the conviction earlier this year of gamekeeper and ex-sex offender Russell Mason, after he was caught on camera battering to death a Goshawk that had been caught inside a Crow cage trap on the Pheasant-shooting estate in February 2024.

Screen grab from RSPB covert footage showing gamekeeper Mason beating the Goshawk to death inside a Crow cage trap on the Milton of Drimmie Estate, Perthshire

Mason received a derisory 200-hour Community Payback Order for killing the Goshawk (even though his crime passed the custodial threshold) and he was also fined £890 for firearms offences (see here).

As far as I’m aware, NatureScot delayed its decision to apply a three-year General Licence restriction on this estate whilst criminal proceedings against Mason were ongoing.

The General Licence restriction on Milton of Drimmie relates to Cochrage Muir (outlined in red on the map below), which is owned by Milton of Drimmie Estate, and prohibits the use of General Licences 01, 02 and 03 on that land from 7th August 2026 up to and including 7th August 2029.

INVERMARK ESTATE, ANGUS GLENS

The Invermark Estate restriction relates to the discovery of a Peregrine with shotgun injuries on 3 September 2024, close to grouse butts in the Glen Esk area of the notorious Angus Glens. The Peregrine was later euthanised due to the extent of its injuries.

This incident, and the subsequent decision to impose a three-year General Licence restriction, but not a revocation of a grouse-shooting licence, deserves its own blog, which I’ll try and write in the coming days.

The General Licence restriction on Invermark Estate relates to Dalbrack Farm (outlined in red on the map below), which is owned by Invermark Estate, and prohibits the use of General Licences 01, 02 and 03 on that land from 7th August 2026 up to and including 7th August 2029.

Here is NatureScot’s announcement today:

7 August 2026

NatureScot has today restricted the use of general licences for three years on land at Milton of Drimmie Estate, Perthshire, and Invermark Estate, Angus.

The decision was made based on evidence provided by Police Scotland of wildlife crime against birds.

In the case of Milton of Drimmie, this relates to the conviction of former gamekeeper Russell Mason at Perth Sheriff Court on 17 March 2026 for killing a goshawk. The restriction will apply to the area of Cochrage Muir, where the offence took place. 

In the case of Invermark Estate, the restriction will apply to the Dalbrack Farm area of the estate. NatureScot received robust evidence from Police Scotland in relation to the shooting of a peregrine which was discovered in this area. 

Chris Dailly, NatureScot’s Head of Licensing, said: “We have decided, in discussion with Police Scotland, to suspend the use of general licences on these two areas of land for three years until August 2029.

“We are committed to using all the tools we have available to tackle wildlife crime. These measures will help to protect wild birds in these areas, while still allowing necessary land management activities to take place.

“We believe this is a proportionate response to protect wild birds and prevent further wildlife crime. We will continue to work closely with Police Scotland and consider information they provide on cases which may warrant restricting general licences.”

Individual licences may still be applied for, but these will be subject to strict record-keeping and reporting requirements and will be closely monitored to ensure licence conditions are met. 

General licences allow landowners or land managers to carry out control of common species of wild birds, such as crows and magpies, to protect crops or livestock, without the need to apply for an individual licence.

In addition to these restrictions, there are currently three other restrictions in place in Scotland: on Lochindorb Estate in the Highlands and Raeshaw Estate and Watherston Wood in the Scottish Borders.

ENDS

General Licence restrictions, which have been available to NatureScot since 2014, are based on the civil burden of proof and are issued when NatureScot receives information from Police Scotland about wildlife crimes but where there is insufficient evidence to identify an individual offender for prosecution. Although, General Licence restrictions can also be imposed on estates where gamekeepers have been convicted of wildlife crimes, as in the Milton of Drimmie Estate case.

General Licence restrictions do not prevent an estate from game-shooting, nor do they prevent an estate from carrying out [lawful] predator control – this can still be undertaken if the estate applies for an ‘individual licence’ which may restrict the amount of predator control, the estate may be subject to compliance spot checks, and the licence holder must provide NatureScot with licence returns (i.e. indicate how many birds were killed, where, and when etc).

General Licence restrictions are not perfect as an effective sanction – they are nowhere near, as I’ve written about many times before (e.g. see here and links within). They do, however, work as a ‘reputational driver’, although in some cases reputation is apparently not an issue of concern.

I’ll come back to the shot Peregrine on Invermark Estate in a separate blog…

UPDATE 26 August 2026: Invermark Estate appeals 3-year General Licence restriction imposed after evidence of raptor persecution (here)

UPDATE 7 September 2026: FoI reveals some inconsistencies in Invermark Estate’s claims about shot Peregrine (here)