Thought you went up the wooden hills?
Threatened ban on driven grouse shooting
- Thread starter Conor O'Gorman
- Start date
Just had a coffee with him this morning and I can tell you that organisations like BASC, GWCT and the Moorland association are on it.
Brilliant, thank you
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
They are very similar - the Welsh consultation required a few tick boxes, your name and address and email address. Govt petitions require clicking a tick box, your name and address and email address, and then clicking on a link in your email to complete the process. The point is that it is not realistic to expect any shooting related petition to reach 50,000 signatures let alone 100,000 signatures. I would be delighted to be proven wrong.
Mr Packhams lot have just garnered 46,000 - on a shooting related petition Conor
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
That is an anti-shooting petition by Wild Justice.
Indeed - but shooting related it is
And indeed maybe just broaden a petition to include all field sports
Something along the lines of
We petition the government to recognise the value of hunting - shooting - fishing - to the rural communities and economies - the mental and physical health of those involved ..............................
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Maybe start a new thread on your proposed petition to firm up some text with other SD contributors and then submit your petition to govt website for approval, and if approved, then start with rallying SD members to the cause. Just a thought.
It was perhaps lost in the noise of various tangents in this thread, but the government response to the WJ petition was as follows:
The Government has no plans to ban driven grouse shooting. It recognises well-managed grouse shooting can be an important part of a local rural economy, providing direct and indirect employment.
This is a devolved matter. The Government appreciates that many people hold strong views on the issue of driven grouse shooting. The Government considers that well-managed shooting activities can bring benefits to the rural economy and can be beneficial for wildlife and habitat conservation. We will continue work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation. The Government has no plans to ban grouse shooting.
It is of course vital that wildlife and habitats are protected and the law is respected by those involved in the grouse shooting industry. Wild birds of prey, for example, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There is evidence from Ewing et al (2023) and others to suggest a link between crimes against birds of prey and grouse shooting. The Government supports the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) – which helps prevent and detect crimes against wildlife by obtaining and disseminating intelligence and directly assisting law enforcers in their investigations – and the Hen Harrier Task Force – which is led by the NWCU and aims to detect, deter, and disrupt offenders, in particular those persecuting rare hen harriers – by using technology and improving partnership working. Where wild birds of prey or any non-target species of wildlife are killed illegally the full force of the law should apply to proven perpetrators of the crime. All forms of predator management to protect grouse must be undertaken within the law, including compliance with animal welfare legislation.
Grouse shooting takes place in upland areas, which are important for a range of things including, food, fibre, water regulation, carbon storage, biodiversity and recreational opportunities. UK uplands have 75 per cent of the world’s remaining heather moorland and about 13 per cent of the world’s blanket bog.
Upland catchments provide 70 per cent of the UK’s drinking water. The Government is committed to delivering positive environmental and economic benefits and creating a more sustainable future for the English uplands, including preserving and restoring peatlands.
Healthy, active peat provides good habitat for grouse as well as numerous environmental benefits. Through the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, the Government is continuing to invest millions of pounds in peatland restoration, to aid climate change mitigation and nature recovery. The Government’s new and improved Countryside Stewardship offer will be available this summer. This scheme will encourage land managers to enter into agreements to enhance and protect the natural environment, including upland peatland habitats.
Just a thought
I would think BASC with their 150,000 members - and high levels relationships with many other countryside organisations would have a better chance at getting decent numbers than me and my 4 dogs sat watching football on the sofa Conor
Maybe its not just apathy from members after all ?
Anyway - second half is staring and i have had a good day - My bird spotter man has located a tree sparrow - very rare where we are
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
And....???
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
That's great news on the tree sparrow! As regards petitions, BASC has no plans to launch one, but no doubt there will be other calls to action to come.
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
TBF anything Wikipedia describes anyone as should be taken with a ladle of SAXA
David.smith.mp@parliament.uk
To:You
Thu 27/02/2025 12:17
Thank you for your email on Ban Driven Grouse Shooting.
I acknowledge the concerns you have raised regarding the breeding and management of grouse for shooting, as well as the environmental impact of grouse moor management. It is currently legal to shoot red grouse in England from 12 August to 10 December, with no specific game licenses required. However, incidents of illegal persecution of birds of prey have been reported, linked to grouse moor management.
There are no current plans for a government assessment of the environmental impacts of grouse moor management. The government recognise the benefits that well-managed shooting activities can bring to the rural economy and conservation efforts.
However, the Minister for Nature acknowledged the persecution of birds of prey as a national wildlife crime priority and emphasised the need for the full force of the law to apply to perpetrators of illegal killings. DEFRA is providing £424,000 of funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit to help prevent and detect wildlife crime.
We remain committed to balancing the interests of conservation, rural economies, and wildlife protection. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure that our policies reflect the best interests of all parties involved.
Kindest Regards
David Smith MP
North Northumberland
Anyone else think this is AI generated?? FYI @Conor O'Gorman
To:You
Thu 27/02/2025 12:17
Thank you for your email on Ban Driven Grouse Shooting.
I acknowledge the concerns you have raised regarding the breeding and management of grouse for shooting, as well as the environmental impact of grouse moor management. It is currently legal to shoot red grouse in England from 12 August to 10 December, with no specific game licenses required. However, incidents of illegal persecution of birds of prey have been reported, linked to grouse moor management.
There are no current plans for a government assessment of the environmental impacts of grouse moor management. The government recognise the benefits that well-managed shooting activities can bring to the rural economy and conservation efforts.
However, the Minister for Nature acknowledged the persecution of birds of prey as a national wildlife crime priority and emphasised the need for the full force of the law to apply to perpetrators of illegal killings. DEFRA is providing £424,000 of funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit to help prevent and detect wildlife crime.
We remain committed to balancing the interests of conservation, rural economies, and wildlife protection. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure that our policies reflect the best interests of all parties involved.
Kindest Regards
David Smith MP
North Northumberland
Anyone else think this is AI generated?? FYI @Conor O'Gorman
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
If any petions are needed it should be to ban stupid f##king petions.
Almost every year thier is a similar petion to this.
I mind in the past HH petions woild struggle to get 10 or 15k clicks, as soon as 1 fails a new 1 starts almost imnediately.
The whole online petion concept is flawed nowadys.
So easy for sonething to go viral.
No way are they stopping that many folk on the street and getting them to sign.
Should be a limit on how often similar petions can be started.
How many serious anti shooting petions are theyre on the go at the moment
Almost every year thier is a similar petion to this.
I mind in the past HH petions woild struggle to get 10 or 15k clicks, as soon as 1 fails a new 1 starts almost imnediately.
The whole online petion concept is flawed nowadys.
So easy for sonething to go viral.
No way are they stopping that many folk on the street and getting them to sign.
Should be a limit on how often similar petions can be started.
How many serious anti shooting petions are theyre on the go at the moment
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Looks like government policy to me. Thanks for sharing it. I will pass onto our political team.
Conor
Just looking on Packhams Insta and once again he is commenting on gamekeepers and their killing of "vermin" - i really wish BASC et al would point out on his socials that the RSPB do the same ! and he is the vice president or whatever it is !
It really is in my opinion time to engage with some of these antis and politely show them the error of their thinking
The RSPB control foxes and Corvids with contractors, on condition that all evidence is destroyed.
They saw an Otter on Radipole Lake in Weymouth a few years ago and built an artificial holt for it to breed, in an area where they are trying to get Bitterns to nest on the ground.
The RSPB's main concern is getting people to set up a standing order or direct debit for their annual membership and forgetting to cancel it
They saw an Otter on Radipole Lake in Weymouth a few years ago and built an artificial holt for it to breed, in an area where they are trying to get Bitterns to nest on the ground.
The RSPB's main concern is getting people to set up a standing order or direct debit for their annual membership and forgetting to cancel it
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Thanks I will mention it at our Comms meeting on Monday.
Another thing to possibly mention, the BBC is currently on the back foot with the recent pro gaza documentary involving a hamas official son, it was made by an independent production company (sound familiar?) and they are being slated for not fact checking. Looks like the excuse they use for packham doesn't always work, will the comms team be looking at this angle for the next wj saga
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