I read the article and those protesting the legislation seemed to be shoots putting down large numbers of birds? Where the actual habitat would not support that number of wholly wild birds.
The account using the words "thousands" at one point. So am I right that this won't affect traditional "wild bird" shoots? The impression conveyed is shoots affected are the big bag boys.
Those releasing massive numbers of birds on land where the the natural habitat could not sustain a "wild bird" shoot of anything even a fraction of that number.
So money can be found, yet again, to fund defence of the interests of the "big bag boys". The same old focus...as with the reason for BASC's lead shot ban call...on protecting such operators.
Yet money could not be found to fight unlawful imposition of mandatory GP reports when that was done by Lincolnshire and other Chief Constables.
While I do agree with some of wot u say.
But I'd argue a 'wild bird' shoot is almost non existent now unless ur a grouse Moor.
Even small farm shoots that never put any down, in 99% will be shooting birds wandered from someone else's shoot, even if that is miles away.
A truly wild pheasant will be quite a rare thing in uk now and having enough to actually shoot sustainably every year will be very rare indeed without a massive amount of hard work.
While I'm not a fan of big commercial shooting and the chase for cash.
But without these big commercial shoots, would game farming still exist? Many of the game bird medicines and pellets?
Would not be worth the while for big companies to spend the money getting drugs approved and licensed for game birds.
I used to run a small shoot few hundred birds on 1000 acres, if this law evolved to take in sssi's and to Scotland that shoot could not carry on.
1 10acre sssi smack bang in middle would render almost the whole 1000 acres impossible le to release birds.
Yes could release birds at very ends of shoot but no one is going to do that.
Small syndicates are great craic but they bring ne t to zero money in for local community wether jobs, mechanics fixing shoot motors or hotels throu the winter months.
And while many will try to do as much conservation work as they can most syndicate shoots are skint so can't afford to do all that much
Believe me this is just the start, this will evolve and grow.
Even if they issue a licence this year or for next 10 years without hassle, how can anyone invest in habitat work pen building and poults when the licence can be taken away or goal posts moved at very short notice
I'm glad to hear basc is talking very sternly to them, that will really sort this out!!
Even the timing wot f#ckwit brings out a ruling like this literally 6 weeks before birds go to wood?
Shoots could have birds on they're rearing field that now have no pens they're allowed to use.
The law and its timing are both bonkers really.