news item

jimmy white · July 12, 2006

itv news,earlier,,,,,,gamekeeper fined 800 pounds, for shooting a gull and a raven,, rspca say the fine was far too low,,,,,,,,shocking,when a bag snatcher off an old lady can get community service

REDCHEQHEN · July 12, 2006

The world has gone mad....... totally agree with you Jimmy

July 12, 2006

Should intorduce the bag snatchers to my Mum, someone tried to snatch her bag about 4 years ago in Blackpool, at 84 she still wears high heeled shoes, the old dear took her shoe off and battered the would be snatcher in the head, so hard he had to be taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital lol.

Disgrace Jimmy, why was the Gamekeeper fined, didn't know gulls and ravens were protected.

jimmy white · July 12, 2006

neither did i hyacinth, but that was the stv news, probably a lot seen it

good luck to old mum . mines the same age and blind, im pretty sure she would do the same

westburylofts · July 12, 2006

WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMMING TOO

REDCHEQHEN · July 12, 2006

Little did we know......

http://www.defra.gov.uk/paw/publications/law/appendb.htm

protected........

July 13, 2006

yeah sea gulls are protected same with ravens. Sea gulls being protected is outrageous they are becoimg a real problem in the UK attacking people for chips, ice creams etc and crapping everywhere they are coming further and further inland as well. RSPB are totally stupid song birds are in decline because of their overbreeding of raptors and seagulls are protected when its obvious they are vermin and I bet because they are big and aggressive they don't have any natural predators. Nature is all about balance but I don't think some people understand that.

Speckled Marty · July 13, 2006

Be fair, there's a huge amount of different species of 'Gull' out there, these were 'common gull' and despite their name they are really not that common in the U.K. Herring Gull & Black-backed should be fair game though.

THE FIFER · July 13, 2006

YES REALLY ALL BIRDS ARE PROTECTED, SOME U CAN GET A LICENCE TO SHOOT, BUT GET CAUGHT KILLING ANY BIRD AND U'V HAD IT, CARRION CROWS ARE CLASSED AS VERMIN BUT U STILL NEED A PERMIT TO SHOOT THEM,

bewted · July 13, 2006

rose,i would put a bet on it that it was a heron cleared your pond,not seagulls,,,ted

nipper · July 13, 2006

hi Guy's ,

I am a Gamekeeper just outside Aberdeen . I rear 5000 pheasants and 1000 ducks every year plus all my pigeon's .I am that close to Aberdeen ,I cannot afford to put a foot out of place .There are people skulking around with cammo gear on and long len's camera's all over the place .The ordinary people are not so bad ,they just dont have a clue what goes on in the countryside , and they dont believe it unless Bill Oddie said so !!!!. Its the RAPTOR group that are the bad ones !They think of themselves as a cut above the ordinary twitcher and think they have the right to be as obstructive as they can .I have been told of them even trying to set people up ,but I cannot confirm that !$%*!**£$ OK .Then of course there is the new housing estates going up all over the place .They all think they are in the country so they get a dog and two cats !! Their idea of dog control is ,If they can see it (even 500 yards away )they are in control ! and then they go home and think they have a great cat because it keeps bringing little fledgling birds home .These are the same people who join the RSPB and send there money away and think they are doing great !!! They are also the same people who are in too much of a hurry to get too work and run over anything that gets in their way on the road ! Including my pheasants .

Some of those caring people ,every year at holiday time .Are the ones who DUMP cat's and dogs in a local layby !!!The poor dogs sit there all day waiting for there owners to come back .Bas%$£"* ! I usualy end up taking them to the dog pound .

I am sorry for sounding so miserable ,but this is not the best time of year to be a gamekeeper .You batter you head off a brick wall trying to make a living and in reality , the majority of those who dont understand ,also don't give a %^$£ if you go down the pan !

Believe me when I say that Pigeon racing is on the list of thing's these people want to STOP ! It may not be on the top of the list ,BUT ITS ON THE LIST !

George

Speckled Marty · July 13, 2006

YES REALLY ALL BIRDS ARE PROTECTED, SOME U CAN GET A LICENCE TO SHOOT, BUT GET CAUGHT KILLING ANY BIRD AND U'V HAD IT, CARRION CROWS ARE CLASSED AS VERMIN BUT U STILL NEED A PERMIT TO SHOOT THEM,

You don't need to physically get a license to shoot a number of species, they are listed on the 'general license' that is issued to the population as a whole. If it comes to it, you will need to justify any killing if asked, be it for health & safety reasons, crop protection or whatever. Most species of Crow can be shot without a special license, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw and Rook.

Starling and House Sparrow have only very recently been removed from the 'general license'

July 13, 2006

Oh Nipper you are so right.

We live on an old cattle ranch that has been converted into 2 and 5 acre lots for housing and is very animal friendly. We get the Townies who move out, don their cowboy hats and spurs at weekend to look good then complain like hell about the animals people keep and try to bring rules and regulations in.

We have a resident herd of Mule deer who are protected and extremely friendly (I feed about 20 a day who come round in the morning) but the Townies have no respect for them whatsoever, in fact one lady has made a nuisance of herself with the Town Management, Cops, Fire Service and Search and rescue demanding that they come and remove every deer which crosses her property line. They are more concerned with dents in their high priced SUV's that the deer they kill and put poison down to kill the lovely little ground squirrels who come out every spring.

Townies generally have no respect for nature and should stay in the Towns and Cities and leave the country to animal lovers.