On Thursday, I headed down to Wiltshire (before heading up to the Peak District).
I met up with Charlie Moores of Birders Against Wildlife Crime and recorded this podcast.
Register for Hen Harrier day in the Peak District.
Sign the e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting.
Visit the Birders Against Wildlife Crime website.
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As you say the contra case is painting everything gloriously, so they must be worried to mount this kind of PR offensive. Tonight’s Countryfile had three pro-shooters (carefully avoiding too much mention of grouse shooting) Richard Ali (BASC) spouting the economic argument and craving understanding and recognision for what all types of shooting contributes (aahh) then the Duke of Norfolk’s Estate showing how good their field margins are for wildlife and Grey Partridge (for shooting) and just Andre Farrer being either incredibly careful or was he edited? Countryfile is not what it was that’s for sure!
Wildlife crime like many things in life can be good and can be bad. I’d say most wildlife crime is generally bad but some quite good. I personally find the wildlife crime I commit an enriching experience which I can undertake with my family and which only benefits the ecology and environment. It’s carbon neutral, non lethal and welfare friendly so I’m really jot sure what the problem with it is – apart obviously from the fact that it’s criminal. However just because something is a criminal offense does not make it wrong. It used to be a criminal offense to sleep with another man, help a slave run away and all sorts of other either harmless or positively good things.
There’s a very simple equation – bad laws make good crimes. Breaking bad laws is a socially positive progressive act. It’s been going on for centuries and no doubt it will continue for centuries. Many of our rights have been achieved through crime and we can continue to obtain rights and safeguard those we have by continuing to commit crimes. If a bad law is in the area of wildlife law that does not make it any less bad nor make breaking it any less good.
I try and commit good wildlife crime as often and as openly as possible.
A crime a day keeps the bigots away.
It’s starting to become clear that Giles Bradshaw is
The rest of this comment has been deleted as the ‘person’ making it was using a false email address.
There are definitely some powerful interests protecting my ability to openly commit wildlife crime. They include the British State as represented by the police who take no action against me…….
Mark – and then Giles went on for another 750 words which I read and then excised as they were not relevant to the original post.
Well done Mark.
The rest of this comment has been deleted as the ‘person’ making it was using a false email address.
Assuming he is still going on about not shooting deer I think you are wrong to say that this is entirely irrelevant. You want to ban driven grouse shooting, he wants to ban driven deer shooting. There are obvious parallels. The only difference is the species being shot.