You have written an excellent article, including the stats about the millions raised for shooting. Unfortunately, I already knew all this as I live surrounded by ‘pheasant shoots, none of which are on any grand local estates. There is a large local shed (with many cars parked up) where the young are raised. Near Xmas, the shooting starts and lasts all weekend. All this goes on very near public roads so most of us don’t drive/walk anywhere near when the shooting starts. Over the years I have lost count of the number of pheasants that lie around injured, including in my own garden. Although a ‘shooter’ told me only last week that participants go the extra mile to find any injured birds.
For anyone living in the area, complaining about all this would be seen as anti country- pursuits and complainants would be, at best laughed at, at worst shunned etc. Whilst I hugely admire what you are attempting to do, I think you are fighting a losing battle for the foreseeable future.
Hi Bea. Thanks for commenting. Yes, it will be a long haul. To be fair, change always is :) We are starting from a position that shooting birds is legal, most people don’t care one way or the other, many of the ‘big beasts’ in the conservation movement don’t speak out about it, and anti-wildlife/pro-shoot lobbyists are very well-organised. But the same could be said of the hunting movement decades ago (and so much more besides). This might sound pious and preachy but it’s really not meant to - just expressing what we feel at End Bird Shooting - if people who really do care about birds, biodiversity, sentience, animal rights etc don’t speak out, things will never improve or change. We have a huge platform, we have well-developed ideas, we know how to communicate - we won’t reach everybody immediately but we’re not going to stop trying anytime soon :)
I believe the Romans introduced pheasants to Britain and hunted them with spears, sometime before guns replaced them...
You have written an excellent article, including the stats about the millions raised for shooting. Unfortunately, I already knew all this as I live surrounded by ‘pheasant shoots, none of which are on any grand local estates. There is a large local shed (with many cars parked up) where the young are raised. Near Xmas, the shooting starts and lasts all weekend. All this goes on very near public roads so most of us don’t drive/walk anywhere near when the shooting starts. Over the years I have lost count of the number of pheasants that lie around injured, including in my own garden. Although a ‘shooter’ told me only last week that participants go the extra mile to find any injured birds.
For anyone living in the area, complaining about all this would be seen as anti country- pursuits and complainants would be, at best laughed at, at worst shunned etc. Whilst I hugely admire what you are attempting to do, I think you are fighting a losing battle for the foreseeable future.
Hi Bea. Thanks for commenting. Yes, it will be a long haul. To be fair, change always is :) We are starting from a position that shooting birds is legal, most people don’t care one way or the other, many of the ‘big beasts’ in the conservation movement don’t speak out about it, and anti-wildlife/pro-shoot lobbyists are very well-organised. But the same could be said of the hunting movement decades ago (and so much more besides). This might sound pious and preachy but it’s really not meant to - just expressing what we feel at End Bird Shooting - if people who really do care about birds, biodiversity, sentience, animal rights etc don’t speak out, things will never improve or change. We have a huge platform, we have well-developed ideas, we know how to communicate - we won’t reach everybody immediately but we’re not going to stop trying anytime soon :)
Nothing wrong with being “preachy” - or pious 👀
Please understand that I admire you hugely for your vision. But I am already subscribed to too many other causes. Sorry ✨
No need to apologise Bea. You staying involved is more important :)