Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Ministers refuse request for wildfowling ban on Solway
The RSPB called for a halt to shooting to limit the ‘disturbance’ of barnacle geese, which have been hit hard by the bird flu outbreak
The Scottish government has rebuffed efforts by the RSPB to have a wildfowling ban introduced on the Solway Firth.
The charity, which recently launched an emergency appeal for donations “to tackle the outbreak” of avian influenza, or bird flu, asked the Scottish government to introduce the ban to limit “disturbance” to barnacle geese.
However, ministers refused the request, with the Scottish government saying: “We are aware of the serious impact of avian influenza on the barnacle goose population on the Solway. While we will keep matters under review and consider any relevant evidence supporting such a course of action, having considered the situation, no further measures will be implemented at this stage.”
The RSPB said the decision was “disappointing” and urged ministers to reconsider.
BASC Scotland director Dr Colin Shedden said: “We welcome the decision by the Scottish government to resist RSPB Scotland’s calls to temporarily ban shooting on the Solway. BASC has been engaged with the Scottish government on this matter in the past 24 hours, and it is good to see ministers and officials following the science.
“The RSPB’S claim that shooting causes damaging disturbance has not been substantiated with evidence. BASC will continue to provide the shooting community with the very latest guidance on avian flu.”
The Solway Firth, which divides Cumbria from Dumfries and Galloway, is a major Scottish wildfowling site. It is also the location of two large wildfowl reserves — RSPB Mersehead and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s Caerlaverock reserve. These sites host huge congregations of overwintering geese, with almost the entire Svalbard barnacle goose population visiting the two reserves.
An estimated 38% of the barnacle goose population may have died in the outbreak, making it by far the most severe avian influenza outbreak in wild birds anywhere in the UK.
A south of Scotland wildfowler, who asked not to be named, said: “No one is suggesting that wildfowling is the cause of this problem. Perhaps instead the RSPB should consider whether gathering huge numbers of geese on its reserves has increased the rate at which this disease has spread.”
“It is good to see ministers and officials following the science”
Turn to p22 to read about Jack Bell’s adventure on the Solway Firth in search of pinkfeet
Gamekeepers have rescued a missing woman after mountain rescue volunteers, supported by search dogs, spent two days looking for her.
Glossop Mountain Rescue Team deployed volunteers and vehicles to search for Eileen Joyce Moran after she was declared a missing person. The search went on through the night, but without success.
The next morning, support was called in from the Kinder, Woodhead, Edale and Buxton mountain rescue teams along with three specially trained search and rescue dogs. A helicopter was also placed on standby; however, weather conditions prevented it from being used.
As the rescue teams were beginning their searches, two local gamekeepers located Mrs Moran. Josh Bailey and Adam Sharratt found the missing woman slumped against a wall. After night out in very low temperatures she was cold and disorientated, but still alive.
The area had no phone signal and the keepers were unable to contact the emergency services.
Instead they used another gamekeeper’s ATV to evacuate Mrs Moran to a place of safety, where she was treated by mountain rescue team medics.
A dry, cloudy, windy day should offer great pigeon shooting. Crops such as oilseed rape tend to attract the birds in late winter, so observing flightlines and carefully constructing a hide on a rape field can let you shoot an excellent bag. If the wind is really howling, roost shooting might be more productive. If it is snowy or foggy, staying at home may be the better option.
The inland fowling season has now finished, but in England, Wales and Scotland there are still a couple of weeks yet when you can shoot below the tideline. Ducks and geese, but not gamebirds or waders, are legal quarry up until 20 February as long as they are hunted below mean high water.