All,
A message from the Bedfordshire Mammal Recorder and a conversation with a local farmer has prompted me to post this:
This tasteless activity is on of the fastest growing areas of rural crime. If you witness suspicious activity, contact your local constabulary immediately - everyone who uses and enjoys the countryside should have this number programmed into their mobile 'phnes for a variety of reasons. Note down any descriptions and vehicle details. However, do not place yourself at risk - those participating in this activity can be rather unsavoury characters and may be involved in other crimes.
Also, never disclose where you have seen hares on public forums or message boards as this information is available to coursers. It is a sad fact that many otherwise nature-loving landowners are so frustrated with coursers trespassing on their land that they themselves are (lawfully) shooting hares - no hares, no coursers.
ATB,
DOM
Leave only footprints, kill only time.
this is certainly very true - thats why the police need the eyes and ears of us locals so we can pass on anything unusual. the local farmers play a huge part too. even though they are thin on the ground we mustnt stop trying
Izzy
Hi Seaman and everyone
Exactly - I feel that wildlife is on the bottom of the pile at times.
Wildlife are living, feeling beings and to hurt anything living is cruel and malicious with no care attached to the animals involved
Things are improving but slowly does it in life with animal crime rates.
I can remember Clarissa with the double barrelled name got caught for Hare Coursing a few years ago, and she still is a TV star despite of her misdeeds in life. If it was 'Joe Public' we would lose everything.in a short time with lots of courts costs attached
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Just catching up (slowly) and have to add my hatred and disgust at this so-called 'sport'. We have unfortunately had some unsavoury characters in the area where I watch the hares.... The police here are very good though and the land owner loves the hares, so everything is being done to try to put these 'people' off. Alas that just means them finding other easier targets rather than stopping completely. All my photos of hares say no more than 'Shropshire' for the location, which is probably already too much!
There needs to be a lot of eyes and ears everywhere reporting these atrocities so that eventually, there'll be nowhere else for them to go.... but that will take time.
Perhaps I'm too optimistic, but I do believe that there are far more good, nature loving people out there than there are ignorant ******, and eventually, if the majority is heard, more will be done to stop such 'events' taking place! We have to make it very hard for them to be able to carry out their 'business'! This includes badger baiting, fox hunting, hare coursing and many more other distasteful activities.....
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
I have heard of one estate that has tried to shoot most of the hares on the estate to make it less attractive to hare coursers.Land owners who refuse permission for the "sport" to take place on their land are often threatened with physical violence or damage to their property,not a nice bunch to mix with.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can