23 swans shot dead,

[Lindsay-c]

I've had more than I can take of 'swan shootings' stories. They are beautiful creatures and the same thing happened to a family of swans near where I live. Two adults and all of their cygnets. If they want to be sick then they should at least go to a game park or something not that I even agree with that but swans aren't game targets that some immature wannabe can just murder for no good reason. These are the humans that make me feel ashamed that I am the same species. Sadistic parasites they are.

[ForestPaul]

Originally Posted by nightshade

Do not forget that some air-rifles are rated FAC so the owners would be on a list somewhere. To the Swans downrange there would be no sound until they had been hit, somebody is playing at being a sniper, FAC rifle on a bipod, big powerful telescopic sight, cammo suit.

Very unlikely to be an FAC holder, IMO, they tend to be very serious, law-abiding people. Much more likely to be kids with an ordinary unlicensed air rifle.
Comments on various shooting forums show them to be as disgusted as people here as to this behaviour, although slightly more extreme as to what they'd do to the culprit(s) if they got their hands on them.

[Wild-Woman]

Seems to me that this person must be very sick in the head. It's obviously a power thing and he/she gets a kick out of controlling somethings destiny. It's quite scary really when you think about it because a person as warped, sadistic and depraved as this, could take the next step and harm a human. I truly hope they get whoever did this rapidly and urgently.

[wizzo]

Apparently, the maximum fine that can be imposed on these (this) idiot, is...£40,000 per bird. Some good news is that the police have had lots of calls from local people, so hopefully, the laws 'net' may be closing in. As a former (responsible) owner of many air weapons, I have to say that the law regarding the buying and ownership of these potentially deadly weapons, is long overdue for a serious review. To think that a 17 yr old can buy one of these guns, and a 14 yr old can legally own one, is totally nuts. Wizzo

[darrenm]

I agree with Wizzo about the age limit on Air Rifle ownership and have long thought this needs to be changed and/or maybe a licence scheme brought in for them and no doubt this will enrage some but quite clearly enough is enough.

Having to sit on my local site on the edge of the city with a severely injured Mute Swan a few years back that had been shot repeatedly with an air rifle (during the local school holidays) and wait for the RSPCA to arrive was one of the worst things i have had to do. The Swan allthough very badly injured allowed me to sit close by as i was told to do by the RSPCA via the phone when i found it. The Swan at one point staggered up the bank from the water and came sat right next to me and seemed totally bewildered by what had happened to it. I do not wish to apply humman emotions to any animal but the Swan still seemed to be trusting in humans even though it was in a very pityfull state.

When the RSPCA arrived it was soon humanely put down because it's injuries were too severe and we then carred it back to his van in a sling bag which was parked half a mile away from the site. During the walk back the RSPCA man confided to me that he was sick to the back teeth of this sort of incident and wanton cruelty during school holidays and how it had become a common occurance in the area he covered and said he wished they would bring in a legal ban on Air Rifle ownership of anyone of school age.

The culprit/s of this incident were never caught but older teenagers had been seen on the site with air rifles by a dog walker earlier the same day that the Swan had been shot but she had been too scared to report it at the time because they had threatened her when she challenged them. A few members of the wildlife group after the incident took turns to patrol the site during their spare time and report incidents of Air Rifle activity on the site to the Police which eventually paid off.

I am a realist who grew up in a very rural area where responsible Air Rifle ownership and shooting was a part of life at that time and i am not by any means a 'Bunny or Robin hugger' as a lot who care passionately about our wildlife are now being called by some and i understand that some people get a great deal of pleasure from owning and shooting Air Rifles and the vast majority of Air Rifle owners stay within the law but it would seem that some clearly do not.

I did notice recently that WH Smiths in Nottingham was now selling all of its shooting and Air Rifle magazines on the same shelves as the Wildlife and Bird Watching magazines and i wonder what message this is sending out to some.

[Lindsay-c]

It is times like this I wish old punishments were in play. I agree a lot of guidelines should be renewed and I also think it will be teenagers who did it (at the pond near me it was two 17 year olds who were arrested)

What upsets me is how they must have been in pain. It was one adult and four cygnets near me. The female survived and where that is good I know that other animals can greive and I feel for her having to swim around her family floating in the water. Never heard of what punishment they got. Apparently were arrested for 'criminal damage' and heard nothing else

No doubt it will be the same in this case
And I agree with wild-woman that if they can do it to an innocent swan then who says they wouldn't do it to a human... surely thats enough to go to prison.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Lindsay-c

And I agree with wild-woman that if they can do it to an innocent swan then who says they wouldn't do it to a human... surely thats enough to go to prison.

I also agree. Many years ago I was witness to an animal that had been subjected to unspeakable cruelty. I took the animal to a vet who put it down and stated they they would inform the police. When the police visited me to check the story I told them that it was bad enough that they'd done it to an animal, but eventually the person's appetite for cruelty may not be satisfied with animals as their victims.

Jim

[Bryan Crute]

Just lose faith in mankind at times, agree with the previous post. What happens when their sick perverted minds get tired of killing poor animals and start looking at humans for their kicks !

[nightshade]

Originally Posted by darrenm

I agree with Wizzo about the age limit on Air Rifle ownership and have long thought this needs to be changed and/or maybe a licence scheme brought in for them and no doubt this will enrage some but quite clearly enough is enough.

Having to sit on my local site on the edge of the city with a severely injured Mute Swan a few years back that had been shot repeatedly with an air rifle (during the local school holidays) and wait for the RSPCA to arrive was one of the worst things i have had to do. The Swan allthough very badly injured allowed me to sit close by as i was told to do by the RSPCA via the phone when i found it. The Swan at one point staggered up the bank from the water and came sat right next to me and seemed totally bewildered by what had happened to it. I do not wish to apply humman emotions to any animal but the Swan still seemed to be trusting in humans even though it was in a very pityfull state.

When the RSPCA arrived it was soon humanely put down because it's injuries were too severe and we then carred it back to his van in a sling bag which was parked half a mile away from the site. During the walk back the RSPCA man confided to me that he was sick to the back teeth of this sort of incident and wanton cruelty during school holidays and how it had become a common occurance in the area he covered and said he wished they would bring in a legal ban on Air Rifle ownership of anyone of school age.

The culprit/s of this incident were never caught but older teenagers had been seen on the site with air rifles by a dog walker earlier the same day that the Swan had been shot but she had been too scared to report it at the time because they had threatened her when she challenged them. A few members of the wildlife group after the incident took turns to patrol the site during their spare time and report incidents of Air Rifle activity on the site to the Police which eventually paid off.

I am a realist who grew up in a very rural area where responsible Air Rifle ownership and shooting was a part of life at that time and i am not by any means a 'Bunny or Robin hugger' as a lot who care passionately about our wildlife are now being called by some and i understand that some people get a great deal of pleasure from owning and shooting Air Rifles and the vast majority of Air Rifle owners stay within the law but it would seem that some clearly do not.

I did notice recently that WH Smiths in Nottingham was now selling all of its shooting and Air Rifle magazines on the same shelves as the Wildlife and Bird Watching magazines and i wonder what message this is sending out to some.

I do know that AirGun Law is very strict, unfortunately it is the _enforcement_ that is lacking. Many landowners and parents turn a blind eye to youngsters with airguns because they regard them as "toys"
http://www.youngmans.com/acatalog/law.html

[darrenm]

The saddest part of all of this is that animals that were doing no harm have suffered at the hands of individuals or an individual who have a very scant regard for life.

It is known that a lot of serial killers practice and hone their 'skills' on defenceless animals both wild and domestic before the progress further and this individual or individuals needs to be caught now.

A major worry at present is that Wildlife Crime Police Officer numbers and hours will most likely be cut in the the coming cuts and seeing that many Wildlife Crime Police Officers do a lot of the work in their own time and through their own passion for wildlife and its protection i wonder like others what this will bode for the future.

Actually seeing someone shoot a wild animal is no guarentee that the Police action will be taken or charges brought and a prosicution made and it is often up to the witness to prove beyond doubt that they saw individuals kill or injure an animal.

I found myself in the sitaution soon after our local Mute Swan was killed and myself and a friend had to prove beyond doubt that two older teenagers had been shooting Willow Warblers and other migrant birds on the same site even though we had seen it with our own eyes and through binoculars. In the end the guns were taken off the two and held for a few weeks but then given back to them after the Police decided the case would not hold up in court.

The Policeman who originally dealt with the call-out also had no idea about the protection status of wild bird populations and to start with couldnt see what harm was being done even though Air Weapons were being openly being used in a public accsess place and a Nature Reserve.

We were also questioned at the time on what our 'real' motives were for being on the site at the time. I later contacted my local MP and played hell about this and through that our local Police now take action when called out and have done since.

I have added this to warn others that at times it can be a very hard struggle to get something done even when you wittness wildlife crimes but if you do please do report it and be prepared to stand up for what is right. Do not at any time be tempted take the law into your own hands no matter how angry you feel or you could be the one who faces criminal charges. Always carry a mobile phone with you when out and about with your local Police number and do not directly approach or confront individuals.

Hopefully this individual or individuals can soon be stopped.