Shooting Woodcock & Snipe

[BugBear99]

I am obviously rather naive, but I have only just learnt that driving and shooting Snipe, and Woodcock, is a popular pasttime among those in the hunting/shooting establishment. I'm quite shocked. I wonder what effect these shoots have on their population? Seems a bit hypocritical to judge other countries like Malta, when the UK still parctices such pursuits, although I guess there's a difference in scale/species.

Just wondered what others thought/knew?

[Ukwildlifeo]

Well woodcock is a 'yellow list' species which according to the Rspb web page means the following its is wone or more of the following:

•Species with unfavourable conservation status in Europe (SPEC = Species of European Conservation Concern)
•Historical population decline during 1800–1995, but recovering; population size has more than doubled over last 25 years
•Moderate (25-49%) decline in UK breeding population over last 25 years, or the longer-term period
•Moderate (25-49%) contraction of UK breeding range over last 25 years, or the longer-term period
•Moderate (25-49%) decline in UK non-breeding population over last 25 years, or the longer-term period
•Rare breeder; 1–300 breeding pairs in UK
•Rare non-breeders; less than 900 individuals
•Localised; at least 50% of UK breeding or non-breeding population in 10 or fewer sites, but not applied to rare breeders or non-breeders
•Internationally important; at least 20% of European breeding or non-breeding population in UK (NW European and East Atlantic Flyway populations used for non-breeding wildfowl and waders respectively)

I have to say Im surprised that we shot amber list species.

[rangeral]

its disgraceful that birds like these are shot for sport unfortunatly it probably wont stop until the snipe is moved from amber to red data list

A census by the British Trust for Ornithology looked at sites last surveyed in the1980s when there was already concern about the effects of land drainage for agriculture.
Since then, snipe have declined by 60% i know there are other factors at play here but this alone proves that we need to look after yhe remaining population of uk birds and those overwintering

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by rangeral

its disgraceful that birds like these are shot for sport unfortunatly it probably wont stop until the snipe is moved from amber to red data list

A census by the British Trust for Ornithology looked at sites last surveyed in the1980s when there was already concern about the effects of land drainage for agriculture.
Since then, snipe have declined by 60% i know there are other factors at play here but this alone proves that we need to look after yhe remaining population of uk birds and those overwintering

I don't shoot, but do like to eat game. Woodcock are shot for food and as much as I'd rather see a live one in the wild, rather than on my plate, they do taste very good.

Chris

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by BugBear99

I am obviously rather naive, but I have only just learnt that driving and shooting Snipe, and Woodcock, is a popular pasttime among those in the hunting/shooting establishment. I'm quite shocked. I wonder what effect these shoots have on their population? Seems a bit hypocritical to judge other countries like Malta, when the UK still parctices such pursuits, although I guess there's a difference in scale/species.

Just wondered what others thought/knew?

Whats the source of your info BugBear? Both snipe and woodcock are popular targets but tend not to feature much in the bag.

Snipe really don't drive as far as I know - it is common to walk up a bog or marsh and shoot them (or shoot at them) from a line of walking guns. I personally do not shoot snipe any more since we always ended up with a small no of birds that were not popular on the table. We have a good population in the wetland areas.

Never heard of anyone driving woodcock other than small scale drives on an ad hoc basis, we certainly walk them up along the forest edges and in the shrubby cover - they are a difficult shot and good on the table. They are certainly shot as part of pheasant and partridge drives but are an occasional rather than a regular target - only a small proportion of birds flushed will go forward over the guns and only a small proportion of those that do will be killed.

I would take the RSPB figures with a pinch of salt - I suspect they are based around numbers of breeding pairs in the UK - most of the woodcock shot are winter visitors and if the numbers are declining it is news to me, we certainly get significant numbers on our little patch.

Cheers
mac

[Dogghound]

Our local hunt shot 120 woodcock in a morning last winter, after a large influx. A lot of which were exhausted after migration. At least they gave me a ring which turned out to be from Belarus

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Well woodcock is a 'yellow list' species which according to the Rspb web page means the following its is wone or more of the following:



I have to say Im surprised that we shot amber list species.

On a quick glance just about every species of wildfowl which it is legal to shoot is on that list, including mallard.

Would be interesting to understand why such apparently common species are listed.

Cheers
mac

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by muldonach

Would be interesting to understand why such apparently common species are listed.

The lists are reflective of population change rather than population size. For example herring gull are very common but declining at a moderate/fast rate so are on the red list.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by muldonach

Whats the source of your info BugBear? Both snipe and woodcock are popular targets but tend not to feature much in the bag.

Snipe really don't drive as far as I know - it is common to walk up a bog or marsh and shoot them (or shoot at them) from a line of walking guns. I personally do not shoot snipe any more since we always ended up with a small no of birds that were not popular on the table. We have a good population in the wetland areas.

Never heard of anyone driving woodcock other than small scale drives on an ad hoc basis, we certainly walk them up along the forest edges and in the shrubby cover - they are a difficult shot and good on the table. They are certainly shot as part of pheasant and partridge drives but are an occasional rather than a regular target - only a small proportion of birds flushed will go forward over the guns and only a small proportion of those that do will be killed.

I would take the RSPB figures with a pinch of salt - I suspect they are based around numbers of breeding pairs in the UK - most of the woodcock shot are winter visitors and if the numbers are declining it is news to me, we certainly get significant numbers on our little patch.

Cheers
mac

Ive witnessed a large line of men walking, spread across an area shooting away in North Kent and they were certainly flushing woodcock as one of the lucky ones flew over head.

Woodcock are on the amber list due to “unfavourable conservation status in Europe." Probably not a good idea to be shooting them as the over wintering birds would still be part of the european birds of unfavourable conservation status.

[Jim Ford]

Get a 'right and left' on woodcock and you're eligible for membership of the 'Shooting Times Woodcock Club':

Shooting Times Woodcock Club | Shooting times

Jim