Following on from Fox snares thread

[FUDGEY]

I was rooting around a new area on the estate yesterday when I came across this. It was a Pheasant pen that was baited with several dead pheasants. The pen door was ajar and there was several snares set low around the pens perimeter. There were signs of badgers all around the pen (snout holes where they had been foraging) and also a sett near by. There were about 20 decoys sett in the wood ranging from owls to life size deer, each was peppered with bullet holes. Here is a photo of one that really annoyed me, a badger that was placed right beside a sett.

[Pat]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

I was rooting around a new area on the estate yesterday when I came across this. It was a Pheasant pen that was baited with several dead pheasants. The pen door was ajar and there was several snares set low around the pens perimeter. There were signs of badgers all around the pen (snout holes where they had been foraging) and also a sett near by. There were about 20 decoys sett in the wood ranging from owls to life size deer, each was peppered with bullet holes. Here is a photo of one that really annoyed me, a badger that was placed right beside a sett.

Did you do anything about it ?

[FUDGEY]

Sorry, forgot to add what I done. I was also concerned the pheasants could be laced with poison so I contacted the police wildlife officer. He wants me to take him up today so I'll let you know what happens.

[Pat]

Well done for not ignoring it,, I've always found the wildlife officers very caring and good at their jobs.

[salukiwhippet]

Hmm, 3 things strike me about those pics

1. The pheasants in the pen look like young poults, of which there won't be any for at least 5 weeks.

2. That snare is far too low, but what 'keeper would set a snare INSIDE the electric fence?

3. That's not a badger 'decoy', it's a 3d archery target and the bullet holes will be arrow marks. Badgers' eyesight is pretty poor, so I can't see why anyone would decoy them anyway, especially next to a sett (the entrance to which doesn't look well used anyway)

NFAS (National Field Archery Society) - About the NFAS

I would be interested to know what the police have to say, keep us updated please.

James

[FUDGEY]

1. They were full grown Pheasants

2. The electric fence was turned off as it will only be on when there are birds in the pen

3. Are you surprised the sett is not well used when this activity is going on?

Ill keep you posted, ty for the archery tip though I didnt realise that.

[FUDGEY]

A close up of the Pheasants Pat

[salukiwhippet]

1. Fair do's, not doubting you, but they do look like poults in the pic!

2. Still a rubbish place to set a wire for anything, nothing is going to get the narrow space between penwire and electric happily and then run round the circumference. Still no excuse for the wire being low though.

3. Given that there is a sett at the back of the (constantly busy) dairy yard, one all of 10 yards from a busy footpath and one in someone's garden on the estate where I 'keeper, yes! Much more likely that the target was put there after the sett was abandoned.

If you have a look at the area behind the shoulder on the target, you'll probably be able to make out scoring rings.

James

[FUDGEY]

At first hand it does not look like a good place to set a snare salukiwhippet, but it look closely its well worn around the perimeter and if there are dead birds inside I imagine this is the path Foxes/Badgers will take to try and get in.

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

At first hand it does not look like a good place to set a snare salukiwhippet, but it look closely its well worn around the perimeter and if there are dead birds inside I imagine this is the path Foxes/Badgers will take to try and get in.

Its a crazy place to set a snare - no wild animal will be at all comfortable between the fencing and the twin wires even if they are not on. The wear round the perimiter between the pen and the electric wire is normally caused by birds circling to get back in and it is normal practice to keep vegetation down in this area to maintain the effectiveness of the fence - often treated with glyphosate on an annual basis.

Snares are routinely set outside the electric fence. The whole thing looks very strange because if you were using the pen as a midden or honeypot to draw any foxes into the snares you would not leave the door open but would open up the pop-holes/ fox grids and snare inside the pen - but you would not normally use a release pen for that purpose but rather set up a small square of rylock well away from the pen.

The entire scenario appears very strange and I look forward to your further comments when they are available.

Regards
mac