Whatever you feel about organised shoots, it is unarguable
that gamekeepers were very good news for UK wildlife - and in a few places - still are.
In perhaps the majority of cases this was just a happy
by-product of predator control by 'keepers aimed at the protection of gamebirds
from harm. But if a system works ...
They culled crows; hammered magpies; killed grey squirrels;
controlled stoats and polecats. They would shoot those cats which thought it fun to
patrol the nests of ground-nesting birds and wreak havoc.
Rather more naughtily, many would illegally kill sparrowhawks
and buzzards - but should you ever visit a keepered area, you would soon spot
that there is a plethora of wildlife not witnessed elsewhere and I speak from
personal experience.
As 'keepers diminish in numbers and more of them are following
the letter of the law than ever before because court fines tend to be
breathtaking for killing the very predators which wreck our
wildlife.
Programmes to protect the sparrowhawk now mean that it is
regularly seen in our cities and as close as twenty feet from where I am
currently typing this piece. The devastation wrought cannot be
underestimated.
When environmentalist buffoons are reintroducing goshawks and
seeing them prosper after 400+ years of extinction and, similarly with red kites - not known on these shores since medieval times - you are forced to conclude
that they know less than nowt about the countryside.
IMHO, the RSPB is barely fit for purpose with its 'hug a
predator' attitudes. It is very similar to those wets who saw crime rocket
because they wanted to cuddle criminals rather than deal pragmatically with
them.
As I see it, only SONGBIRD SURVIVAL can be trusted with your
money. They actually understand the countryside and do not work to what I
consider to be a politically correct agenda.
I have known five different gamekeepers in my life - all of
whom were most impressive people and on their patches - wildlife
boomed!
