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Protest group seeks ban on Ilkley Moor grouse shooting
8:08am Thursday 17th April 2008
Comments (18)AN animal welfare group is petitioning Bradford Council to ban grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor after a rush of support to condemn the practice.
West Yorkshire Animals in Needs, which is chaired by Ilkley resident, Dr Oliver Townsend, plans to present a petition calling for a total ban on grouse shooting on the regional landmark to city chiefs on July 8.
He says he had already had messages of support from many people concerned at the reintroduction of shooting on the landmark and popular visitor attraction.
Readers against grouse shooting have also written letters to the Gazette and posted on our website at (www.ilkleygazette.co.uk).
There has been no shooting on the moor since the council suspended its grouse shooting lease over ten years ago. Shooting has never been banned on the moor, however.
As well as being part of long-term strategies for moorland management, a lease was issued for grouse shooting in recent years. This was later called off, however, because the grouse population was hit by an outbreak of a parasitic worm.
Grouse shooting already takes place on other parts of the wider Rombalds Moor.
The row over shooting on the moor flared last week, after Bradford Council invited companies to tender for the right to hold grouse shoots on the moor for ten years. It is envisaged that the deal could be sealed by the summer.
However, Dr Townsend, who last week condemned grouse shooting as 'barbaric', hopes to bring a halt to the practice before the first shot is fired. He is organising a petition calling for the council to ban grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor, and plans to put this before Dr Townsend said: "The support we have is phenomenal and it is becoming stronger the more people hear about it and for all different kinds of reasons."
A veteran of successful campaigning on animal welfare issues, Dr Townsend recently persuaded Bradford Council to ban goldfish being given away as prizes at sideshows and fairgrounds on council land.
At least one Bradford councillor has already pledged to sign the group's petition.
It is believed that allowing grouse shooting on the moor could plough a figure of around £10,000 into the management and upkeep of the fire-damage landscape.
Bradford Council countryside officers and council environment chief, ward councillor Anne Hawkesworth, however, maintained that grouse shooting and the associated practices, such as heather burning, wouldhelp with the management of the moor.
The council has previously allowed birds to be driven from the moor to shooting areas when the grouse population has been too high. This did not successfully control the population, said Coun Hawkesworth, as many of the birds simply flew back.
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John Nayler, Ribble Valley says...
5:48pm Thu 17 Apr 08
JT, Ilkley says...
7:22pm Thu 17 Apr 08
Harry, says...
7:32am Fri 18 Apr 08
Dr Townsend motives for pursuing this daft campaign are of course very personal to him, however, having tried to find evidence of his organisation's good works for needy animals all that surfaces from Google is his concern for goldfish won at fairgrounds.
Is Dr Townsend related in any way to the equally daft and dictatorial Councillor Andrew Scull of Wharfedale Trail fame?
Is Dr Townsend to challenge the sale of eggs - surely this forced abortion/kidnap of the young chicken is distressing and barbaric to the mother hen?!
Is Dr Townsend to challenge those that fish the River Wharfe or is that acceptable in his eyes?!
Is Dr Townsend to challenge Councillor Andrew Scull and Sustrans for attempting to drive a hard surfaced "motorway" through an area of outstanding natural beauty at the expense of the protected (and unprotected) wild animals that would be disturbed?
Dr Townsend you clearly have no knowledge of how a grouse moor "works" and would suggest that you do some research through the BASC (http://www.basc.org
.uk/) before you next spout forth on a topic that you know so little about.
I do suspect however that, like Councillor Andrew Scull (and his one-man Forum), Dr Townsend likes the sound of his own voice and will crack on regardless with this equally daft campaign.
Tag, Ilkley says...
9:41am Fri 18 Apr 08
Lets not forget they have £375,000 from the sale of Silver Well Cottage. Put the money in an account with a 5% interest rate and , even after tax, they would see a greater return than the calculated £10,000 earnings from Grouse Shooting.
By the way Where is that "ring-fenced" £375,000???
john taylor, keighley says...
10:39am Fri 18 Apr 08
Let's not forget that both pursuits are perfectly legal AND are far less barbaric than the average chicken factory.
SHOOTING - the birds are normally killed instantly and if not are dispatched very quickly thereafter by either the shooter, the keeper or a dog.
FISHING - the fish are normally hooked in the mouth with a sharp, usually barbed, hook and after a struggle that can last anything from a few seconds to many minutes the exhausted fish is then landed and dispatched, whilst fully conscious, by being beaten on the head.
Whilst I do not object to either pursuit I do object to the likes of Dr Townsend who appear to turn a blind eye to other countryside pursuits that, in their eyes, would also be classified as being barbaric.
As suggested by earlier contributors I too would suggest that the clearly eccentric Dr Townsend does some research before he proffer any more nonsense.
ian taylor, addingham says...
3:11pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Shooting grouse within the appropriate season is legal and as a result assists in the management of the moors.
Does Dr Townsend seek to limit our all important "human rights" - a piece of EU legislation voted in by the likes of Townsend and his leftwing mates.
Perhaps Dr Townsend's next campaign will be for us all to stop eating meat, or to stop wearing leather shoes or to get out of our cars and walk everywhere ?!!!
Whilst I do not know how he earnt his title "Dr" it is truly a sad reflection that such an educated man has simply not done his research.
Audrey Hargreaves,, Addingham says...
3:35pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Matt, says...
5:19pm Fri 18 Apr 08
john taylor, keighley says...
7:31pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Matt wrote:Whilst you do not specify what species of bird was injured, what you witnessed is clearly totally unacceptable AND can only assume that you did your civic duty and reported them to the local constabulary for the abuse of those laws relating to the handling of guns and the consumption of alcohol and the RSPB for any cruelty you feel was caused.
"Birds normally killed instantly"? I can't believe John Taylor has ever been to a shoot. The people with guns are not trained marksmen, they are normally clueless muppets pretty boozed up. I've seen birds with their legs or wings shot away flapping in agony totally unregarded by shooters or dogs. The shooters are just totally psyched up trying to get another hit.
I have shot throughout the north of England for the last 45 years and have never witnessed events such as that which you describe.
Please don't let one bad experience prejudice your views on a perfectly legal and conservation based pursuit.
If you care to respond to this, then please do clarify your point of view on that other major local country pursuit - Fishing on the River Wharfe
It appears that not one contributor for those against grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor has had the "balls" to put their head above the parapet and clarify whether fishing on the River Wharfe is also considered cruel and barbaric.
Speak up, we are all listening .................
sheila, says...
8:27pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Audrey Hargreaves, wrote:Talk about touching a raw nerve?!
It seems to me that there is a concerted personal attack by blood sports enthusiasts on those who wish to protect animals and birds, and combining it with attacks on the Sustrans path project. How obvious can you get! It is so deplorable - and juvenile.
There has been just the one mention on this blog of the Sustrans inspired Wharfedale Trail fronted by Councillor Andrew Scull - yet another person who seems to object to the concept of free speech. Dare to object to his personal views and be branded a troublemaker!!!
If you care to actually read the contributions thus far the common theme is one of educating those such as Dr Townsend on country pursuits including grouse shooting and more importantly the contribution they make to the conservation of habitat.
There is also a recurring (and as yet unanswered) question on this website as to whether those who support Dr Townsend's campaign against grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor will also be campaigning to stop that other "cruel and barbaric" sport of the masses i.e. fishing on the River Wharfe.
Dr Townsend seems to have an affinity for our little golden finned friends so why is he so resoundingly silent when it comes to the poor little things being dragged out of the River Wharfe to then be clubbed to death for sport?
Cpt C Birdseye, says...
10:28pm Fri 18 Apr 08
What a joke - Dr Townsend lives within 250 yards of the River Wharfe and yet we hear nothing from him of the wild brown trout and grayling that are ritually and unwillingly pulled out of their natural environment and are left to suffocate or, worse still, clubbed to death.
Surely the good doctor does not discriminate against wild brown trout and grayling in favour of goldfish?
The reality is that as fishing is the UK's largest participation "sport" there are no votes in it for him AND if he tried to ban fishing on the Wharfe he would most probably be "committed" by a proper doctor?
Jonah, Ilkley says...
1:30pm Sun 20 Apr 08
Cpt C Birdseye wrote:Well said Captain Birdseye !!!
Dr "Dolittle" Townsend - friend to goldfish and grouse What a joke - Dr Townsend lives within 250 yards of the River Wharfe and yet we hear nothing from him of the wild brown trout and grayling that are ritually and unwillingly pulled out of their natural environment and are left to suffocate or, worse still, clubbed to death. Surely the good doctor does not discriminate against wild brown trout and grayling in favour of goldfish? The reality is that as fishing is the UK's largest participation "sport" there are no votes in it for him AND if he tried to ban fishing on the Wharfe he would most probably be "committed" by a proper doctor?
When will the likes of Dr Townsend & his "phenomenal" support realise that until such time as they oppose all the blood sports i.e. fishing, shooting and hunting they will be considered a bunch of HYPOCRITES.
Matt, says...
10:07pm Sun 20 Apr 08
john taylor, says...
9:21am Mon 21 Apr 08
Matt wrote:Laughter most certainly is the best medicine.
Just seen your comment, John. Sorry mate, I think your challenge about fishing on the River Wharfe is nothing more than a RED HERRING!!
But seriously .... let's not be having double standards from Dr Townsend and his like.
I personally have no issue with fishing, shooting or hunting BUT for Dr Townsend to ignore the most popular of blood sports, i.e. fishing, really is beyond me.
I would suggest that Dr Townsend concentrates his efforts protecting goldfish in future.
Johnny, says...
2:01pm Thu 1 May 08
Jan, Kent says...
5:49pm Tue 27 May 08
Susanna, Bath says...
6:15pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Although people often point out that humans are omnivores, all that means is that we are capable of digesting meat, not that we need to or that it is good for us. In fact, consumption of animal products by humans is linked with many diseases such as various cancers, heart disease and auto-immune illnesses.
Compare chimpanzees - although they will sometimes chase and kill small mammals (and not with guns so at least it's a fairer fight!) they eat an amount of meat about the size of a pea per day on average. And mountain gorillas are vegan apart from (often accidental) consumption of insects.
Not to mention the environmental damage caused by keeping livestock (18% of all greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 13.5% for all transport).
So to summarise, I will happily stand up to say that fishing is just as bad as shooting, and just because it hasn't been mentioned so far by Dr Townsend doesn't mean he condones it.
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noelhutton, addingham says...
5:20pm Thu 17 Apr 08