Cold snap prompts concern for Highland waterfowl from shooters
The UK’s largest shooting organisation is calling for voluntary restraint to be exercised from today in the shooting of ducks, geese, wading birds (including woodcock), coot and moorhen in Scotland.
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation say a voluntary restraint is required due to persistent frost over much of the country in the last week or so. The harsh conditions makes it difficult for waterfowl to feed and roost, and can lead to a marked deterioration in condition.
BASC Scotland director Dr Colin Shedden said: “We are fully aware that the current coronavirus restrictions in place over all of mainland Scotland mean that very few people are actually able to shoot just now.
"There are no visiting parties of goose shooters or wildfowlers and no inland shooting is taking place, apart from small-scale rough shooting and pest control.
“However, it is still important that those who are shooting, whether on the foreshore or inland, recognise that frozen ground and water bodies make both feeding and roosting very difficult and birds can lose condition quickly.
"We are therefore calling for restraint to be exercised in the shooting of ducks, geese and waders, including reared mallard and woodcock.”
The shooting organisation is also calling for members of the public to be mindful of struggling waterfowl in an increasingly popular countryside – a trend that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Shedden continued: “The countryside is in greater demand than ever before as the public seek to utilise our green spaces for sport and exercise. We are urging all countryside users to minimise disturbance of waterfowl in inland habitats while the cold weather continues.”
BASC normally calls for a period of voluntary restraint after seven days of severe weather have been recorded and that was reached on Tuesday. A statutory ban is introduced after 14 days of severe weather.
The long-term forecast for Scotland shows that milder weather is expected from Saturday.
