Countrysports

Three years ago a group of friends and I bought two woods which were badly run down. These woods covered about 70 acres, and were separated by a small river.

When we took over the woods they were in a disgraceful sate. There were burnt out cars and piles of rubbish everywhere but worse of all there was hardly any wildlife in them whatsoever. We worked very hard to clear the rubbish and clean the river. As we cleaned up the woods we cut new paths and rides. When each area was cleared we put out hoppers and feeders for the wild birds. We feed the deer and within a few months we had increased the wildlife by 100%. We attracted many varieties of bird eg song thrush, linnet, three types of owl and even a nesting pair of hawks.

In time we decided to turn the woods into a small shoot. We built three release pens, just big enough to hold about 200 poults in each pen. To protect the woods and all the hard work we had done we erected a fence around them. We also put in new gates and stiles. Across the river we also built four bridges so that the beaters could cross back and forth with ease.

That was when the trouble started, every day our fence lines were cut by thugs and antis, our hoppers and feeders were smashed and turned over. In the end we just could not keep up with the damage they were doing. There was only one thing we could do, sell the woods. We had done our best to help with the conservation of the countryside, but this was ruined by people who think they know better. Do they not know that without country sports most of the woodlands in this country would be in ruins?

It makes me so made when the antis say shooting should be banned, why should they stop me from doing some thing, which is dear to my heart? It is simply not going into the wood and banging away with a gun. It is days when you stand on a ride or in a wood and listen to the birds and wildlife around you, and also watching the growth of the wood from season to season.

I do not live in the country (much to my sorrow) I live in a large town, if all town people had the same compassion for the countryside it would be a far better place.

JW Strachan, Brighton, England.

Promote Hunting. Help beat the antis. Wear the T-shirts, give the gifts. Worldwide Delivery