STOLEN BIRDS

[buckfast d]

Hi guys this might not be in the right place but mods can move it for me...

 

Right folks i have a mate who phoned me the other day rather pee'd of to say the least, he and a couple of his family have put together a wee family run shoot and have put up a couple of pens for pheasants, one pen is away far out on it's own in a middle of a bog and when they went the other morning to feed and water they discovered that the pen was emptied.

 

out of 60 birds there was only 1 bird living and they found 1 bird dead the fence had been cut at the bottom and the ground dug to make it look like a fox attack,,,

 

now my question!! do you guys really think this was a fox? or do you's think it has been the two legged fox/foxes he said there was little but no feathers lying around and was all very strange.

 

now my other question If it was the two legged animals what is there best way to go about stopping this as i said it is out in the middle of a bog no power etc so can't really put cameras or anything like this up.

 

has this happened to anyone else and if so what way did you stop it other than move the pens

 

All your reply's will be greatfully passed on

 

thank you for taking time to read my plea

buckfast d (northern ireland)

[Cranfield]

That many birds gone in one hit, no feathers, or dead birds about, then my guess is that it wasn't foxes.

 

Why someone would try to make it look like foxes defeats me, unless they think you might know who dunnit, if it wasn't foxes.

 

Unless your friends live within earshot of the pen, then poachers alarms can be a waste of time.

 

Let it be known round the local pubs that you will be sitting out and waiting on a few random nights, that might make someone think twice.

 

I would move the pen anyway and make sure its out of sight of a road, or footpath.

[al4x]

what injuries were on the dead bird?

 

I'd be inclined to think people but most thieves IMHO would just steal the lot and not worry about making it look like an animal attack. The only other thing is have they taken over the shoot from anyone else?

[Ferret Master]

Poachers stealing to sell to different shoots. Big article in The Field on it a few years back.

 

I suspect the dead bird was left as a token offering to make someone think it was a fox attack. Obviously as you described it is nothing like a fox attack.

 

I hope you catch the scum and it may be worth asking around local shoots to see if they have been offered any birds by someone trying to offload them fast.

 

FM

[buckfast d]

Thank you people for your fast reply's and a would love to hear a few more peoples comments on this and what they would do to prevent it.

 

 

what injuries were on the dead bird?

 

I wouldn't be to sure of what the injuries where to the dead bird but i did tell him to take it to the vet for a check over especially if it's nect didn't appear broken...

[buckfast d]

Unless your friends live within earshot of the pen, then poachers alarms can be a waste of time.

 

Where would be the best place to purchase these poacher alarms as he has other pens close to home, and can any one recommend what type would be of the best standard that is of course if there are more than one type

[WeihrauchPower]

You can buy motion sensitive game cameras that run off of batterys. Not sure of the price on these though.

[Mungler]

Yeah and then someone nicks the camera, the cost of which makes 10 pen loads of birds look cheap.

[Browning]

Depending on how long the birds have been in the release pen I would have expected some, maybe even most, of them to make their way back to the pen at some point. After all they know where home (shelter, food & water) is pretty soon after

they are released.

 

It may be worthwhile putting some feeders and drinkers around the pen, you may be able to entice them back?

 

I can't see it being anyone trying to catch up the birds for their own shoot.....this would be pretty much impossible with poults in an open release pen.

 

Possibly badger if they around that area?

 

Other than that just some scumbag cut the hole and the birds walked out.

[Cranfield]

Some Gunshops and Country Stores have poacher alarms, basically its a trip wire attached to a blank firing mechanism.

 

Like this http://www.airpistol.co.uk/alarm_gun_tripwire_activated.htm .

[loopy bunny blaster]

i'd just move the pen nearer to the house dude. and out of site from any roads.

[ROBLATCH]

hard to beleive its a fox if the wire has been cut.the most common thing for release pens which are deserted are the theiving b.......... who like to make a quick buck from other shoots.we have also experienced neighboring shoots that dont do so well seemingly sabotage our pens and when left open mr fox can gain entrance freely, maybe the dead birds could be the result of this.on the other hand you can always pick some sicko off the street who is willing for a so called laugh not understanding the damage and heartache they cause when doing stupid things like this.

good luck in catching the culprit's.

 

rob