2 buzzards shot

J.R.

https://www.npws.ie/news/three-month-suspended-jail-sentence-possession-two-dead-buzzards?fbclid=IwAR1BrvxH7iH1HYDhWQrSpY4ElWpE_f7WZJSXLnnM2HgVJcD4_l0mC5ER9jk

JP22

Disgraceful.

Disgraceful on two counts – firstly the act or shooting/displaying the birds and secondly he only got a suspended sentence, no fines imposed according to the piece.

At the very least he should have been fined and made pay the NPWS court costs.

This is the type of shi** that does our sport damage and it gives credence to anti’s and others.

It's no wonder countryside/rural pursuits and doing down the tubes.

Feisar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118064679#Comment_118064679

I presume they were being used to keep the pigeons from whatever was planted?

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118070718#Comment_118070718

Well that would show just how brainless this clown is since a living pair of buzzards nearby would have kept a lid on a host of crop pests from crows to rats.

Feisar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118072349#Comment_118072349

It's only my presumption, I can't think of another reason apart from them being mentally unwell.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118072408#Comment_118072408

That would be my assumption. He decided to make a scarecrow.

I’d also assume that the suspended was because they couldn’t prove he shot them. Only that somebody shot they (he claimed he found them).

magicbastarder

i've heard some stupid anti-buzzard propaganda from my father in law, and unfortunately it's usually after he's been down the shooting range and obviously hearing it from his mates there.

one is that the primary driver behind songbird loss is the resurgence of the buzzard population. i tried disabusing him of that idea, and don't know how successful i was.

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118073880#Comment_118073880

Yeah - that kind of lazy stupid logic still persists in some quarters. If they bothered to apply some commonsense to the topic they would know buzzards are simply not designed to catch small agile songbirds which is why you will often see them sat above the side of motorways or tillage land looking for rats and other vermin to simply drop on or roadkill to pick at.

Also if you look up the stats from the likes of the BTO you will see most songbird populations like Goldfinch,Linnet, Blackcap etc. are actually stable or increasing in the last 20 years(after a decline the previous few decades with the role out of intensive farming practices). The few that are still struggling a bit is primarily down to the continued disappearance of their preffered habitat or issues on migration with mass illegal trapping etc in the likes of Malta, North Africa etc.

FishOnABike

Very close attention should be paid to the type of shot used to kill the buzzards, whether this is consistent with any gun licences and ammunition held or bought by Mr. Crawford, whether any permission was given on the land and if any unauthorised shooting was reported by Mr. Crawford around the time or not and all this taken into consideration when it comes to renewing or continuing to hold any licences.

People who ignore the regulations risk ruining things not only for themselves but also for everyone else.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118074262#Comment_118074262

The analogy I tried to use with him was that it's like trying to catch someone on a scrambler while you were driving a truck. I think that was the argument which may have worked best.

Feisar

What's his crime though if it couldn't be proven he shot them, poor taste?:

"In her summation, Judge Staines expressed her abhorrence at the undignified manner in which two beautiful birds were displayed, saying it showed no respect whatsoever. It was, she said, “an example of a disgusting lack of respect in an outrageous act of wildlife crime”."

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118075617#Comment_118075617

He pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of two dead Buzzards contrary to Section 45 (2) & 45 (7) of the Wildlife Acts.

Eddie B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118075617#Comment_118075617

Perhaps I read it wrong, but I thought I read that he admitted to shooting the birds in his own land,and with his own gun. I presume he hung them up like people used to hang up vermin years ago.

FishOnABike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118076209#Comment_118076209

If he had admitted to killing the buzzards he would have most likely ended up with more than the three month suspended sentence he got for possessing them.

magicbastarder

i guess if he hadn't admitted to it, he's still kinda caught between a rock and a hard place. the gardai can't prove you shot them, but you're still in possession of illegally killed animals, the gardai have reasonable suspicion that you're witholding evidence in a criminal case and his legal team would not have been able to trot out the 'co-operated fully with the garda investigation' line.

he'd have had to claim 'oh, i just found two illegally killed buzzards on my land and instead of disposing of them, i strung them up'. and the gardai may have also been able to tell him, well, we'll just start knocking on doors around here asking questions and you'd better hope no-one in the area has a dislike for you...

FishOnABike

I'd say he was well advised that admitting possession of the buzzards and being contrite would likely gain him some leniency in court.

Whoever shot them better hope there were no witnesses in the area - it might not be over yet.

Regardless of who actually shot the buzzards, Mr. Crawford's lack of appreciation of the law and his failure to report the dead buzzards should bring his suitability to hold any firearms into question.

Eddie B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118076900#Comment_118076900

Sorry, your right. Didn't admit to shooting the birds

JP22

I think most hunters would agree in that whether he owned them (legally or not), reared them, loved them, taught them to talk like parrots, was given them by someone else, found them or shot them himself or anything else for that matter is totally irrelevant.

His actions is displaying the birds as he did is both unlawful and distasteful to all, certainly distasteful to me in this day and age and I would say distasteful to the vast majority of true hunters/shooters/conservationists.

His actions may have been acceptable once upon a time (dark ages), BUT today its only cannon fodder for antis and all others who want to curtail or end rural pursuits and traditions.

Our rural traditions (legal within current laws) are slowly and continually attacked on all fronts be it by EU/Government/Greens/Antis/Do-Gooders etc. etc., the list never ends today……….

Shite like this does our cause irreparable damage as does posting pictures of numerous pheasant shot on opening day or numerous fox (incl cubs) on a vermin shoot.

End of day, some of us are to blame (those who post graphic content on media), lets not forget, where the media is concerned, we are all painted with the same brush.