Grey Squirrel Cull???

[toxophilus]

I've just been shown an article in the November issue of Country Living magazine, entitled "All you need to know about Wildlife Culls"

I'm not going to reproduce the whole article here, I haven't got the patience and no doubt it's probably copyrighted, but I'll pick out the salient bits, viz -

Extreme pro-hunting campaign, The Ounce of Fives (who??? ) has called for Grey squirrels to be eradicated from Britain. It has pledged a £500 reward for the person who kills the most by the end of November. It expects up to 15,000 tails this year alone...legal questions have been raised...the campaign does not actually break the law. BASC does not endorse the proposed cull, and described it as a pubilicity stunt.

The article then bladders on a bit about the Hedgehog cull in the Western Isles, then continues -

Earlier this year, a British shooting magazine offered a £500 prize for the person who shot the most magpies in five months, citing the decline in the number of songbirds as the reason why such measures were necessary. However, the RSPB (oh yeah? ) says that there is no link between the increase in magpie numbers and the decline in songbird population, citing loss of habitat as the problem

It then witters on about the rocketing deer population, possibility of re-introducing wolves and lynx (yeah, yeah, yeah!!!) and the option progesterone implants.

The magazine's editor then gives the "Country Living Verdict", as follows -

Wildlife needs to be managed or we risk losing certain animal and bird species for ever. The rise in the numbers of many "pest" species can be attributed to the decline in the number of gamekeepers and other countryside managers. A revival of these skills would reduce the need for mass culls. Placing bounties on certain species heads encourages a "gung-ho" attitude that cannot equate to responsible wildlife management...

It's actually quite a balanced article, which sits nicely on the fence and doesn't protray either side of the argument in a particularly biased way.

However, it made me raise an eyebrow. Has anyone else heard of this "Ounce of Fives" mob? I certainly haven't. And which shooting magazine offered the bounty on magpies?

Don't get me wrong, I don't have any particular love for either of these species, but I'd like to know what you guys think?

[Mnementh]

Apparently, the "ounce of fives" refers to a shotgun cartridge load.

I've got to admit that I wasn't too bothered about grey squirrels but just recently, I've been noticing more and more of the little sods up here in the country round Dundee

I didn't think they had got this far up the country, already, so even if this "ounce of Fives organization" is a bit off the wall, knocking down the grey population wouldn't be a bad thing?

Sandy

[Raygun]

"Ounce of fives" mob is probably a splinter group from the Bunch of fives.


ATB
Ray.

[hughiep]

Or maybe even the high fives...

[jonnyone]

I know this much; I reach the big four zero next year and in that time have only ever seen one red squirrel in the area that I live. From all that I have read and have heard, the introduction of the grey squirrel has been the largest contributing factor. This, and the reduction in woodland.

I cant help thinking though, that no matter how hard we target the grey squirrel, the damage is done, and, dare I say it, the decline of the native red is irreversible. I am all for an all out campaign on the grey, but I honestly think it will take a lot more than this ie- Government action. I'm sure I heard somewhere that there was consideration being given to try to make the greys sterile to stop breeding?

Anyway (regarding the greys) thats my three pence.

Dave

[cr*pshot]

From what I've read on this the problem is that Greys carry a virus called para pox - harmless to (most) Greys - lethal to Reds. Although the two species have differing habitat requirements there is inevitably some overlap, which leads to the Reds becoming infected. The way I see it is that unless some cure is found for para pox (unlikely) or Greys are eliminated (even more unlikely) it's goodbye to the Red Squirrel except for small colonies such as the island off the south coast where they can be isolated from Greys.

[treeson]

it's goodbye to the Red Squirrel except for small colonies such as the island off the south coast where they can be isolated from Greys.

That would be Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, only surviving colony purely for Reds, Angelsey was also only reds until a year or so ago, now shooting Greys is thought to be second to mandatory church attendance Go the Welsh.

[cr*pshot]

That would be Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, only surviving colony purely for Reds, Angelsey was also only reds until a year or so ago, now shooting Greys is thought to be second to mandatory church attendance Go the Welsh.

There are supposed to be other colonies that are still holding their own - the nearest to me is Cannock Chase where they are supposed to be doing well in the conifer plantations (not attractive to Greys). I suppose the modern trend to mixed planting of commercial woodland is one of the problems - it may be more attractive, offer a better habitat for wildlife etc but it also offers more homes for Greys?

[toxophilus]

conifer plantations (not attractive to Greys)

You must be kidding! There's a large stand of conifers not half a mile from where I live (it actually covers the dam for one of the reservoirs feeding Burnley) and it's crawling with the little bleeders!

[cr*pshot]

You must be kidding! There's a large stand of conifers not half a mile from where I live (it actually covers the dam for one of the reservoirs feeding Burnley) and it's crawling with the little bleeders!

OK perhaps nobody's told 'em

[SNAKEBITE]

Or maybe even the high fives...

No it's the Enid Blytons FAMOUS FIVE who have developed an attitude and gone native.

[peter5761]

I'm doing my bit, shot 3 this week in my Garden, with C9, 2260, SSP250 pistol.

Greys of course !!!

[SNAKEBITE]

Had a very nice squirrel and rabbit stew on Sunday!
Anyone else eat them?

[whitey]

There's an article on the Ounce of Fives here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...10/nsqui10.xml

I believe the magazine offering the £500 bounty was 'Sporting Shooter'; as far as my memory goes, this was offered prior to a change in editors, so I don't know if it's still open. Then again, I believe SS also offered a bounty in its early editions, should someone bag a big cat in the UK and send in proof (this is just my memory, so please don't treat as gospel), which I don't believe came to owt.

[garden@harnash.]

Had a very nice squirrel and rabbit stew on Sunday!
Anyone else eat them?

many moons ago when i still had hair and attitudes were a little more easy going. i had a very small shoot with a mix of paddock and hedge-row and a good few squirrels.
we would often make a small fire and cook our kills. we even kept some foil & butter in the car to cook them in.
yum!
i even tried mole once- yuk ooh NASTY!