Mountain Hares

[Chid 6,542]

2 minutes ago, nothernlite said:

There classed as a endangered species so canny see them letting you hunt them with hawkes 

[Black neck 16,009]

Theres a loophole says u can run them wi dogs but only on the left side and wearing blue

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Basc and the Scottish government will be liaising to come up with a licensing system so that estates can carry on culling them under licence.

[Shadow100 1,066]

27 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Basc and the Scottish government will be liaising to come up with a licensing system so that estates can carry on culling them under licence.

Won’t be anywhere near the same extent as what was allowed previously, Scottish government gave in to pressure so they won’t go back on it, and the whites will just be the first thing to go, beginning of the end for grouse shooting I think. Few lads in the business share that view as well.

It’s a good thing without a doubt, they need some sort of protection to stop keepers wiping them out, there’s an estate near me used to have a healthy population & every year it’s got less and less, you don’t see any at all now. That’s not conservation it’s a false landscape to benefit grouse and anything that doesn’t fit has to go.

In recent years I’ve been on a few grouse moors & a few unmanaged landscapes, the number of hares is at least 10 times larger on the unmanaged places, paints a picture that needs sorted out so hopefully this will help.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Shadow100

[pollypocket 243]

Could be wrong but is it not that if you are "Intentionally hunting the hare you are breaking the law.

So if you were hill walking with your rescue lurcher and he accidentally took off and as long as you are seen to be attempting, to curtail such an event, if there were any bystanders then you are probably at worst guilty of not having the dog under control.

Talking from experience of an incident few years back with myself and the law ending up in court, all charges dropped. 

[baz123 23]

Shadow100,  that's the first time av heard of that. Only time I have seen or heard of whites in any great number are on managed moors. 

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

15 minutes ago, baz123 said:

Shadow100,  that's the first time av heard of that. Only time I have seen or heard of whites in any great number are on managed moors. 

That is always how I have read and understood to be the case.

[Shadow100 1,066]

That’s the trouble people believe everything they read on pro shooting websites, spend a bit of time in the Cairngorms & Perthshire areas you’ll see it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Grouse moor managers and keepers like to give off the impression that they’re managing the hares to ensure a healthy population, they also believe that mountain hares spread ticks that infect grouse with louping ill. They don’t want a healthy population of hares on their moor they want them all gone.

Its bullshit propaganda to portray them as the guardians of the countryside when their only aim is to produce grouse, and nothing else.

It’s like videos that have emerged over the past few years, the caring grouse keeper stood there saying how happy he is to see hen harriers on his moor, if you believe all that you need to look in to things further.

[baz123 23]

Where about in perthshire?

[Shadow100 1,066]

3 minutes ago, baz123 said:

Where about in perthshire?

West of Perth, had a couple of days mooching on managed moors in that area, very few hares, surrounding hills not intensively managed for grouse = more hares. It’s the same story in the Cairngorms. 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Shadow100

[baz123 23]

New to me, worked in the area for 6 years and  can assure you the whites were on the hills that were managed for grouse shooting.  Further you got into  bits without keepers they were virtually no existent. Think you will find where you walked was keepered or marched onto ground that was. 

[Shadow100 1,066]

1 minute ago, baz123 said:

New to me, worked in the area for 6 years and  can assure you the whites were on the hills that were managed for grouse shooting.  Further you got into  bits without keepers they were virtually no existent. Think you will find where you walked was keepered or marched onto ground that was. 

Can’t comment on your experiences when you worked there, I’m just giving an honest account of my own. I know where I walked, where I saw hares and where I didn’t.

Its always going to ruffle a few feathers topics like this, I’m not anti grouse shooting by a long way, what I don’t like is the attitude of “wipe the hares out they’re no good to us” and whether you like to admit it or not a lot of grouse keepers have that view.

[baz123 23]

Sound, good luck to you, sounds like you've found a good spot . As for the keepers with that attitude,  there loads of wankers in the industry same as the lurcher game. We will agree to disagree tho that moorland management isnt good for white hares. 

[Shadow100 1,066]

3 minutes ago, baz123 said:

Sound, good luck to you, sounds like you've found a good spot . As for the keepers with that attitude,  there loads of wankers in the industry same as the lurcher game. We will agree to disagree tho that moorland management isnt good for white hares. 

You’ve picked me up wrong, moorland management is great for hares. Predator control, heather burning etc, all benefits the mountain hare, what I don’t like is keepers doing all those things, and then shooting all the hares.

Fair enough a small amount nobody will complain about that, but it’s a sad sight to walk a moor not see any.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Shadow100

[baz123 23]

In the 6 years a was there only once did I bump into a lad after a run, it was about this time of year, a said why you running leverts...the usual..." just after a run for ma pup" . A gave him my number and told him to phone me in the winter and he could crack on...that was in the first year a was there and a never heard from him again hope it wasnt you