Not so deadly (From York Press)

Not so deadly

11:14am Saturday 22nd January 2011 in Letters By Reader's letter

WITH regard to Brenda Mackfall’s concerns over the shot pheasant (Letters, January 15), as a farmer for many years, may I say that she is wrong to say shooting will continue for months to come.

Pheasant shooting season is from October to January 31, so the end is nigh. The shoot put down 1,800 pheasant poults in July/August at considerable expense. Fortunately less than half each season are shot, leaving the remaining to breed in the wild.

Last year’s dry spring boded well for the chicks; we have never seen so many reared. The same for the grey partridge.

I fear there would be few wild game birds if it were not for “reared” birds put down. The roadside kill of pheasants, blackbirds, sparrows and the nuisance pigeon are there for all to witness.

I too feed all the birds. Sadly, life and death is a fact of life. The way our shooters shoot, there are plenty left; hardly a dramatic killing field, Brenda.

Pamela Frankland, Lodge Farm, Hull Road, Dunnington, York.