The report "Hanged by the Feet Until Dead" published by the LACS and attributed to Professor Stephen Harris and investigator Bruce Thain purports to be an analysis of snaring and trapping efforts on Scottish grouse moors. In reality the document, which is not a peer reviewed report, is riddled with "back of the envelope" estimates and wild extrapolations, major confusions over what is legal and what is not and 'facts' from discredited papers from the anti-field sports group, Revive, which have already been exposed.
The Scientific research body, Scottish GWCT describes the figures obtained by LACS as questionable, as they are obtained from a limited sample. A spokesperson also points out that traps and snares are not just used for the benefit of grouse and other game but play a key part in conservation of species such as hares, curlew, black grouse and ring ouzel as well as waders and other ground nesting birds.
Scottish Countryside Alliance Director Scotland Jamie Stewart said: It is very worrying that organisations such as LACs can attempt to present highly misleading and inaccurate reports as scientific research. The report clearly states that an unnamed investigator allegedly visited seven Scottish grouse shooting estates, collected all the data presented and collaborated in the analyses. Hardly the credible scientific reviews we expect to help shape policy.
The LACS campaign focus may have changed but their deceitful tactics remain.
The Scottish Government seem happy to mix and match rhetoric and science, aided and abetted by the Scottish Greens and acting more like animal rights groups to achieve a particular end. Not the high level of governance and policy we require and expect from an elected government…