Bird shoots go on despite 'victory' (From Chorley Citizen)

Bird shoots go on despite 'victory'

7:12pm Tuesday 17th April 2007 in News By Citizen reporter

DUCK and pheasant shoots will still take place at a Lancashire beauty spot despite animal cruelty campaigners claiming a victory.

The North West League Against Cruel Sports (NWLACS) was overjoyed when it obtained a signed note from Sir Bernard de Hoghton, confirming that four duck shoots, which take place at Hoghton Tower over Easter, would no longer happen.

But despite that pledge, Sir Bernard says that the Hoghton Tower Shoot, which regularly meets to shoot ducks and pheasants, was still continuing.

Sir Bernard, who established the shoot in 1976, said: "This has had a profound effect on reducing predators and increasing the general bird population."

He confirmed that the four meetings in question were guest shoots and a decision was taken at Hoghton Tower Shoot's annual general meeting three years ago not to continue with them.

The shoots have not taken place since 2004, he said, and the Easter protesters had been "misinformed" by the NWLACS.

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He added: "I was hoping to have cross-table discussions with these people but they are completely blinkered.

"If they think that we have removed a rather nasty affair, in their view and ours, then we came to that conclusion three years ago, before they had come onto the scene."

Sir Bernard denied claims Hoghton bore comparison with larger commercial shoots, where the game birds death toll is in the thousands.

But claiming a victory for their Hoghton campaign, the NWLACS praised the role of protesters, who they said had been crucial' in ending the shoots.

Jeanne Young, NWLACS spokesman said: "This is a great step forward in our campaign to bring an end to all game bird shooting at Hoghton Tower."