Gunclub conservation ideas

dto001

Howaya lads,
Are there any other activities a club can do in respect to conservation apart from the usual vermin control, releasing birds, and game crop?
With a view to showing the local community what we actually do instead of them listening to the anti’s and trying to get more people interested especially the younger generation.
Cheers

Richard308

I was thinking about this myself and am thinking the next time we are buying birds we will try and get the local primary school to help, ie feeding, releasing etc. I think hunters often sell themselves short in what we put back into the environment. It might help foster positive relations between generations and our sport.

Birdnuts

Claremorris GC are active on Social Media promoting their good work on the lakes in the new Town park

Rosahane

I haven't been there but Rathcormac GC have a big media presence with their website and the webcam for the Barn Owls. They also have a nature reserve linked into a walk. It all looks great and very positive!

https://rathcormacgameandwildlifeclub.ie

dto001

Richard308 wrote: »

I was thinking about this myself and am thinking the next time we are buying birds we will try and get the local primary school to help, ie feeding, releasing etc. I think hunters often sell themselves short in what we put back into the environment. It might help foster positive relations between generations and our sport.

We did that last year and the kids loved it but this year we couldn’t. Probably do it again next year. But we didn’t put it up on the Facebook page as I’m not sure what’s allowed.

Eddie B

You need to look for "Whats Fashionable" in today's world. Planting native trees, and wild flowers is big at the moment. This is something that will interest kids, schools, and wildlife enthusiasts. And in the longrun, will be beneficial to game birds, and the club.

Rows Grower

Eddie B wrote: »

You need to look for "Whats Fashionable" in today's world. Planting native trees, and wild flowers is big at the moment. This is something that will interest kids, schools, and wildlife enthusiasts. And in the longrun, will be beneficial to game birds, and the club.

That's not only a fashionable but very sensible suggestion. Everyone's a winner with that attitude.

It's not going to do the sport or any club much good if they are seen to be suggesting or creating "amenities" near public walkways where the wild birds will rest so they can be shot down the road or across the ditch.

Rows Grower

Bog Trotter99 wrote: »

Ahh well there we go. See you in another life. You can tell us how you became a millionaire in a day.

Back in 1984 vegetarians were as rare as hens teeth and nobody on the planet knew what vegan was. A coney fur coat was owned by most girls. Things are different now arent they?

Sorry, I can't understand any of the points you are trying to make and for that reason, I'm out.

There is huge scope for conservation projects from Gun Clubs. It does very much depend on the people in the club, what there outlook is, as said people shoot because they enjoy the pastime, a lot of groups may want to be just let alone to get on with what they always have done.

Conservation by clubs is massive in the US, in Ireland Ballydangan Bog with Red Grouse (and now Curlew) and Lough Boora for Grey Partridge are good examples. For anyone wanting to set up their own project it would be well to speak with these guys.

Deer, especially the non-native Fallow and Muntjac are a huge problem for old woodland, preventing establishment of saplings, eradicating ground flora. Without predators the only limitation is culling. Maybe get involved in fencing deer exclosures, census work as well as shooting; some of this probably goes on already, but explain and publicise this.

Most professional ecologists and conservation workers are very attuned to the realities of population control, it is always best to work with them, they are not the enemy.

The pond creation idea is excellent, again best to ensure no important habitat is removed in their creation, but something that could be shouted from the rooftops if done

cookimonster

MOD NOTE

The orginal thread has been split this thread is for the orginal topic of Gun Club Conservation Ideas if posters wish to debate or make suggestions of winning over the non hunting paternity please go to this thread-

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058188679

useurowname

[Deleted User] wrote: »

There is huge scope for conservation projects from Gun Clubs. It does very much depend on the people in the club, what there outlook is, as said people shoot because they enjoy the pastime, a lot of groups may want to be just let alone to get on with what they always have done.

Conservation by clubs is massive in the US, in Ireland Ballydangan Bog with Red Grouse (and now Curlew) and Lough Boora for Grey Partridge are good examples. For anyone wanting to set up their own project it would be well to speak with these guys.

Deer, especially the non-native Fallow and Muntjac are a huge problem for old woodland, preventing establishment of saplings, eradicating ground flora. Without predators the only limitation is culling. Maybe get involved in fencing deer exclosures, census work as well as shooting; some of this probably goes on already, but explain and publicise this.

Most professional ecologists and conservation workers are very attuned to the realities of population control, it is always best to work with them, they are not the enemy.

The pond creation idea is excellent, again best to ensure no important habitat is removed in their creation, but something that could be shouted from the rooftops if done

That’s the attitude.
I think there is great scope for hunters as conservationists to do work in their community that promote the image of the pastime. Tbh we do it anyway, releasing game and wildfowl, planting game crop/wildflowers are things I do every year. In my opinion by constantly focusing on how some people don’t like the idea of hunting for sport is counterproductive. Some people don’t like it and I’m fine with that, I’m not out to try and change their minds, but I would be selling myself short were I too not try and represent the very positive benefits to nature of my pastime, and the time and effort I, and others put in to ensuring the game and habitat are sustained and abundant. Whether I go home with birds in the game bag in the few short months we actually hunt is secondary.

Capercaillie

Create species rich meadow, late mowing in September and sow yellow rattle in autumn.