Larsen Traps in UK

[Tobi]

Well Spring is on its way.
And in the UK countryside where I live -usually around March, April...I come across imprisoned birds (usually crows or magpies) in tiny cages put out into the fields or orchards. These birds are "bait birds" for other corvids who come down to attack the one in the cage, for being on their territory. Both birds get trapped by a hinge-lid mechanism. Then they get left for hours, usually till sundown, when the trapper will arrive and kill them both.

The birds forget territorial battles, and instead both, in sheer panic and desperation attempt to escape. They could be doing this from dawn to dusk, which could be 12 hours. (as the traps are usually set at dawn, attended at dusk)
Except they usually don't make it that long. Torn, panicked, with broken wings and beaks, bloody all over from repeated attempts to get out, they die a horrible long drawn-out death.

Corvids are exceptionally intelligent birds. One can hardly begin to imagine the extent of their suffering.

Every Spring I go out -I am not ashamed of admitting this on an open forum (if the moderators wish to delete my post, so be it) -and I trespass on any land I see fit, and I open those traps, often destroying them after the birds have got free. I have done that every Spring I can count, and I will continue to do this until these barbaric traps are banned. I try to go early and re-visit the areas to lessen torment for the imprisoned birds and set them free while they can still fly.
That is breaking the "LAW" ! But never mind eh?

I have posted, below, a link to a site which informs abut Larsen Traps (don't be fooled by the happy picture of a magpie in a Larsen cage! This picture is actually sourced from a pro-Larsen Trap website originally)
Anyway, on the webpage my link goes to "ACT against Corvid Traps" -there is a petition anyone can sign if they wish to (just down the page in small lettering on the right)

http://www.againstcorvidtraps.co.uk/

Let's do what we can -eh?

[knightofalbion]

Originally Posted by Tobi

The birds forget territorial battles, and instead both, in sheer panic and desperation attempt to escape. They could be doing this from dawn to dusk, which could be 12 hours. (as the traps are usually set at dawn, attended at dusk)
Except they usually don't make it that long. Torn, panicked, with broken wings and beaks, bloody all over from repeated attempts to get out, they die a horrible long drawn-out death.

Corvids are exceptionally intelligent birds. One can hardly begin to imagine the extent of their suffering.

Every Spring I go out -I am not ashamed of admitting this on an open forum (if the moderators wish to delete my post, so be it) -and I trespass on any land I see fit, and I open those traps, often destroying them after the birds have got free. I have done that every Spring I can count, and I will continue to do this until these barbaric traps are banned. I try to go early and re-visit the areas to lessen torment for the imprisoned birds and set them free while they can still fly.
That is breaking the "LAW" ! But never mind eh?

Good for you!

They (the trappers) are breaking God's Law! You are observing it.
Blessings on your soul, dear Tobi.

[Tobi]

Well it's got to be done, as far as I'm concerned.

What disappointed me especially was -last Easter, on the Monday, a woman accused me of trespassing on her land and interfering with the traps. This "Country Lady" is a Christian, and had attended Church only the day before, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When I asked her "What do you think Our Lord would do? Do you think He would just walk past intense suffering like that, and rationalize it, and say 'We like the little songbirds, not the nasty crows and magpies' as you have this minute just said to me?" she became quite nasty.
As she was being nasty I imagined the crows and the 2 magpies I had set free the day before flying and healing of their awful experience.

Unfortunately there is not one "country person" I have met yet, in this whole area who sees things that way. It's quite sad.
They do not realize that there are greater threats to the songbird population, cats and buzzards...but most of all Man with farming methods which destroy songbirds' food supplies and natural habitats.

[knightofalbion]

God made the crows and the magpies too! All life is one and everything has its place and its purpose.

There are more humane ways to kill or catch birds and the suffering and poor condition of the birds by the end of it would surely lower any quality they once had.

I'll sign the petition on the grounds of unnecessary mistreatment of animals.

Good on you for freeing the poor creatures from such a wasteful fate, tobi.

(P.S - It said the petition was closed, but I'm sure I can find another one and when I do I'll post the link here if you want.)

[Tobi]

Oh did it? They must have got enough signatures then I presume. There will be another one I'm sure. I have not yet heard any news about Larsen Traps in UK though....
They were banned in the country they were designed!! Denmark. I always thought the Scandinavians had good heads on their shoulders! UK should follow their lead.

[norseman]

Tobi, put your case to 38Degrees, a site which supports and publicises petitions. You simply propose your own petition and, if accepted, it goes out to the membership. There is also an on-line facility for you to write to your own M.P. - if a petition gains 100000 signatures, it is debated in parliament.

Remember the proposed sale of the Ancient Forests now abandoned ? Well, that is the power of public petitions

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/

In the UK, there is a long-standing tradition of direct action against things of this nature - goes right back to the KInder Scout trespass in 1932 http://www.kindertrespass.com/ and things like fox hunting etc.

[Tobi]

Thank you for that info Norseman. The ACT petition wasn't started by me, but someone else.
That brings back memories....I used to go up Kinder Scout with my Dad when I was a kid! I vaguely remember something he said about this.