WWW.SHOOTINGGAZETTE.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2019 71thestartof hiscost,buthewas
wortheverypenny.Kronkwas
themostfascinatinganimalof any
kindI haveeverhadthepleasure
of meeting.Hisintelligencewas
staggering,senseof humourand
sheerdevilmentbeyondbeliefand
hisappetiteanddestructivenature
shockedevenme.Ataboutfour
weeksof ageKronkwouldeatas
muchas a smalllabrador.Onetin
of dogfoodwouldnotlastthe
day,deadchickswerejustpopped
in constantlyandoncehefound
hiswings,hebecamethemost
wonderfulliabilityI haveeverhad.
I hada beautifullystuffedmalehen
harrier in my hall (legally purchasedIn the author’s view, ravens simply must be removed from the protection list.fromEntax),Kronksawit, letout
a loudravenscreamandhitit in
flighttakingtheheadoff.Hisantics
werelegendary,mywholefamily
lovedhim,notalwaysso much
ourvisitors.Kronkwouldalways
welcomeanyhouseguest,within
secondshecouldascertainwhowas
afraidof himandfromthenon,his
persecutionwouldberelentless.
It is withthefactin mindI
dearlylovedthatraven,I statenow
ravenssimplymustberemoved
fromtheprotectionlist.Their
eyesight,powerandintelligence
turnthemin to theperfect
opportunistpredator,welose
countless sheep each year with eyesremoved.Similarfatewithdeer
fawnsin thepark,whenthedoe
is givingbirth,ravenswillagain
removetheeyesof thefawns.Their
destructionof wildlifeandlivestock
is horrendous.Asmuchas I love
andadmirethem,allcorvidsapart
fromchoughsrequireculling,we
mustnevergivethemquarter.
Allthespeciesonthegeneral
licencehaveandindeedcontinue
to enjoypopulationgrowth.The
speciesthatovertheyearshave
(quiterightly)beenremovedfrom
thequarrylistcontinueto decline,
I referin particularto curlewand
lapwingswhose numbers are
ALAMY in freefall.
Gamekeeping