Badger snared at Apsley copse, Midhurst

On the 27th July the West Sussex Badger Protection Group (WSBPG) received a phone call from Sgt Stiles. A walker had found a badger in a snare at Apsley Copse. When we arrived there, Woodlands vet Andrew Mitchell arrived also. The badger was still in snare and it was anchored to a shrub but a drap pole lay nearby.

The badger was taken to the vet and checked out, and within an hour had been released back. On further examination of the area it was found to contain 19 snares, on the following day the area had a total of at least 26 snares.

The next day it was visited by Sgt Cross and PC Malcolm Scott and a prosecution was put forward. The result we are pleased to say, was a Police caution for the gamekeeper, and the letter from Lord Cowdray, the landowner, to the WSBPG.

In reply the Viscount Cowdray stated:

The shooting tenant responsible for setting snares in Apsley Copse has received notice terminating his ‘sporting’ licence with effect from the end of the season.

All shooting tenants have been requested to remove snares from Cowdray Estate land.

Future use of snares on Cowdray Estate land will not be allowed unless keepers have attended and passed a bona fide course on the correct handling of snares.