Army shoot faces closure after gamebird licence refusal

Natural England’s latest licensing decisions threaten to destroy not only rural communities around Salisbury Plain, but also the livelihoods of members of the Bulford and Tidworth Garrison Shoot. The 250-member club faces closure after Natural England rejected its gamebird release application – despite a government minister explicitly stating its biosecurity measures “exceed requirements”.

Since March, shoots on Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have faced bureaucratic chaos. The Government withdrew General Licences for gamebird releases near protected sites due to bird flu fears, delegating decisions to Natural England. But the agency grants individual licences only in “exceptional circumstances”, a standard that appears nigh impossible to meet.

“Exceed standard requirements”

Hugh Carter, chairman of the Bulford and Tidworth Garrison Shoot, wrote to Biosecurity and Animal Welfare Minister Baroness Hayman requesting proper consideration of its application. While the Minister emphasised the decision lay with Natural England, her response was unequivocal: “I note your biosecurity protocols exceed standard requirements, including veterinary health checks, disease control training, rigorous site hygiene and timed releases to avoid peak migratory overlap.”

Yet Natural England still refused the application, citing inability to rule out any adverse effects releasing gamebirds might have on Salisbury Plain’s stone curlew population. No explanation was provided for how measures exceeding government standards could be insufficient.

The timing compounds difficulties. The licensing decision arrived “well into the business cycle” after keepers had been hired and preparations made, forcing shoots to absorb costs for cancelled gamebird orders.

“It is fantastic for my mental wellbeing,” says picker-up

For picker-up Mark Witham, the possibility of the Bulford and Tidworth Garrison Shoot’s closure threatens everything. When he left the Army “physically and mentally broken” after 36 years of service, the shoot became his salvation. “I’m outside with my dogs, talking to different people every day. It is fantastic for my mental wellbeing.”

Mr Witham’s five dogs represent more than companionship: they are also his business as a gundog trainer. “I’ll have dogs that I can’t employ. They’re my livelihood. I’d have to get rid of my picking-up team.”

The military connection runs deeper than individual stories such as Mr Witham’s. Armed Forces personnel experience higher depression rates than civilians, making community activities vital for recovery. The Bulford and Tidworth Garrison Shoot will provide dedicated days for 10 regiments this year alone, while also catering for non-military club members.

Knock-on effects of closure

Mr Carter warns of knock-on effects: “If there’s no shoot, there’s no gamekeeper, no picker-ups, no beaters, no food going into the community, no fieldsports going to the military community.”

He also points to the consequences for wildlife. Without gamebird releases, shoots cannot employ gamekeepers whose predator control directly benefits the species supposedly being protected on Salisbury Plain – the stone curlew. “If you don’t shoot the foxes, they eat the birds,” he stated bluntly.

BASC’s deputy conservation director, Marnie Lovejoy, argues Natural England ignores “the impact of removing predator control and habitat management” that shoots provide. “There is ample evidence that shows that protected bird species are thriving in areas where you have a shoot,” she said, urging Natural England to “take a step back and reassess the situation”.

But Natural England defended its position: “We have been tasked by Defra with considering individual licences for gamebird releases. But given the very high risk of transmission of this deadly disease, government policy makes clear they can only be granted if there is evidence of exceptional circumstances and clear measures to reduce risk of transmission.”

Inconsistencies

However, Mr Carter identifies three fundamental inconsistencies in the licensing rules: first, while gamebirds cannot be released on his shoot due to bird flu fears, hundreds of ducks could be, simply by virtue of their status as a native species. Secondly, nearby shoots beyond the border of the SPA can release tens of thousands of gamebirds but he can’t even release one. And finally, the blanket approach to licensing ignores the reality that there has only ever been one case of bird flu in Wiltshire. This has led Mr Carter to describe the situation as “yet another assault on the rural community”.

He warns: “There are eight shoots here on Salisbury Plain, all of which will go out of business in the not-too-distant future if there is not some measured and sensible assessment done by Natural England.”

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’s Tim Weston emphasised the broader impact: “There are hundreds of livelihoods at risk, not to mention the risk to the species that Natural England have an obligation to protect. Simply speaking, the Government’s decision to not issue a general licence to release [gamebirds on or near SPAs] is bad for people and bad for wildlife.”

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