Masked saboteurs target grouse shoot on Glorious Twelfth

A gang of 30 hunt saboteurs launched a coordinated attack on a grouse shoot in the Forest of Bowland on the Glorious Twelfth, surrounding and intimidating a group of mostly retirement-age men engaged in walked-up shooting.

The syndicate of 10 shooters, accompanied by four working dogs, had been walking the moorland for 90 minutes when masked protesters from the Hunt Saboteurs Association emerged from high ground, waving banners and shouting abuse before descending to surround them.

A source from the shoot told Shooting Times exclusively: “We’re just older gentlemen walking rough bog and heather to preserve a centuries-old tradition whilst supporting our mental health. Our impact is minimal – we hadn’t shot for two years due to poor breeding seasons. We only operate when conservation assessments confirm sustainable bird numbers.”

Syndicate stands firm under pressure

Despite deliberate provocation tactics designed to elicit angry responses for social media, the shooters maintained remarkable composure. Saboteurs, equipped with body cams, attempted to wind up participants through personal jibes, with some trying to goad members into confrontation, clearly hoping to capture inflammatory footage.

“It was intimidating having people dressed like militants with just their eyes visible, waving banners and surrounding us,” the source explained. “Some were making personal attacks, but we kept the conversation civil. When they realised they couldn’t provoke any reaction, they became visibly frustrated and bored.”

Calls for stronger police action

Roger Seddon, Countryside Alliance shooting campaign manager, condemned the incident: “The disruption of legal activity on private property is aggravated trespass – a criminal offence. Saboteurs who disrupt shooting show themselves as totally ignorant of the huge benefits shooting brings to the countryside.”

“The government is passing legislation to increase police powers preventing disruptive protestors from concealing their identity. However, existing powers and those proposed are only useful if police actually implement them.”

Police attended the scene but no arrests were made. According to the saboteurs’ social media posts, they were stopped by North Yorkshire Police for routine checks of their vehicles before going on to disrupt another shoot near Kettlewell.

Jurisdictional issues

Shooting Times contacted both police forces for comment on the Forest of Bowland incident. Each said it was a matter for the other, presumably due to the shoot’s proximity to the boundary – a jurisdictional issue that could delay effective police response for rural shoots.

However, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “Our Rural Policing Task Force maintains regular engagement with farmers, landowners, and gamekeepers to address rural crime. During grouse shooting season, officers carry out high-visibility patrols to respond swiftly to incidents and ensure everyone’s safety.”

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