# Does anyone watch Countryfile?



## Pampera (13 December 2010)

interesting debate going on here

http://www.countryfile.com/forum/post3795.html#p3795


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## tweedette (14 December 2010)

I listened to it the other night and it was going on about Scottish wildcats(couldnt watch as it makes my blood boil) , I bred these for 13 yrs with great sucess in a small animal visitors centre we used to run, let many kittens go to captive breeding programmes and re release ones , when we moved the remainder (7) went to Howletts zoo, its funny when we had them not a one was interested in them but now!! oh yes now!! they are all IN!! why cos some guy from america is funding the breeding programme, no-one took the slightest interest when we were doing it and it was all self funded. The cats bred well, and looked great they were superb examples - funding for us? not in a million years, credit for us - - naaaa, we were just the suckers who provided the baseline for their project by using our animals.............grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Why did we let them go? well our new home didnt have suitable housing for them and we tended to have our lives ruled by the police and the sspca, so we let them go, ..........all they had to do was ask for them and give us a bit of credit but the heavy handed way they got them has left a bitter taste in our mouths . Bully boys .


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## Eddie Edster (14 December 2010)

Interesting read


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## Pampera (14 December 2010)

It's interesting how keen the Govt has become on reintroducing what were once regarded as 'dangerous/pest' species to the countryside.

I'm guessing that Scottish wildcats were never a real threat to anything larger than a hen, but what about some of the others?

For example, I wonder what the equestrian community's take is on the introduction of sea eagles to east anglia and the reintroduction of wolves to Scotland?


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## tweedette (14 December 2010)

I'm all for releasing wolves and bears into the scottish government building ............


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## Tinkerbee (16 December 2010)

The link I got was about the 4x4s? I thought it was a pile of... 

The so called "responsible" offroaders were what I would class as muppets! Pay £20 to charge around churning up the ground and wreck your car... great. Goodness knows what the bad ones are! 

It was either Pay and Play idiots or people who go out in a group of 10+ and don't stick to the paths. Neither of those is responsible offroading IMO!

I ride and offroad in, shock horror, the Peak District. When we go out in the 4x4s there are usually two landies and we always always stick to where we are allowed. So many times we have seen an interesting looking footpath that we could fit down, but we are well behaved. 

And as a horse rider I far prefer to come across friendly chaps in defenders than sour faced walkers who march on past regardless, or day trippers and their manic dog who snaps at your ankles. Dirt bikers I cannot stand though...have yet to meet a nice group! Think it might be because there are always loads of them.

4X4s also help keep some lanes clear, that would otherwise be overgrown. Also the idiot who claimed that because some who were stopped were uninsured meant all should be banned was an utter tit. I'm sure we wouldn't be banning ON road traffic just because a few are uninsured...


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## mon (17 December 2010)

I met 6 scramblers the other day on a BOAT which says no motiorbikes or vehicles Oct to April and when spoke to them got a load of abuse as they skidded of at high revs, told footpath council but what can they do.


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## Azmar (17 December 2010)

Personally I have found off roaders a horse friendly courteous bunch here in Peak District, guess I have been lucky. It's the mountain bikers I have more problems with as they are 'silent' as bells are no longer used. On the roads I certainly find bikers some of the most considerate. I always think they know how vulnerable we are as they are closer to our predicament in traffic?


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## mon (17 December 2010)

99% of cyclists are excellent, they are where they are alowe to be, but these scramblers were not meant to be there in winter


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## Alec Swan (17 December 2010)

Pampera said:



			It's interesting how keen the Govt has become on reintroducing what were once regarded as 'dangerous/pest' species to the countryside.

I'm guessing that Scottish wildcats were never a real threat to anything larger than a hen, but what about some of the others?

For example, I wonder what the equestrian community's take is on the introduction of sea eagles to east anglia and the reintroduction of wolves to Scotland?
		
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An interesting post. The "re-introduction" of any wildlife,  is most certainly,  fraught with problems.  I consider it to be lunacy,  generally.  

I wasn't aware that Wild Cats were being re-introduced. As a species,  and as individuals,  they cover vast areas of the Highlands.  They have never been present in large numbers,  and the very good reason for that,  is that to find prey,  and to be able to procreate,  support,  and rear their young,  they need huge areas.

Young Wild Cats will learn from their mothers,  how to support themselves.  A technique,  which I would doubt that humans can teach.  Consider another cat,  Elsa,  and the shameful debacle that followed her release!

I have some sympathy with the previous poster,  who released their cats,  and they probably had little choice.  I wonder how many survived.  Very few,  I would think.

The better way is to give adequate protection,  and create an environment,  one which will support the correctly,  small numbers.

Sea Eagles?  Madness,  here in East Anglia.  We have an ecology which they have no part in,  and haven't for several hundred years.  Wolves?  Further madness.  There is no environment in which they can prosper,  not in the UK,  anyway.

Alec.


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## 1stclassalan (17 December 2010)

Around my part of the world there seems to be several large cats ( much bigger than a Scottish Wildcat ) surviving for years ..... or they are breeding. I first saw one at very close quarters in 1985 and quite often through '86 - it took itself off somewhere for a couple of years then reappeared in nearby woodland - my mare knew where it was even if I missed it!

During 1992 - the last bad winter here, it or another just like it was killing Muntjack deer and dragging the bodies up a tree. I have absolutely no intention of revealing where this might be for the animal's safety.


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## Pampera (17 December 2010)

mon said:



			I met 6 scramblers the other day on a BOAT which says no motiorbikes or vehicles Oct to April and when spoke to them got a load of abuse as they skidded of at high revs, told footpath council but what can they do.
		
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Two points of advice:

1) When you say scramblers, were they riding motocross bikes (no lights or number plate, loud exhaust) or trail/enduro bikes (Lights, number plates, quieter exhausts)?

If the former then yes they really are a pain, and should not be there at all at any time of the year. the best thing to d is see if there is a van or car and trailer at the end of the lane and note the reg no, then report to the police.

If they do have numberplates then the best thing to do is say nothing, but note at least one of the reg numbers and report to the police.

It's important that you differentiate between the 2, as the first lot are committing more offences, but the second are easier for the police to catch!

i'm a legal trail rider, and I offer you this advice in the hope that you can help get these idiots stopped!

Good luck and best wishes


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## EAST KENT (17 December 2010)

ONLY ONE CAT TAKES IT`S KILLS UP INTO TREES ..THE LEOPARD.wE HAVE A RESIDENT POPULATION OF MELANISTIC ONES AROUND THIS SIDE OF kENT,AND AS YOU SAY KEEP STUM TO PROTECT THEM AS THEY DO NO HARM REALLY AND ARE A PRIVILEGE TO SEE.


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## mon (18 December 2010)

these had no number plates, I didnt realise they shoudnt be there anytime why is this? why do a few in anything spoil it for the rest? we also have santa pod drag strip close by another ride an no way can you take iffy horses up there with drifters or jet car noises and it is full on lots of weekend some weekdays from dusk till dark then shoots, but if its legal have to put up with it.


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## perfect11s (18 December 2010)

mon said:



			these had no number plates, I didnt realise they shoudnt be there anytime why is this? why do a few in anything spoil it for the rest? we also have santa pod drag strip close by another ride an no way can you take iffy horses up there with drifters or jet car noises and it is full on lots of weekend some weekdays from dusk till dark then shoots, but if its legal have to put up with it.
		
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 Yes   they have to be 100% legal and comply with  the same laws as if they were on a tarmac road  also cannot  go  back and too  endlesly, the right of way  is  to  pass and re pass... not  to 
play on the highway...


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## Pampera (18 December 2010)

mon said:



			these had no number plates, I didnt realise they shoudnt be there anytime why is this? why do a few in anything spoil it for the rest? we also have santa pod drag strip close by another ride an no way can you take iffy horses up there with drifters or jet car noises and it is full on lots of weekend some weekdays from dusk till dark then shoots, but if its legal have to put up with it.
		
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OK. A BOAT is a public highway, and any motor vehicle used on it has to be taxed, registered and insured plus MOT'd (if applicable),and the driver must hold the appropriate licence.

This is also true for farm vehicles that may be using any public right of way (even a footpath) under landowner rights. The law is very clear: a public highway is any route to which the public has access, it doesn't matter what the surface is. Even the supermarket car park is a public highway.

What you saw were what we trail riders call: 'tossers on crossers'. They ride about on, often stolen, motocrossers (bikes sold only for racing off-road on closed 'scrambles' courses). They are operating entirely outside the law, and face severe penalties if caught.

If you encounter these people, DO NOT ATTEMPT A CONFRONTATION, BUT CALL THE POLICE.

They have no right to be there on those bikes at all. They are destroying the hobby I love and fight so hard for.

Ride safe and best wishes


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## Pampera (18 December 2010)

Oh,and here's a link to a basic guide to countryside motorcycling that I wrote:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/R...0/December/dec0610-where-can-i-ride-off-road/


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## irish_only (18 December 2010)

ChristmasBee said:



			The link I got was about the 4x4s? I thought it was a pile of... 

The so called "responsible" offroaders were what I would class as muppets! Pay £20 to charge around churning up the ground and wreck your car... great. Goodness knows what the bad ones are! 

It was either Pay and Play idiots or people who go out in a group of 10+ and don't stick to the paths. Neither of those is responsible offroading IMO!

I ride and offroad in, shock horror, the Peak District. When we go out in the 4x4s there are usually two landies and we always always stick to where we are allowed. So many times we have seen an interesting looking footpath that we could fit down, but we are well behaved. 

And as a horse rider I far prefer to come across friendly chaps in defenders than sour faced walkers who march on past regardless, or day trippers and their manic dog who snaps at your ankles. Dirt bikers I cannot stand though...have yet to meet a nice group! Think it might be because there are always loads of them.

4X4s also help keep some lanes clear, that would otherwise be overgrown. Also the idiot who claimed that because some who were stopped were uninsured meant all should be banned was an utter tit. I'm sure we wouldn't be banning ON road traffic just because a few are uninsured...
		
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This is such a contentious issue!!! I am also in the Peak Disrict, really do not mind off roaders, except when the bikes cause such a mess on the lanes that some of them are no longer safe to ride on because of the 'third rut'. See http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=420991 and see what response you get from the bikers. I have ONE bridleway near me, the rest are boats, and basically un-rideable. WHY is that acceptable to the bikers and we should eff off back to either the roads or an arena?????????


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## tweedette (18 December 2010)

A genuine wildcat will not breed until it is 3 yrs old, then will have a single litter of between 1 and 4 kittens , if other females are present they will all take their kittens together an rear them as a commune. wildcats breed once a year only not as domestic cats.

but then again........... what do i know lol


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## Pampera (18 December 2010)

irish_only said:



			This is such a contentious issue!!! I am also in the Peak Disrict, really do not mind off roaders, except when the bikes cause such a mess on the lanes that some of them are no longer safe to ride on because of the 'third rut'. See http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=420991 and see what response you get from the bikers. I have ONE bridleway near me, the rest are boats, and basically un-rideable. WHY is that acceptable to the bikers and we should eff off back to either the roads or an arena?????????
		
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One of the problems with the 'messed lanes' is that the NERC act closed many sustainable routes to motor users, which means some of the rest are now over-used.

It might be worth getting in contact with some of the local user groups (4X4 and TRF) to see if they will help with lane maintenance. We've just done a little exercise in Gloucestershire on a couple of lanes, which was primarily aimed at helping horse riders (some of our members ride horses and bikes).

The county council might provide the material, the 4x4 the transport and the TRF and horse riders the muscle, spades and rakes.


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## Pampera (19 December 2010)

See

http://www.trailbikemag.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22710


This is the TRF and 4x4 groups repairing damage caused by the landowner!


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