A KEEN fieldsports man who has been visiting the Bolton Abbey Estate for 35 years, has defended the shooting fraternity after a runner on the moor found a dead cat and fox were found near snares.

The runner informed the police who are investigating.

Simon Grace, from Guiseley, says gamekeepers are ‘honest, hardworking family men’ who ‘carefully manage estates it to its full potential’.

However, anti-bloodsports campaigners say the use of snares to trap animals is cruel and should be made illegal.

Mr Grace said: “The gamekeepers I know and have known from Bolton Abbey and other estates have all been  honest hard working family men  who not only work hard to manage beautiful landscapes and environments,  but also provide a habitat that supports game birds for shooting, as well as many other birds and raptors.”

He added: “The wonderful scenery at Bolton Abbey, as well as many  other shooting estates that we all see and enjoy, hasn’t happened by accident.

“It’s there for everyone to enjoy because the estate owners and gamekeepers carefully manage it to its full potential to provide habitats for many birds and wild animals.”

Chris Luffingham, director of campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “The victims of snares will suffocate or suffer horrible injuries in their struggle to escape.  “The manufacture, importing, sale and use of snares should be made illegal to end the suffering of the huge number of animals caught in them every year.

“Snares are cruel, indiscriminate and deadly and their use should no longer be allowed.”

A spokesman for the Bolton Abbey Estate said in defence of moorland species protection said: “Much of the Bolton Abbey Estate sits within the North Pennine Moors Special Protection Area (SPA).  “SPAs are selected by central government in conjunction with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee to protect one or more  rare, threatened or vulnerable bird species “A key aim of the SPA is to restrict the predation of and disturbance to breeding birds caused by native and non-native predators.  “The snares used on the estate are legal and operated by trained staff.  “We work with North Yorkshire Police Wildlife Officers, who are aware of our predator control in support of the SPA.”