Police are warning of a surge in rural crime as the game bird shooting season approaches, with poachers and trespassers targeting land and wildlife.
Officers warn that the season often coincides with a spike in rural crime, including trespassing and poaching, alongside burglary and damage to property.
Landowners and gamekeepers are said to face abuse, threats and intimidation from offenders — and in some cases serious violence when challenging them.
Between September 2024 and February 2025, Hampshire Police recorded 55 reports specifically related to game bird poaching in the county alone.
Inspector Cath MacDonald, of the Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force, said: “We know that those who poach are often linked to wider crime networks involved in theft, burglary, criminal damage, violence and anti-social behaviour.
“The groups involved blight the countryside, which is why we are urging people to report crime as well as suspicious activity to police so our dedicated Task Force can take action."
Earlier this month the Task Force arrested a man whilst on patrol in the Bishop’s Waltham area, and after searching the vehicle he was driving they found evidence of poaching and other crimes including dead pheasants, a catapult, ball bearings, some cannabis and a knife discarded nearby.
Michelle Nudds, South East director of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), said wildlife crime impacts both individuals and communities.
"The scale of poaching and hare coursing varies geographically and seasonally, often organised by criminal gangs. Many individuals involved in poaching are also engaged in other rural and urban crimes.
“Farmers or gamekeepers who intervene in poaching or hare coursing may face intimidation through threats of violence, and in some cases, they are assaulted while trying to protect their livelihoods and property."
BASC recently funded a £40,000 initiative through its Legacy Fund to support the National Wildlife Crime Unit’s digital training academy, which will provide police forces across the UK with the specialised knowledge needed to combat poaching effectively.
Police are asking people in rural areas to be alert to suspicious activity, including unknown vehicles on farmland or individuals engaging in lamping — where powerful lights are used to locate and kill wildlife at night.
Residents are advised not to confront suspected offenders, but to dial 999 if a crime is in progress. Officers also ask the public to report anyone seen carrying or using catapults in rural areas, particularly in places known for wildlife and game bird populations.
