A while ago we published a blog by a former gamekeeper detailing some of his activities and experiences working in the countryside.

The Ferret has just produced an article on the harassment of raptor workers in the countryside. We have also been doing some research on the harassment of individuals generally as they lived in or used the countryside around shooting estates. We have checked the accounts that we have received carefully to ensure that they are genuine. Over the next week or so we will be publishing some of them in their own words.

Today we start with the Lecturer’s Tale.

The Retired Lecturer:

“We moved to a small village in the north of England when I retired from my post as a university lecturer. Having spent a professional life in ecology I was looking forward to a quiet retirement in the heart of the country. Shortly after our arrival I was recognised by a local gamekeeper from a photo that accompanied my staff bio on the university website.

Almost immediately the previously suspicious attitude that had greeted us became decidedly hostile. When I or my wife went for walks in the surrounding countryside we were followed in a way that eventually became quite frightening. When either or both of us went onto the moor a quad bike would appear and stalk us just a few metres behinf. Attempting to slow our pace resulted in revving  of the bike and a feeling that we might be run down. On moving to the side of the track to allow the quad to pass it stopped. The rider was wearing a face covering and simply sat stride the quad bike until we started walking again when the stalking resumed. Eventually we became sufficiently concerned to contact the police. The office we spoke to suggested that we simply did not understand the ways of the countryside and that we were being hysterical. He suggested that we keep off the moors. 

We adopted this advice but then we were followed on lower ground.  Walking in the woodland near our house attracted an individual appearing nearby and following the same path, again a few metres behind us and stopping whenever we did. Speaking to these masked individuals never elicited a response.

Our car was scratched outside the local shop and then our tyres were slashed in our drive one night. Again we contacted the police and again we were told that we were being hysterical. We pushed matters and it was then suggested that we were trying to damage the reputation of the estate and its workers. I asked why we might want to do this and was told it was because I was a ’known anti’ apparently because of my previous role in a university ecology department.  I pointed out that my principle interest was with rainforests and I had never researched or written on game shooting. The police officer smiled, sighed and went away. A few weeks later we saw him in civilian clothes with a group of other shooters coming down from the moor where he had apparently been shooting.

After over two years of unpleasantness we moved away. The countryside that looked so beautiful initially had become a dark and frightening place.”