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Chris Packham

Neil Smart

Neil Smart

Senior Member
If anyone hasn't seen the Walks that saved my life, on BBC please check it out. It gives a tremendous insight into this man, his love of nature, his battles with mental health, his obsessive love of dogs, well Poodles really. All filmed alongside the beautiful Itchen, well done Beeb totally captivating.
 
I watched it, and have heard and seen over the years about his problems, time and time again. There's even a FB page for fans and supporters.
I couldn't believe a man of his age, bleating away about how unfit he was..... He's 60, not 80! My dad walked up an extremely steep hill in Painswick to get his newspaper, in to his late 80's. Packham looked way overdressed for the walk he'd set himself up for. The lady on the bike was in short sleeves!
Nah, I really am fed up with this Packham 'oh woe is me' stuff.
 
I find him a pain in the butt he is a dangerous person with his comments about country sports. I get fed up with hearing all these people bleating on about there health problems and mental health issues through lockdown. My mates and myself lived through the bombing and doodle bugs etc, we only went to school in the mornings it didn’t do us any harm. I suffer from some major health problems its between me and my close friends, I just get on with life, at 83 I often leave 40 50 years behind when going across the fields to a river. I also fish most days of the week look after 2 miles of river and raise needed funds for my 3 charities. What does Packham give back to society?
 
There is a lot of bullshit about Chris Packham being deliberately spread by the Grouse shooting industry. It's being going on for years. Sadly mud sticks.

Chris Packham has campaigned against driven grouse shooting, and for very good reason. It is an activity which is underpinned by criminal activity, e.g. the systematic persecution of hen harriers. The Langholm Moor project proved beyond and doubt that hen harriers and driven grouse shooting are incompatible because harriers eat the 'shootable surplus'. That's why hen harriers were practically driven to extinction in England a few years back. And the persecution is systematic, anybody who knows what they talking about understands this. And not just on the moors, keepers travelling across the country to target harriers in their winter roosts. And then you have the subject of intensive heather burning on deep peats..

Chris Packham, along with Mark Avery have done a good job in shining a light on these issues.

www.theguardian.com

The grouse shooters aim to kill: the first casualty is the truth | George Monbiot

Their campaign against the RSPB is a shameful example of ‘astroturfing’. The public should beware
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Martin James said:
I find him a pain in the butt he is a dangerous person with his comments about country sports. I get fed up with hearing all these people bleating on about there health problems and mental health issues through lockdown. My mates and myself lived through the bombing and doodle bugs etc, we only went to school in the mornings it didn’t do us any harm. I suffer from some major health problems its between me and my close friends, I just get on with life, at 83 I often leave 40 50 years behind when going across the fields to a river. I also fish most days of the week look after 2 miles of river and raise needed funds for my 3 charities. What does Packham give back to society?
Click to expand...

What comments about country sports are these Martin?

I think your completely wrong about mental health. Thankfully the world is moving on from the 'stiff upper lip/ just get on with it/strong silent type' approaches to mental health. Some unfortunate people find it crippling and it blights lives. Having higher profile public figures talking about their own experiences (in Chris Packham's case severe Asperger's and suicidal depression) must be a help to those unfortunate enough to be similarly afflicted.

Suicide is the biggest single killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK and if raising the profile of mental health issues helps just one person then that is a good thing. I know from personal experience the impact of a family member somebody taking their own life. It is utterly devastating.
 
There was a time when I was “that person” to say “pull yourself together” if someone started about being depressed, it’s probably an age thing and my upbringing BUT now that both my sons have suffered from depression and needed help I think a bit differently but the cynic in me also thinks that some people just want a peg to hang their hat on rather than getting to grips with life. I am a “glass half full” person and try to find the positives in situations, I appreciate that some others are wired differently.
 
Having suffered from mental health problems most of my life I wish society had been more understanding when I was growing up. There is a rush of people trying to use it for their own benefit, it was always going to happen and I know that the psychotherapy and psychology communities are not very happy about it, but the benefits to individuals who are suffering, previously in silence and misunderstood and to society as awhile greatly outweigh that

Chris Packham is a great role model for young people with Aspergers Syndrome, a little understood but potentially very limiting condition. He does great mental health awareness work.

My kids both love him, it was very helpful when the 9 year olds best friend was diagnosed with autism to be able to explain it to him using CP as an example of someone who had it and who was “normal”

the earlier that mental health issues are spotted in life the easier it is to be able to manage them so they don’t become life-threatening later. People like CP talking about it helps remove stigmas and encourages people to seek help for them or their children/young adults
 
Joe Winstanley said:
There is a lot of bullshit about Chris Packham being deliberately spread by the Grouse shooting industry. It's being going on for years. Sadly mud sticks.

Chris Packham has campaigned against driven grouse shooting, and for very good reason. It is an activity which is underpinned by criminal activity, e.g. the systematic persecution of hen harriers. The Langholm Moor project proved beyond and doubt that hen harriers and driven grouse shooting are incompatible because harriers eat the 'shootable surplus'. That's why hen harriers were practically driven to extinction in England a few years back. And the persecution is systematic, anybody who knows what they talking about understands this. And not just on the moors, keepers travelling across the country to target harriers in their winter roosts. And then you have the subject of intensive heather burning on deep peats..

Chris Packham, along with Mark Avery have done a good job in shining a light on these issues.

www.theguardian.com

The grouse shooters aim to kill: the first casualty is the truth | George Monbiot

Their campaign against the RSPB is a shameful example of ‘astroturfing’. The public should beware
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
Click to expand...
Hi Joe
On this we agree, There is no excuse whatsoever for gamekeepers to shoot any bird of prey, let alone Hen Harriers. And I know if goes on. So for that fair play to him , but the cynic in me feels it's the thin end of the wedge and he would happily support any moves to ban our field-sports.
Certainly the way he tried to manipulate the Government through his media profile regarding the General Licence for vermin control a few years ago did him no favours in many fieldsport circles and his attitude to anyone involved in fishing or shooting seemed pretty vindictive to me. What grinds my gears is that people like CP appear to be oblivious to the fact that we can be anglers, hunters and still have a deep respect & love for wildlife. They are not mutually exclusive.
As it happens I saw a Hen Harrier hunting on the side of the road near Castleton in the NY Moors the other day. Magnificent sight.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
There is a lot of bullshit about Chris Packham being deliberately spread by the Grouse shooting industry. It's being going on for years. Sadly mud sticks.

Chris Packham has campaigned against driven grouse shooting, and for very good reason. It is an activity which is underpinned by criminal activity, e.g. the systematic persecution of hen harriers. The Langholm Moor project proved beyond and doubt that hen harriers and driven grouse shooting are incompatible because harriers eat the 'shootable surplus'. That's why hen harriers were practically driven to extinction in England a few years back. And the persecution is systematic, anybody who knows what they talking about understands this. And not just on the moors, keepers travelling across the country to target harriers in their winter roosts. And then you have the subject of intensive heather burning on deep peats..

Chris Packham, along with Mark Avery have done a good job in shining a light on these issues.

www.theguardian.com

The grouse shooters aim to kill: the first casualty is the truth | George Monbiot

Their campaign against the RSPB is a shameful example of ‘astroturfing’. The public should beware
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
Click to expand...
Packham is also capable of BS. A few years ago he and the RSPB screamed blue murder at the disappearance of a specific harrier and obviously blamed the keepers/grouse shooters. It later turned up unharmed. Strangely enough, this self absorbed individual made very little mention of it and no hint of an apology. He also likens people who shoot to psycopathic murderers. I personally do not recall one serial killer whose interests included game shooting. Maybe he knows different.. As someone who shoots I find this offensive, not surprisingly. People like Packham refuse to acknowledge the good that shooting does for conservation generally. Because they personally find it distasteful they make the "psycopaths" comments and I very much doubt he has much time for anglers either. He should be more impartial in his views as the BBC pay him and they're supposed to be impartial but I guess we all know that's a joke.
 
Paul Richardson said:
Hi Joe
On this we agree, There is no excuse whatsoever for gamekeepers to shoot any bird of prey, let alone Hen Harriers. And I know if goes on. So for that fair play to him , but the cynic in me feels it's the thin end of the wedge and he would happily support any moves to ban our field-sports.
Certainly the way he tried to manipulate the Government through his media profile regarding the General Licence for vermin control a few years ago did him no favours in many fieldsport circles and his attitude to anyone involved in fishing or shooting seemed pretty vindictive to me. What grinds my gears is that people like CP appear to be oblivious to the fact that we can be anglers, hunters and still have a deep respect & love for wildlife. They are not mutually exclusive.
As it happens I saw a Hen Harrier hunting on the side of the road near Castleton in the NY Moors the other day. Magnificent sight.
Click to expand...
I understand that CP was a pretty keen angler in his teens and as far as I'm aware is pro-angling? I'm told he recently gave an interview where he talks about his love of grayling. He's not even campaigning to have grouse shooting banned. just driven intensive grouse shooting. Not walked up / over pointers.

I think Wild Justice was right to challenge the failings with the General Licence. I've never been comfortable with species Jays and Jackdaws being on there - it's never made any sense. Neither species is a threat to farming or game shooting yet they could be culled indiscriminately? There is no finer species for propagating oak trees than the jay, they are a species that adds life to the landscape. And worth remembering that Wild Justice did not demand that the General Licence arrangements were changed overnight, in fact they proposed it should be phased in. It was Defra and Natural England who had the hissy fit and decided the GL arrangements had to be changed overnight.

As a countryman who appreciates a range of field sports, I think the arrogant attitude of the grouse shooting industry and the likes of the Countryside Alliance do more harm to field sports than anybody.

I'm jealous of your hen harrier sighting! Not seen one in ages.
 
Paul Richardson said:
Got to be honest, I simply turn it off when he appears on the screen - involuntary reaction - which is a shame cos I used to like Countryfile.
Packham and country sports don't mix.
Robson Green has the same effect.
Click to expand...

Its right that Packham and country sports don't mix and I commend both he and Wild Justice for some of the work they've done on challenging both Natural England and DEFRA.

To echo some of Joe's comments above.........

What happens on sporting estates and particularly driven grouse moors is a national disgrace. It seems like there's a story every week involving raptor persecution and especially dead Hen Harriers on or near a driven grouse moor. Also what the hell is this all about:

Eagle Owl used to lure buzzards on sporting estate

Then we have the release of an estimated 47 million non-native pheasants annually and DEFRA don't even know what the impact is on our native wildlife! Of these 47 million birds, it is estimated that only 1/3 are actually shot, with the rest serving to boost fox and corvid numbers, which is bad news for other wildlife! Also the reason so many of our woodlands are infested with non-native rhododendrons is because, short sighted and selfish idiots have illegally planted them as cover for pheasants.

I have friends that shoot and I fully accept that shooting has its place in conservation to control some species e.g. corvids, foxes and deer; however as an angler, birder and conservationist, I don't wish to be associated with country sports!

More specifically on Packham, the mentioned Facebook fan page, came about, after the shooting mob, started a petition to get him kicked of the BBC. It is also true that he is on record as saying that as a child he had an interest in fishing, which helped nurture his love affair with nature.

Yes he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm glad such people are there to call things out like they really are!
 
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Paul Richardson said:
Hi Joe
On this we agree, There is no excuse whatsoever for gamekeepers to shoot any bird of prey, let alone Hen Harriers. And I know if goes on. So for that fair play to him , but the cynic in me feels it's the thin end of the wedge and he would happily support any moves to ban our field-sports.
Certainly the way he tried to manipulate the Government through his media profile regarding the General Licence for vermin control a few years ago did him no favours in many fieldsport circles and his attitude to anyone involved in fishing or shooting seemed pretty vindictive to me. What grinds my gears is that people like CP appear to be oblivious to the fact that we can be anglers, hunters and still have a deep respect & love for wildlife. They are not mutually exclusive.
As it happens I saw a Hen Harrier hunting on the side of the road near Castleton in the NY Moors the other day. Magnificent sight.
Click to expand...

Paul,

I think the real problem is that the shooting industry, either fails to accept that it does any wrong or sticks its head in the sand, stating that raptor persecution isn't a problem, or its just down a few bad individuals.

The Langholm project made some real progress in bringing both conservation and shooting interests together, but for unexplained reasons, those with shooting interests walked away from it.

If raptor persecution didn't happen, Wild Justice/Packham, wouldn't be calling out the driven grouse moors. The head of Natural England, Tony Juniper has recently gone on record as saying that too many Hen Harriers are still going missing on or near managed Grouse Moors. They know this through satellite tag tracking of birds.

The new general licenses from what I can tell, do the job fine and it means you can't just shoot stuff for fun or without good reason. I have had some experience of them, when checking under what conditions Canada Geese could be culled.
 
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