Hair raising footage obtained by the HSA shows an illegal snare set on a badger run, while a young badger cub grooms themself during their evening routine. The snare, set on the Welbeck Estate, was found close to poison boxes, dead poisoned rats and illegally set Fenn traps; all a fairly standard site for a shooting estate! The issue was covered by The Canary here https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/05/14/illegal-snares-exposed-on-elite-estate
Doughnut of death
As the young badger cub preens themself, signs of badger capture can be seen surrounding the snare. While branches have been used to channel unsuspecting badgers into the wire noose, disturbed earth in a circular ‘doughnut’ shape can be observed. Alongside nearby chewed, clawed wood; all clear signs that an animal has been captured in this snare, before it was callously reset by the estate keepers. To top it off, coagulated blood is seen in the sandy soil. An indication that the suffering of the struggling snared animal was brought to a close at the end of the keeper’s gun.
The DEFRA Code of Practice on the use of snares in fox and rabbit control states; ‘Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is an offence to set in position any trap or snare calculated (intended) to cause bodily injury… to badgers’. Guidance issued by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) details that snares must be removed if there are signs that ‘non target’ species, such as badgers, have been captured. All proving that industry ‘best practice’ is nothing but lip service in the face of gamekeeper’s desire to kill anything which threatens large ‘bags’ of pheasant and partridge shot on the estate.
You can read more on snaring here Word On The Wire: An End To Snaring In England? – Hunt Saboteurs Association
Royally cruel
Perhaps confusingly, snares can still be used legally in England. Obviously, this doesnt excuse the disgusting practice. Though the practice was banned in 2024 in Scotland and 2023 in Wales. A ban on snaring has been working through the English parliament for some time and was billed as a potential legislation to be mentioned in the King’s Speech on Wednesday 13th May though the promised change to English law did not make the final speech, this does not mean that the potential ban has gone away.
It’s somehow hard to imagine King Charles saying anything about banning snares, amongst the pomp and regalia of the monarch’s opening speech to Parliament. The Royals are known to be avid fans and participants in bloodsports. The King’s own Estates have come under fire for snaring multiple times; with a fox filmed in a Sandringham snare in 2024 and a Royal gamekeeper fined for snaring a badger at Royal Deeside in 2009. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/outrage-video-shows-fox-caught-34126865
Local links
Funnily enough, in 2011 the then Prince Charles actually visited the Welbeck Estate. One has to wonder whether he was given a tour of the illegal traps and reported raptor persecution from the estate, or simply stuck to the Welbeck Brewery and School of Artisan Food -which are situated on the Estate. Welbeck is a 1500 acre estate on the borders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Its origins can be traced to the 12th century. It is owned by William Parente, the grandson of the 7th Duke of Portland. He is the ex-High Sheriff of Nottingham and was reported to be worth £200 million in 2011. While Welbeck is home to pheasant and partridge shooting, it is also home to tourist attractions Welbeck Abbey and Creswell Craggs.
Perilous poison at the Craggs
Creswell Craggs is a popular natural feature and walking destination, featuring footpaths which lead further into the Welbeck Estate. The horrifying video obtained by the HSA was filmed just metres from one such footpath, often frequented by dog walkers. The grain style poison bait found nearby is likely to be a Second Generation Anti Coagulant, which is highly dangerous to wildlife, due to the risks of poison being transferred to other species, as highlighted by Wild Justice. Dead, poisoned rats were found littered around the area. Rats left in the open like this creates a high risk that they will be found and eaten by dogs and other wildlife, creating a high environmental risk. https://wildjustice.org.uk/cause/rodenticides
The shooting industry has regularly come under fire for improper use of poison. Recently, ITV News published undercover footage of a worker at Heart of England Farm in Warwickshire, which breeds pheasant and partridge to release for shooting, admitting to improper use of poison. Similar sachets of brodifacum were also found littered around the Allendale Estate in Northumberland. Campaign group Wild Justice have covered the issue of poisoning in more depth. In 2022 the HSA helped to expose a Shropshire gamekeeper who was convicted of using poison bait to target predators on a shooting estate.
https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/pure-poison-shropshire-gamekeeper-caught-using-toxic-bait/
After seeing the footage last week Chris Packham said;
“Snaring is non-selective, savage and should be banned now. This shocking scene reveals the widespread illegal activity associated with the shooting industry and thanks to the sabs it is no longer out of sight and will not be out of the mind of the UK public, a nation of animal lovers who want change now, who want snaring banned now.’
A spokesperson from the Hunt Saboteurs Association said;
“We were angered to see signs of animal torture, though with the blatant positioning of this snare, set at badger height almost in the entrance to a badger sett, it would be unsurprising if the Welbeck gamekeepers hadn’t killed a badger here. Despite the shooting industry’s claims of being custodians of the countryside, we know that they will always prioritise their hideous bloodsports. Shooting estates are littered with cruel traps designed to harm and kill, alongside poison; which causes untold suffering to wildlife and the environment and threatens the public’s enjoyment of the natural world.
The King may have forgotten about snaring, but the Hunt Saboteurs Association has not! Boots on the ground will always be the most important defence for wildlife.”
It’s not over yet! Report your findings!
We can never sit back and expect those in power to protect animals for us. Keep your eyes on the ground and report any findings of traps or snares to the HSA. The campaign against snaring has been long fought by many groups alongside the HSA https://www.animalaid.org.uk/campaigns/anti-snaring-campaign/ and it is not over yet!
The government has launched a public consultation on Trail Hunting – this is our chance to stop cruel hunting for good. You can read the HSA’s guidance and take part in the consultation here. The deadline is 18th June 2026 – make sure your voice is heard.
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