Police and volunteers in North Yorkshire are working to minimise the impact of the poaching season – which is well under way – on farmers, gamekeepers and landowners. Andy Walker joined them on patrol.

GANGS of poachers stalking the countryside for rabbits and hares are damaging the rural economy and being linked to more serious crimes such as burglary.

That is according to North Yorkshire Police, who have launched the force-wide Operation Jumbo to combat the problem.

On a recent weekend, it involved police and community support officers (PCSOs) from Bedale, Thirsk, Stokesley and Richmond criss-crossing their respective patches hoping to catch culprits in the act.

PC Julian Sutcliffe, who led the Bedale operation, says poachers travel into the area from County Durham and Teesside, as well as further afield.

“People come from all over to hunt with dogs,” he said.

“This is their sport, and it interferes with the livelihoods of local farmers and landowners.”

The Northern Echo accompanied Bedale police on the operation, which included PC Sutcliffe and another officer in separate vehicles, two PCSOs in an unmarked car and volunteers from the Bedale Mobile Watch scheme.

People suspected of poaching can be issued with a court summons, with hefty fines if convicted.

Officers also have the powers to seize vehicles and other equipment suspected of being used in connection with poaching.

PC Sutcliffe said: “It is difficult to measure the success of operations such as this, in that we do not always catch them in the act.”

PC Sutcliffe, who is also a wildlife officer as well as a member of the Bedale police safer neighbourhood team, says this type of operation is helping to reduce the number of reported incidents and says intelligence will help to cut down even further.

He said: “The key to success is having a network of people – farmers, gamekeepers, mobile watch volunteers and members of the public – who are prepared to ring in when they see these guys.”

Mick Benson, head gamekeeper at the 4,500-acre West Tanfield Estate for more than 25 years, has had countless run-ins with poachers on the land he is responsible for, recalling a showdown with four men who tried to steal his shotgun.

He said: “It was an awkward moment, but I knew how to deal with it.

“If that been one of the young under keepers, they would have been frightened to death and anything could have happened.”

■ Suspected poachers can be reported to North Yorkshire Police on 0845-60-60-24-7.