Retain falconers rights to practice upland falconry in Scotland

FIGHTING TO PROTECT UPLAND FALCONRY IN SCOTLAND

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Help us preserve our heritage

Find out all the latest news and links regarding the petition progress right here on the AFWF website.

We also post regular updates to our facebook page.

  • We are calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend the Animals and Wildlife Act 2020 to allow mountain hares to be hunted for the purposes of falconry.

LATEST SITUATION | 29th March 2023

Today the Public Petition Committee have re-opened the petition to allow for signatures once more.

Now at a critical point in proceedings, we need you to show the Scottish Government how important it is to allow eagles hunt freely in the Scottish Mountains again!

Please watch The Eagle's Lament video below to learn more, and the click here to sign the petition. You do not need to be a falconer to sign, and you can sign from anywhere in the world.




7th December 2022

Today the Scottish Parliament's Public Petition Committee met once again to discuss the ongoing petition first raised by Barry Blyther in February 2021. In that time a small group of falconers have been working hard 'behind the scenes' with Barry, to put together and present the committee with ongoing information to support the petition as it went through each stage of discussion.

Today the committee were joined by Barry in person, in order to take evidence directly over the issues with the change in legislation to protect Mountain Hare and its ongoing impact on falconry. As well as being the author of the petition, Barry is a lifelong follower of falconry, who has actively been flying birds for over 30 years.

Barry did a fantastic job, in showing both his personal passion and wider in-depth knowledge of the subject, answering the committee's wide ranging questions in a clear and level manner. This left the committee with no option but to continue to pursue a solution for falconers after Barry's answers clearly demonstrated the multi-layered issues at hand.

This is another fantastic milestone reached in the battle to protect Upland Falconry. Proof that falconers can stand up and fight for our unique traditions. We look forward to updating you all further on the matter as it progresses.

You can watch the whole meeting below:

Link to the Scottish Parliment website: Watch Now
(Start point of the relevent petition is at 10:38:55)