Teesmouth Bird Club

I saw a sheep this morning on the Rosedale road just past the LWW crossing limping and in distress and when I got closer it had a large metal trap on its front foot.
There was a 'shoot' going on with a dozen or so off roaders parked up some with blue lamping lights on their roofs, I shouted over to a couple of blokes about the sheep and they just waved and so I told them again and all i got was a ok, as if they knew something about it.
The sheep wouldnt let me get close to it.
This seems to be pretty indescriminate use of a trap to me - I dont know if this sort of thing is allowed?  
I would like to think that they sorted it out after I left.

Hi,

according to the following Gin Traps have been illegal since 1958. It also gives info at the end on how to report them

http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=461

Hi Gordon,

Jamie is right.  The Teesmoutrh Bird Club has an agreement with the Wildlife Crime Section of Cleveland Police that we report all illegal incidents, including traps, poaching, salmon fishing, hare coursing, etc.  Please report this, as it is illegal.

Well done for tyrying to do something at the time.

Ted.

Could it have possibly been a Fenn Trap ?

These are not illegal but certainly shouldn't have been set where animals other than the target species had access.

I did Google 'Gin trap' at the time and noticed the large square metal plate that I had seen on the poor sheep, but having looked at images of both types now, it probably was Fenn trap.  
Perhaps they were killing something other than Grouse as I didn't hear any shots fired although I saw a group of a dozen or so with their shot guns and there were groups of people crouched down in the heather on the Rosedale side and also on the Blakey side as I made my way back home.