SHOCKING pictures show dozens of partridges that were shot for sport and then dumped in full view of the public at the roadside.
The decaying carcasses were ditched in a lay by on the A91 between Tillicoultry and Dollar, Clackmannanshire, at the end of last month.
They were discovered by a local dog walker who does not wish to be identified, who believes the birds were left there after a shoot.
Distressing images show around 30 red-legged partridges decomposing at the roadside, showing no signs of having been debreasted for meat.
Another snap shows a mass of feathers allegedly from previously dumped, decomposing birds.
The heartbreaking photos were shared widely across social media after they appeared on the blog Raptor Persecution Scotland.
The images prompted outrage from social media users.
David Thompson commented: “‘Sport’ it’s just slaughter for fun, there is no sport.”
Marian Sheehan wrote: “Senseless stupidity.”
Tash Hutchins added: “This is disgusting. I get hunting to eat but don’t understand the need for this carnage and waste!”
And Julie Marshall said: “There’s just no need for this absolutely barbaric to kill for killing sake is downright sick.
“You must have some sort of sickness in you to be this vile.
“Hope whomever has done this has life of pain and neglect and dies a very long painful death.”
Partridge shooting is legal during the open season in Scotland which is from September 1 to February 1.
Many supporters of the sport defend shooting game by claiming to eat their kills.
However, the 58-year-old dog walker who found the birds confirmed they did not appear to have been used for meat.
Speaking today, he said: “It is revolting that birds are just raised and then shot. There’s no pretense that people were shooting them for the table.
“They were discarded in a public place and obviously there are health implications.
“There are children around and you know they are attractive birds, they are interesting to children and it would have been quite traumatic for them.
“They’ve probably come from a commercial shoot, it’s disgusting.”
“I spoke to the RSPB, the police and the council and it was seen by them as a fly tipping offence, but by the time they came to deal with it they had been removed.
“It obviously has happened before because there was a lot of feathers.”
Clackmannanshire council confirmed they were awaiting advice on how to deal with the birds.
A council spokeswoman said: “These dead red-legged partridges were reported to us and we reported them to DEFRA.
“While awaiting advice from DEFRA on how to dispose of them, the birds were removed the following day.”
