Campaigners demanding a goose shoot along the Moray coast be outlawed have called on the region’s residents to boost their cause.
The Friends of Findhorn Bay group is urging people opposed to the practice to contact council and political leaders with demands that it be banned.
More than 800 people have already backed a petition, but protestors hope to escalate matters ahead of a crunch council meeting next month.
The Friends of Findhorn Bay collective was established to help promote the beauty spot as a peaceful retreat and safe haven for wildlife.
They say that shooters killing geese as they fly overhead near Kinloss is at odds with its image as a nature reserve.
Campaigner Lisa Mead said: “People who feel as strongly as we do about this need to let those in power know about it.
“We were amazed that so many people signed our petition, but we need to keep this pressure up.
“We want people writing to and e-mailing councillors and their MSP to express their views.
“Our position is that there needs to be a total ban on shooting at Findhorn, rather than just a change in regulations.
“People feel intimidated when they see men in camouflage waving guns down by the beach, it puts them off going there.”
However, local wildfowlers say the traditional practice should be allowed to continue – albeit under tighter regulations.
A spokesman for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation said wildfowling added hundreds of millions to the Scottish economy.
Last month, Moray MSP Richard Lochhead met with representatives from both groups to hear arguments for and against the practice.
Yesterday, Mr Lochhead said he was investigating ways to resolve the dispute.
He said: “I continue to be contacted by constituents about wildfowling at Findhorn Bay.
“I have written to the chief executives at Scottish Natural Heritage and Moray Council, and the Scottish Government Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform to establish what options are available.
“I will, of course, keep everyone who contacts me on the matter up to date as things progress.”
Next month, the local authority’s economic development and infrastructure services committee will meet to discuss the petition.