Hi there
Heard about this article in today's news. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-11624253 I felt sad for the animal involved. The shooting was legal but why on earth shot a stag in the middle of the rutting season, and for what reason! So unnecessary, and sad Regards Kathy and Dave
Oh Blackbird, I so agree - why shoot a magnificent stag at the beginning of a rutt - he will not have the opportunity of passing his healthy genes on this year - and all because of some trophy hunter who wants to display the antlers on a wall somewhere. That's sad.
ClaireM
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Hi Blackbird. This news has certainly caused a lot of interest here in the SW. As you say, the shooting seems to have been licensed and properly legal. I personally accept that the deer numbers have to be conrtolled and licensing people to stalk and shoot them seems to have been working to keep the herd at sustainable numbers for a good number of years. However, I would like to see more conditions on shooting. As well as the rut being a bad time for shooting, such things as maintaining good, healthy stock and the use of the carcase should be considered. People going out and shooting any animals they want for any reason, such as collecting the heads for antler decorations should be a thing of the past in my view. Perhaps something will be done after this particulary unfortunate incident.
Hi-
my info is that shooting at rut is done for a couple of reasons; it's easier to get a clean shot as the deer are out , and it's handy for removing older stags to let younger ones take over.
Apparently the dead stag was seen from a vehicle by a local guy. It may not have ended up as a trophy, it appears not to have been shot by paying hunters.
It has to be done- or the deer would starve in winter, there isnt enough land for the population .
S
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Yes, Semouraves, the culling does have to be done and the system of licensing hunters works well. But I just think more conditions might need to be set. Like earmarking certain stags to be shot, or not to be shot, in a particular year. You'ld still get rogue shooters and you'ld still get people who'd get upset at anything being killed at all. I think that this particular shooting was not considered by the rangers to be desirable this year and I think, perhaps, the licensing could include more information/conditions about which animals should be shot and when. Rumours fly around, of course, and people get heated up, so I accept we're not clear about all the facts yet.
I'm sorry to say that according to local news, of which there is plenty on this shooting, the stag was shot by some-one who had purchased shooting rights off of the land-owner whose land the "Emperor" was on. The head [plus antlers, of course] could be worth up to 2k, stuffed and mounted. Although he was getting on a bit, "Emperor" was in good health, and it seems a shame he could not have had what might have been his last season as top stag. Who could possibly want a dead animal's head staring down at them?
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