REGARDING the letter from Mr M Lewis, Points of view, May 18, unlike English 'sportsmen' wild predators, hunting their prey, do not chase their quarry for three hours over a distance of up to 18km. Deer, but not foxes, may need to be culled to restrict their numbers. However, this can be done by stalking and shooting without a pack of deerhounds and a gang of horsemen pursuing stags over very long distances for sport.

On June 10, last year the Echo published my letter pointing out that the Sunday Mirror had in 2004 reported it had learned that a letter sent by the Masters of Fox Hounds Association to 800 hunt masters and chairmen warns of a nationwide "shortage of foxes". It also urged that landowners should be encouraged to breed more foxes to solve the "problem". Professor Stephen Harris, of Bristol University, who has studied the effects of fox hunting, added: "This admission reveals the hypocrisy of the pro-hunt lobby. They don't manage the fox population and they don't control it."

Contrary to the views of Mr Lewis, I believe those opposed to hunting do not object to culling deer, by stalking, in case of need. But they do strongly protest to the needless pursuit and killing of wild mammals for sport, especially when the quarry has been bred for that purpose.

John Phelps

Argyll Road, Exeter

(by email)