Hunting fraternity shows true colours
ONCE again the hunting fraternity has shown itself in its true light with the demise of Exmoor's magnificent stag.
Time and time again we hear that deer need to be managed to weed out the sick and the lame – but, like the stag hunts, the hunters go after the best trophy available.
It is unbelievable that this coalition Government will attempt to remove what little protection our wildlife has by the repeal of the Hunting Act. That would be like presenting bankers with Government-funded bonuses.
All this effort is going into pandering to the blood sports lobby when foxhunters mickey-take with their 'trail hunting' antics and the stag hunts have the audacity to state that they are undertaking scientific research and observation activities with a squadron of quad bikes and relays of hound pairs.
But the overarching reasons that the hunting ban must stay is that the will of the majority must be respected, and on the global stage this country is seen as home of Blue Planet, Natural World and many more groundbreaking nature programs, and we need to play a lead role in the preservation of world wildlife.
Graham Forsyth
Fairway Rise, Chard
Comments
by FW Kirkham, Devon
Thursday, October 28 2010, 4:41PM
“I am no fan of stag hunting with hounds but it is not fair to lump in trophy stag shooters and those that hunt to hounds. Possibly unlike Graham Forsyth, I have spoken to people who go stag hunting and the ones I spoke to are keen on stag management. Hunts used to select out old and unhealthy stags by locating these a day or so before the hunt.
As I said, I do not like stag hunting, but the case of the Exmoor Emperor and others like it may be a consequence of a ban on stag hunting that was not followed through with a system to ensure that deer were managed properly afterwards (see comments to Giles Bradshaw's letter on this same web-page).”