I SHARE the sadness expressed by Jennie Cook at the lack of feeling or compassion of the shooting fraternity towards wildlife, Inappropriate time to go out with guns, Letters, June 7.

I find shooting birds and wildlife for sport to be repugnant in the extreme and fail to understand why those shooters who are members of the Game and Wildlife Conservancy Trust are eligible to claim tax relief on their subscriptions and donations.

The Game and Wildlife Conservancy Trust changed its name from the Game Conservancy Trust in October 2007. My dictionary defines 'game' as wild animals hunted by sportsmen.

In November 2002, I wrote to the Charity Commissioners objecting to the GCT being accepted as a registered charity. The Commissioners replied saying, inter alia: "As you are aware, the whole question of the role of field sports in the conservation of game is both a contentious and political one —- and not one on which it would be appropriate for us to comment."

Now that the Hunting Act 2004 has been placed on the statute book I think it may be time for me to write again to the Charity Commissioners.

In my view there is nothing charitable about hunting with dogs for sport and it may well be unlawful.

I am disappointed that, to date, the Charity Commission has failed to properly address this matter.

Having been born in the 1920s my brain may no longer be operating at optimum efficiency, but it is beyond my understanding that there are people in this country who purport to believe that the best way of conserving wildlife is by shooting birds and animals for sport.

John Phelps

Argyll Road, Exeter