I READ Joan Jones' letter Hunting with dogs is just not a natural act, Points of view, March 27, with a degree of concern.

The letter recounts an anecdote of a fox being flushed out of a hole and having serious internal injuries, then goes on to suggest that deer flushed out by dogs are in some way damaged.

I assume this is an attempt to justify the law's requirement that flushed out deer must be shot dead as soon as is reasonably possible.

I would support deer that have serious internal injuries being shot dead.

However, I can assure people that none of the deer I flush out are damaged. I know this because I often see them happily grazing across the valley.

Deer have evolved over thousands of years to sense and escape from predators. They do not then drop dead having done so.

Millions of dog walkers around the country take dogs into areas where wild mammals are present. Wild mammals are flushed out every day all over the country. This does not damage the deer in any way and there is no sensible reason that flushed out deer should have to be shot.

It is widely acknowledged that the Hunting Act is an absurd law and should be repealed.

Giles Bradshaw

Rose Ash, South Molton

(by email)