Can i be the first to shoot that barsteward?

[piggynose]

http://uk.news.yahoo....-antlers-6323e80.html

what a mean and callous act!!!!

[McMouse]

Why not have a 'close season' for deer if the rut is so important.

[andy-hughes]

I am entirely with you on that Boo.

I can understand the concept of unsentimentality about animals, but that does not for me stretch as far as hunting and killing them.

My new boss is a huntsman, we discussed it, and obviously see things differently.

Although in his defefnce, he only kills something he can - and does eat. Anything he doesn;t eat with his family is given away or sold to local shops so it's not done simply for sport.

Does that make it OK? No - but he is my boss, I'm keeping schtum on that!

[B00]

lmao, yeah probably wise Andy ;-)

I dunno, i just can't wrap my head around someone enjoying doing it that's all. Something truly barbaric (IMO) in being gleeful in killing something.

[sg]

The hunter will have had express permission from the land owner to shoot the stag. Considering the person concerned is a trophy hunter and will have paid a large sum for the priviledge of killing the Emperor, it follows that they would have known about its existence without the Daily Mail's help.
There I am now, defending the Daily Mail, and the killing of a magnificent beast - I think I'd better lie down.

[pastafreak]

"whether its because im "city born and bred", I dunno, but I feel deeply uncomfortable about anyone shooting animals for fun and entertainment. Because they're a pest, yes, because they possibly a danger yes and for food yes, but for fun? No sorry, I can't accept that. It's just wrong"

I agree completely.....for food and sustenance is one thing-it's NEED
But for fun and profit...that is something I cannot comprehend. And if this hunter was aware of the location of this stag ( he must have been-as he needed permission from a specific land owner)...then couldn't he have at least waited? Though in my book both he and the landowner are immoral creeps.

[ChuckFickens]

I'm a country boy and was brought up on farms and I agree 100% with that, B00

[lankeela]

700,000 deer are culled each year - imagine if the numbers were left to roam, there would not be enough food for them all, the older ones would suffer and die of disease, injury, starvation. Also the genetic diversity would suffer. If this stag (who was culled because of his age) continued to mate with his daughters and granddaughters who knows what this level of inbreeding would produce. Go on - all take a pot shot at me now, but remember, this was not Bambi. Hope you enjoy your steaks, some of which will have come from the best and largest beasts on show at agricultural shows throughout the year.

[B00]

Lankeela, no need for that attitude, i said if there was a reason for it fair enough. But I'm pretty much harking back to my lost friend of FB comment- the fact that her partner enjoyed killing animals. Even you, must find that repugnant?

[horselady]

I'm a country girl through and through, however I never have and never will agree with killing animals for sport, fun, kudos-whatever you want to call it. We stayed on Exmoor just last week and saw loads of deer, they are beautiful, I hate the fact that this stag has been killed.

[lankeela]

BOO the point I am making is that deer need to be culled. Why should the death of that particular one be so important, what about all the rest? And if he was old and had already passed on his bloodlines then he was chosen for those reasons. Culling is necessary and not just done for 'sport'.

[lankeela]

horselady, the deer you saw on Exmoor who were beautiful would probably not be so beautiful if they didn't have enough grazing, and were inbred and allowed to continually breed. The fact you were able to see and appreciate them means the sysem works.

[benny3008]

Why the hell is it legal, no inhumane killing of animals should be legal!!!

[jaydah]

Deer are culled around motorways so they dont jump out on you driving thru their terrain.

[beastmonkey]

trophy head, stuffed and above your fire place, it would be great talking point with friends/family as to how you took the bugger out and taught the stupid beast that humans rule.

plus a nice bit of venison to make some good pies a win win situation.

certainly one to tell the grandchildren

[horselady]

I know that lankeela, that isn't the point I was making. It's the people who look for the biggest and best speciman to shoot just so that they can show off that they did it. Believe me, I have heard and seen them in the pubs after they have been out shooting and it can be sickening and upsetting.

[horselady]

To add to my post-these words from a Deer Manager on Exmoor say it all

"Some people are avaricious and if it's a super quality deer that's all they see," he said.

The deer was in his prime, he was heading to Exmoor to rut and he should be allowed to carry out his natural functions for another year.

Now he is no longer there to pass on his genes.

He suspected the Emperor had been culled as a trophy because its age - estimated at 10-12 years - meant its meat would have been relatively tough.

He said: "They have to be harvested or culled, but normally you take out the poorest quality or the oldest.

"He didn't qualify."

[pastafreak]

I doubt that culling-necessary or not-would have been paramount in the mind of the hunter who bagged this PARTICULAR stag.....
He had permission-and he used it-to take down the 'biggest wild animal in Britain'...and he has the antlers to prove it.

[piggynose]

what goes round comes round!!!!!!!

[boxtops]

There seem to be mixed feelings about this one. On the news yesterday some of the locals were pragmatic about it, deer have to be culled, and the police wouldn't/couldn't say whether it was a trophy hunter or a legitimate cull of an older beast - however the sentiment attaching to this big guy has brought it out in the open. Deer get killed often to keep the numbers down, and as has been said, the beast was legitimately shot by someone with a licence from the landowner. A great shame, especially in the rutting season, which doesn't seem entirely right.