Stag fell victim to selfish humans (From Oxford Mail)

Stag fell victim to selfish humans

10:00am Monday 1st November 2010 in Letters

MEDIA coverage of the killing of a magnificent stag on Exmoor has highlighted the utterly selfish nature of some – sadly too many – humans.

Appalled as I am at the needless slaughter of a beautiful animal in its prime, I am equally appalled and somewhat mystified at the apparent lack of interest shown by both media and the public in general regarding the hunting with hounds of deer and foxes.

While in no way wishing to downplay the slaughter of stags by trophy hunters, the target animal is not subjected to a terrifying and exhausting chase by hounds and humans before its eventual cruel and often far from speedy death by shotgun.

With the downsizing of police forces currently envisaged, there will be even less police surveillance of illegal hunting than currently exists, so the pro-hunting Government will be spared the rigmarole of repealing the Hunting Act and ‘Great Britain’ will step back into the unenlightened era when pursuit of deer or fox across busy roads, private property and otherwise tranquil rural locations will once more be commonplace.

BEA BRADLEY, Cuxham Road, Watlington