The British public is divided over the issue of deer stalking, in light of last week’s shooting of the Exmoor stag, known as ‘The Emperor’. Deer stalking is currently legal in the UK.
The death of the red deer stag, known as ‘The Emperor’, caused a furore in the press last week as many were outraged that the legendary animal had been killed during the annual rut. Wildlife experts believe that red deer stags, like ‘The Emperor’, should be protected during the mating season. ‘The Emperor’, who weighed more than 300lb and stood nearly 9ft tall, was found shot dead close to the busy Tiverton to Barnstaple road in the West Country. It is still a mystery as to who shot this animal.
Deer stalking (whereby the animal is tracked by a couple of hounds then shot with a gun) is legal in Britain and is carried out as both a sport and a means of controlling the deer population. However, the law stipulates that hunters must use licensed guns and they can only hunt during the appropriate season.
