Flashman Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 The article doesn't say over what range the shot was taken... "A huge red deer stag thought to have been Britain’s largest native land animal has been found shot dead on Exmoor in the middle of the mating season. The body of the male deer, nicknamed the Exmoor Emperor for his massive stature, was found next to the busy North Devon link road. The Exmoor Emperor became famous after the photographer Richard Austin chanced across him last year and took pictures of the majestic animal. Experts estimated that he stood nearly 9ft (3m) tall and weighed more than 300 lbs (136 kg). A deer enthusiast, who did not wish to be named, said that there was increasing concern that the finest animals on Exmoor were being bagged by shoots so that their heads could be taken as wall trophies. He said that the practice was carried out legally by licensed hunters, but that demand from overseas collectors was distorting the market, and put all of Exmoor’s finest stags and healthiest deer bloodlines at risk. Some wealthy enthusiasts were willing to pay in excess of £1,000 for a good head, he claimed. A deer management consultant, Peter Donnelly, said that he was appalled at the killing. “It is a disgrace that this magnificent animal has been shot at this time because it could be that he didn’t get a chance to rut properly this year, therefore his genes have not been passed on this time round,” said Mr Donnelly, from Dulverton in Somerset. “The poor things should be left alone during the rut, not harried from pillar to post.” Mr Donnelly added that the Exmoor Emperor was still in his prime at the time of his death, long before the time when a deer manager would think about culling him. Older stags lose strength when their incisors wear down, preventing them from feeding properly and leaving them vulnerable to a slow death from starvation in winter. He added: “Yes, the Emperor was starting to get past his best, but he was definitely not at that stage yet.” Red deer stags on Exmoor grow larger than those in Scotland because of their richer diet." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 sounds like someone has had one run, as for the ethics of it pretty much if you subscribed to that load of garbage you wouldn't shoot any of them. A deer of that size will have rutted for a good few years now and probably already this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick miller Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Just what I was thinking, you wouldn't shoot a beast like that for a trophy and then leave the trophy unless something went very wrong. I'd imagine you need something a bit more powerful than a standard deer calibre in order to grass it in short order if it stood 9ft tall too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddoakley Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Just what I was thinking, you wouldn't shoot a beast like that for a trophy and then leave the trophy unless something went very wrong. I'd imagine you need something a bit more powerful than a standard deer calibre in order to grass it in short order if it stood 9ft tall too. As far as calbire goes .308 or even .243 would be fine fir the job Its all about shot placement. No matter the size of the beast they can all run on when hit but its more than a bit odd that a beast of that size was lost If it was shot for a trophy someone may well have paid much more than the £1000 quoted and all efforts would(or at least should) be made to locate the beast whether shot as trophy or cull....a bit strange this set of circumstances and it would be interesting to know exactly what happened.... I wonder if anyone would come forward and admit to having had it get away?? Interesting, Edd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick miller Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Well everyone I heart and lung with a .243 tend to run on a bit, in some instances a fair way too and that's just the run of the mill fallow buck. This thing sounded like it was a bit of a giant, even by red standards. I was thinking along the lines of a bigger wallop and wound in order to down in quickly. Maybe I was wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Sorry, but the Times has got it all wrong. This deer does not qualify as Britain's biggest wild animal. This description is reserved for my wife who's just discovered what my last shotgun cost! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick miller Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 ba-doom tish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Sorry, but the Times has got it all wrong. This deer does not qualify as Britain's biggest wild animal.This description is reserved for my wife who's just discovered what my last shotgun cost! Cheers My wife has just read this and is looking at me with those HUNGRY eyes think id better watch my next purchase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 actually reading it again the stag wasn't found its purely they believe someone shot it. Must be a shock that that happens in the countryside and shock horror thats where venison comes from. Must be a slow news day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorfolkPoacher Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 surely 300lb is just an entry level red deer considering weights can approach 500lb for some examples?? or am i wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Alex do you think they are trying to stir the antis up against shooters/stalkers/rifle owners again,we are pretty hot news lately and this kind of indiscriminent killing and discarding will fall right into their hands,(maybe it was shot then ran to succumb to its wounds later) Bm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greymaster Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Alex do you think they are trying to stir the antis up against shooters/stalkers/rifle owners again,we are pretty hot news lately and this kind of indiscriminent killing and discarding will fall right into their hands,(maybe it was shot then ran to succumb to its wounds later) Bm Reading it again it sounds like they didn't find it shot so it was a normal shooter carrying out a legal activity and shooting properly a red stag and that is it. They didn't even find a body so it didn't run to be discarded etc just sounds like a slow news day and someone upset their local stag had been shot. Its not exactly newsworthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Close to a road and the carcass left, might it be a collision with a car and not a nasty evil man with a big bang stick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lineshooter Posted October 25, 2010 Report Share Posted October 25, 2010 Do you think it was shot by the same guy who did the 704 yards on a hare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 (edited) This was just announced on BBC news 24 no doubt all the nature loving townies will be up in arms......despite knowing nothing about the circumstances interestingly the BBC stated that a "a giant red stag known as the Emperor of Exmoor is believed to have been shot dead in the west country" same terms they use when a person is shot "private hunter is thought to have paid for the right to claim the animal as a trophy" Edited October 26, 2010 by HDAV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 (edited) jonny kingdom will be giving interviews next lol Edited October 26, 2010 by roadkill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Do you think it was shot by the same guy who did the 704 yards on a hare. Don't be stupid!!!!!!!!! :blink: :o He would have shot it straight between the eyes at 1200 yards and had it drop on the spot with a .243 - He would never have had a runner as a result of his marksmanship/shooting! You guys don't half take the pee don't you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 Interesting that this article was published in the newspaper on 5th October. Must have given somebody an idea :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 He added: "He should be encouraged to breed, under no circumstances should anyone try to hunt or shoot him" :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdy Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 The Bambi brigade will be on Radio 2 between 12 & 2 today as Matthew Bannister, sitting in for Jeremy Vine, is having a phone-in on the subject. Another balanced assessment of matters rural by the Islington set... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 funnily enough the story has changed a bit since yesterday, not sure they published the essay I tried to put in the comments but funnily enough it now mentions the current size of the deer population and how they need to be controlled and the impacts on road accidents etc so for the mail it is a slightly better written piece http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13...ly-antlers.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddJob Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 A grand for head...they need to take a trip to Kings Cross. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 In all seriousness what could you charge a client for head like that? I'll bet it is damn sight more than £1000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stokie Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 This story has only just reached the sun. They are starting the usual manhunt and have got a number to report the shooter on . If it was shot i would be surprised if the carcass was dumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.