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I have been pondering the question for some time. Besides the political back-lash from the anti if ever introduced do you see the very idea (not necessarily the detail) as a good idea? Deer have been badly mis-managed in the uk with numbers steadily rising and the spread of the deer now including urban parks and spare ground, while some land managers sit on their backsides and rake the income from rising lease prices. The expense of this is deer welfare Flora damage and RTAs. People talk of the general licence as if it is a excuse for all year round shooting and pigeon guides have been caught actualy feeding ground and encouraging its use. Inland Canadas create health hazards in our water supply reservoirs over populating areas and leaving poop the size akin to a small dog all over parks etc. not to mention satisfying their hunger for commercial crops and grazing. Rats abound in some areas (especially in among modern rock wall sea defences) While teenage lads stop inside playing on their computer games and growing fat or hanging around on corners experimenting with mind altering drugs. Might allowing them to hunt those rats, grey squirrels and the like with 12 ft lb airguns be a positive move as they beckon towards adulthood? Now while I respect the fact that nobody wants a free for all on their private permissions or the return of the marsh cowboy what about all that un-shot Forestry commission ground, if say one might be allowed into some of the more productive squirrel ground perhaps we might turn back the grey hoard? Rabbits in the dunes and unfenced, un-keepered moorland I am not saying this as I personally lack shooting (though I do feel deer management is slipping into the hands of the most wealthy rather than the most competent these days) , the exact reverse is more true as I decline far more vermin shooting than I ever ask for. But as a general suggestion for the public good under a correctly managed system I can see it could represent a revenue through day / season ticket or tag sales even and keep a lot of our youth out of trouble, not to mention the gain to manufacturing and retail in the UK in terms of kit (both areas which need our support in these times). Could this whole general licence rubbish be stopped and cull rates be instead monitored locally by those issuing the tickets, Should deer control be radically changed (maybe allowing trained bow use in pubic areas?) and stipulating cull figures to landowners (opening the area to trained hunters if not kept to on a tag system). Like I suggest a vote on the principle not the details yes or no? discuss the rest but vote based on your initial gut thoughts