Deer Slayers
The Poaching of Deer (Scotland) Bill was given a second reading by the House of Lords on Thursday—too late in the week for any comment on their Lordships' proceedings to appear in these notes. If the Government's object is con- fined to discouraging poachers and punishing them adequately if they are caught, the measures proposed—which are similar to those contained in the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Act, 1951—are admirably suited to the purpose, though one or two minor amendments could usefully he made. But if the Government or anyone else supposes that the Bill will seriously lessen the threat to the continued existence of red deer in a wild state they are mistaken. This threat will remain as long as there is a meat shortage and it can only be averted by the imposition (many centuries overdue) of a close season. It comes from butchers, sheep-farmers and— to their discredit—a few owners of deer forests, who, when Lard weather drives the deer down from the tops, organise their slaughter on a large scale. Hinds in calf, stags with rank flesh and calves are mown down indiscriminately and fetch £10 a carcass. The whole thing is perfectly legal and will remain so until a close season is imposed. This is an issue which, as the new Bill shows, the Government is evading.
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