• [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sra,—The Editor is not convinced by Mr. Hendy that the abolition of stag hunting would of necessity involve the destruction of the red deer on Exmoor. It is said that Exmoor could be emparked as in the North American reserves. May an old stag hunter, who as a boy shook hands with the Rev,
Jack Russell, suggest an answer to this ? _ Last year the sum of nearly 11,500 was paid as compensa- tion for the damage done by the dcEr. This, be- it noted, assessed and received by those who were hearty supporters of the chase. Surely it would be impossible to raise any sum such as this, or to induce the farmers to submit to the des- truction of their crops, simply that a tourist might now and then enjoy the chance sight of a deer ?
If the death-knell is to be sounded, there passes from this country the happiest life of any creature which shares these islands with the Englishman. Those who condemn stag hunting, but wear the skins of trapped animals, demand the unceasing labour of the horse, and the early death of countless animals for food, should face this fact. By reason of his privi- lege as a beast of the chase, the stag has, to begin with, five years of absolute freedom from care or danger. With no enemies, he roams and rules the countryside until the time of his troubles begins.
The life of a stag is not haunted by the fear of death or of that pursuit which Nature teaches him to expect and-has mar- vellously fitted him by sense, cunning and speed to avoid. I have never seen in a hunted stag those signs of terror or dis- tress which you may read in the look of beasts roughly handled in the market or driven to slaughter. Until the time comes that he is taken he has always escaped capture, as he expected to do when roused for the last time. The end comes to him painlessly as he stands at bay, keeping hounds at a distance, a sudden death in battle.
Surely the sum of the happiness of his life, the length of his days, and the swiftness of his death should • make the life of a stag one to envy and heartenhis real friends to wish "Prosperity to Stag Hunting."—! am, Sir, &c., [We fear we are uneonvinced by our correspondent: We are sure that the time will come when "natural' reserves" will be paid for out of public funds, as is done in Canada and the United States, in which our native wild' life will be preserved. As for the compensation paid to the farmers of Exmoor, we think that there are sufficient animal lovers is Great Britain to provide the 11,500 oiir correspondent mentions; We 'dislike cruelty in any form as much as Our correspondent,' and that is why we urge 'without ceasing the introduction of the humane killer and the erection of model abattoirs like that which the Duchess of Hamilton and her friends are erecting at Letch- worth. As regards the Wearing of skins of trapped animals, we detest the practice and look forward to a time when furs from fur-farms where the animals are killed humanely will be marketed as such, and will be easily obtainable by the public. Under existing conditions it is useless to, ask women not to wear furs—they will do so whatever the humanitarians 'say. The remedy s is to provide an alternative—and the alternative is the animal tried on it fur-farm and killed by humane methods. —En. Spectator.]
Previous page
