What about the red deer culling?

Sir, – With regard to Jim Crumley’s column “Protect the mountain hare”, April 3, on the hare culling video.

Although I have nothing to do with grouse moors or hare shooting, the knee-jerk response by the First Minister and many others to the video shows their lack of knowledge of hill management and rural life.

Others can comment on grouse/hare shooting and the reasons for hare culling but my question for Jim Crumley is why is he quick to criticise the shooting/land owning fraternity, but has nothing to say about the Government, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Forestry Commission (FC) and other forestry companies condoning the “mass slaughter” of red deer (sika/roe), out of season, after the rut, in the winter at their weakest, on FC forests (government land).

The worst thing for me is hearing about the shooting of pregnant hinds well out of season.

I would really like to hear the First Minister’s response to the licensed (by SNH) culling of these pregnant hinds out of season – pictures on Facebook if you care to look!

It strikes me as double standards to get hysterical about a video of a legal hare shoot, yet bang on about too many deer, and turn a blind eye to what exactly goes on in the field.

Are people aware of the practices involved in culling (slaughtering) large numbers of our “iconic” red deer all year round?

Bill Cowie. The Isle of Rona, By Portree, Isle of Skye.