Oh deer

I read the article by Johnny Hughes of Scottish Wildlife

Trust (Perspective, 25 September), “We should encourage conservation beyond deer and grouse”. It seemed a case of “do as we say, not as we do”.

Scottish Gamekeepers Association members have managed more than 1 million deer in the last decade, to sustain jobs and businesses and prevent damage to habitats.

Under Freedom of Information in 2016 we learned that Scottish Wildlife Trust, despite running 120 properties in Scotland, only submitted deer cull returns to Scottish Natural Heritage for three of its properties between 2005 and 2015. On two of those properties, they had stopped submitting returns back in 2012 and 2013.

If Johnny Hughes wants to bring back the wild wood of Caledon, his organisation may have to get its hands dirty and start managing deer rather than blaming everyone else. It is easy to throw stones from Edinburgh.

ALEX HOGG Chairman, Scottish Gamekeepers Association

Auld Bond Road South Inveralmond, Perth