A round up of the latest news to affect UK Deer Stalkers –May 2013.
Growing Rift Over Trophy Measuring.
There appears to be a growing rift between the UK Trophy Measuring service carried out by BASC in Association with Sporting Rifle and CIC UK.
The editor of ‘Sporting Rifle’ Peter Carr has launched a blistering attack on CIC UK in the June edition of ‘Sporting Rifle’, an attack which appears particularly aimed at the organisations spokesman Brigadier Dalby Welsh.
Mr Carr sites a number of blunders and judgements that have left him “perplexed”. He goes on to applaud the success of the BASC system of measurement, which he claims attracted as many as 40% of all Roe trophies submitted by UK Deer Stalkers for measurement last year.
With the BASC measuring service supported by ‘Sporting Rifle’ what is clear is that the BASC system has the benefit of a media platform from which to launch their assault.
So far the 70 year old organisation that is the CIC has kept silent on the matter. Time will tell if either system wins through as the favoured trophy measuring service for UK Deer Stalkers.
DEFRA To Foot The Bill For Badger Cull
DEFRA have announced that it will foot the bill for the escalating costs involved in this summer’s Badger Cull. Increased policing is set to be the largest outlay with many police officers being required to work beyond their normal hours of duty.
Whilst MP’s have been fast to calm fears, it is thought that other as yet unknown costs will likely be incurred as a result of tourists staying away from the affected counties for fear of being caught in the crossfire!
On another note Farmers have been targeted by animal rights campaigners posing as journalists. Campaigners have been contacting farmers to glean information regarding the cull and the exact locations of the target sites.
Dolman Denial
After the initial splash of media attention surrounding Dr Dolman’s report supposedly calling for the cull of a large number of deer. Dr Dolman has claimed that he has been misrepresented. It appears that Dr Dolman is distancing himself from many of the figures coined by the media.
Speaking to the Observer Dr Dolman stated that his study was aimed at highlighting the lack of information regarding deer numbers in the UK as opposed to calling for specific numbers to be culled.
Calls For The Trade In Rhino Horn To Be Legalised.
The number of African Rhino continue to decline at an alarming rate. The African Rhino Specialist Group (AfRSG) has claimed that numbers of Rhino have declined to their lowest since 1995. With organised poaching by well funded and organised criminal groups, poaching is thought to have increased by 43 percent.
It is being considered if the Black market trade in Rhino Horn might be better halted by legalisation and better regulation of the trade.
