We are shooting stags in velvet in July.
The deer seasons as they are were written up when the "Estates" still had the power and crofting and agricuture were the main threat to deer as was poaching , the seasons were written with "sporting" estates in mind .
Since then we have other pressures on deer mainly forestry and "environmental"
In my mind the proposed scrapping of male seasons will not have an adverse effect on welfare but will open the doors for certain people to over exploit stags.
Venison quality has never been a driving force in the debate, as it is the bulk of our hill stags are shot in the rut!!