Deer Stalking UK FB page does it worry you and the future of our sport?

JasonH

Well-Known Member
Hi All

A friend invited me a few weeks ago to join the UK Stalking FB page. Since then it's been very interesting to follow and understand people's views and opinions on stalking in the UK right now.

Personally it worries me and I do wonder about the long term viability of our sport.

The consensus seems that you must kill as many deer as possible per outing and of course boast and photo accordingly. In particular right now when Roe Does are at there most vulnerable people are knocking them off like rabbits. Killing seems the theme and not hunting as clearly no man and family on his own can consume the associated volume of venison.

If someone asked me to predict the future of stalking in the UK on the basis of this FB page then it will be all over in 10 years as today's healthy population is slaughtered at the greed of man.

As for being a group of informed individuals lets not even go there.

So I would be interested on the views of SD readers on this FB page.
 
So it's not just me then. Rather too much machismo and too little knowledge, and if i never see another head shot deer on there it won't be too soon.
 
‎Letter to the Times c1930 from a White Hunter given of an abhorrence for the increasing slaughter of African game by wealthy and without conscience Europeans:

"And what may we make of the two Gentlemen who took to the bush in a motor car and shot 80 lions in one day all in the name of sport?"

History has a habit of repeating itself if not in mirror most certainly deed.

K ‎
 
Jason I'm in agreement with you on most of what you say and I cringe with embarrassment to hear it vocalised. Personally I feel many are joining the sport just to kill deer and brag about it. That said there are relatively few stalkers and lots of deer by comparison. In most cases if you have the sole shooting rights over a sensible amount of land you will be shooting quite a few deer compared to the tag system in the states. Still doesn't make the attitude of this type of hunter right though.
 
The consensus seems that you must kill as many deer as possible per outing and of course boast and photo accordingly.

It is worrying if that's how it comes across.... My average is 1 beast every 2 - 3 outings and that's enough venison in the freezer.
Posing for photos is what we do when we are new to deerstalking, as a momento of your first or biggest etc. Once the novelty wears off we tend not to bother.
I haven't seen the facebook page you are referring to but from what you say I'm sure that it is not a true representation of deerstalking in the UK, or at least I hope it's not.
 
It is worrying if that's how it comes across.... My average is 1 beast every 2 - 3 outings and that's enough venison in the freezer.
Posing for photos is what we do when we are new to deerstalking, as a momento of your first or biggest etc. Once the novelty wears off we tend not to bother.
I haven't seen the facebook page you are referring to but from what you say I'm sure that it is not a true representation of deerstalking in the UK, or at least I hope it's not.

Si. Theres a difference between a trophy photo taken by a sportsman and a photo of a killing taken by someone who has little regard for what he has shot. I think this is the difference, or at least it is to me. DeerstalkingUK is the page that is being referred to I think.
 
There was/is a similar FB page related to stalking in Scotland, just loads of photos of dead animals, deer, foxes, rabbits,pigeons, crows etc etc. Nae clever.
 
Hi All

A friend invited me a few weeks ago to join the UK Stalking FB page. Since then it's been very interesting to follow and understand people's views and opinions on stalking in the UK right now.

Personally it worries me and I do wonder about the long term viability of our sport.

The consensus seems that you must kill as many deer as possible per outing and of course boast and photo accordingly. In particular right now when Roe Does are at there most vulnerable people are knocking them off like rabbits. Killing seems the theme and not hunting as clearly no man and family on his own can consume the associated volume of venison.

If someone asked me to predict the future of stalking in the UK on the basis of this FB page then it will be all over in 10 years as today's healthy population is slaughtered at the greed of man.

As for being a group of informed individuals lets not even go there.

So I would be interested on the views of SD readers on this FB page.
And don`t forget the `500+ yards I shot a buck, doe, fox, rabbit, crow etc etc..... from 500+ yards away gang.
 
I had always wanted to shoot a big stag ever since i was young and i managed to do so last year, i watched for over 10mins every muscle, hair etc move until a clean kill shot put it down, it was offered to me to have a picture taken with it but i could only see its final moments and said no out of respect for the amazing beast that i had just taken it's life. The moment i had waited for so long did not feel as good as i thought it would be but it was done, i enjoyed the stalk but i do believe that you have to show respect to anything that you kill.
 
A stalking page on FB with pics of dead deer.Oh my,hope they dont start posting pics of dead deer on here soon.
Why would seeing pics of dead deer make you think the species will be shot out in some years?If they are to a cull and management plan then where is the problem?
However,i do agree with the amount of plum written,but then here gets its fair share of that too.
 
Interesting responses so far. To add some context I am a Uk ex pat over in the US with work and I have hunted all of my life. I think it's right to take photos of hard fought trophies and stalks but those I see in the majority are not. Likewise I doubt many would get the jist of a cull management plan looking at the conversation. There was a special post which made me laugh about an individual looking for sika stalking for him and a friend and we're looking to shoot six each....... I enquired how he reached this number and if 5 would suffice :) On a positive note there is a chap who posts beautiful pictures of deer (alive).
 
‎Letter to the Times c1930 from a White Hunter given of an abhorrence for the increasing slaughter of African game by wealthy and without conscience Europeans:

"And what may we make of the two Gentlemen who took to the bush in a motor car and shot 80 lions in one day all in the name of sport?"

History has a habit of repeating itself if not in mirror most certainly deed.

K ‎

Captures the essence of my concern perfectly K
 
I recon posting pictures of your dead deer, is like the bloke who keeps on about sex, he don,t get it often.
 
A stalking page on FB with pics of dead deer.Oh my,hope they dont start posting pics of dead deer on here soon.
Why would seeing pics of dead deer make you think the species will be shot out in some years?If they are to a cull and management plan then where is the problem?
However,i do agree with the amount of plum written,but then here gets its fair share of that too.

Couldn't agree more with the above comments, a little bit of pot/kettle here I think lads.

Is this not exactly what we do on here, post pictures of dead deer/foxes etc and brag about how it dropped to the perfect heart shot?

Just because it aint posted on here doesn't make it wrong..
 
I had a look on the scottish one, it's the same old arguments on there as is on here. The same people too, no mods to bother them.
 
Couldn't agree more with the above comments, a little bit of pot/kettle here I think lads.

Is this not exactly what we do on here, post pictures of dead deer/foxes etc and brag about how it dropped to the perfect heart shot?

Just because it aint posted on here doesn't make it wrong..
In my opinion posting on Facebook is completely different to posting on a dedicated forum like SD. The reason being, if i post on SD, the majority that see that post are like minded individuals that have joined a hunting forum. On the other hand, if i post on Facebook my "friends" will see it. If they comment or like, their "friends" will see it and so on.
Very quickly the majority reading my post are non hunting people.
For that reason i have never posted anything hunting related on Facebook. Also I'm a bit paranoid about lowlifes knowing i have guns.
 
I see Facebook as like "Sknynet" in the Terminator films.

I joined so I could see the pictures posted by my daughter and grandchildren :old:
A friend posted some pictures of a quay side in Glasgow and I commented about puffers and the film "The Maggie".
Next time I went on,in the top right corner of the screen,there was an ad for a DVD of "The Maggie".
Coincidence?... I think not.
 
In my opinion posting on Facebook is completely different to posting on a dedicated forum like SD. The reason being, if i post on SD, the majority that see that post are like minded individuals that have joined a hunting forum. On the other hand, if i post on Facebook my "friends" will see it. If they comment or like, their "friends" will see it and so on.
Very quickly the majority reading my post are non hunting people.
For that reason i have never posted anything hunting related on Facebook. Also I'm a bit paranoid about lowlifes knowing i have guns.

Your friends will not see it,either will anyone outside the page.They are closed groups,so you need to request to join,and as there are admin they will either let you in or not,unlike a public forum where you can just join,
New argument needed.
 
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