I didn't think there would be a huge response to this thread as it seems to me that this sort of behaviour is somehow acceptable at this time of year. Maybe it is partly due to tradition? Maybe it is due to the fact that if people were to speak up or not conform they might lose everything? I'm fairly certain that most of them wouldn't shoot deer with shotguns if alone either. It could therefore be down to what is known in social psychology as risky shift. The risky shift occurs when a group collectively agrees on a course of action that is more extreme than they would have made if asked individually. I know of a couple of people (who shall remain nameless) that have been asked to be involved in such activities just recently. Both have thankfully declined and both are in awkward positions where they cannot really speak out as they have too much to lose which is understandable.
MS
Over the years I've seen numerous deer in the larder that had shot in them, but I'd be hard pushed to quantify exactly how widespread the practice is of purposefully shooting deer with shotguns. Again, I certainly know of cases where deer drives have taken place using the "farmer's defence", but this would be less than handful in 20 years. Maybe it is a practice that is very localised?
It is an interesting debate.
There are many countries around the world where shooting deer with a shotgun is perfectly legal, though this may be constrained by the type of ammo used, etc. By and large it seems to be very effective where allowed. I've seen boar shot with slugs, so why not deer? If used correctly
- and in the appropriate circumstances - it is likely to be as humane as using a rifle.
So why are things different in the UK? I believe one contributory factor is our history of formalised game shooting. It was/is not uncommon for deer to run through drives. So in the same way as guns are told "no ground game, and no foxes unless absolutely safe", prior to the 1991 Deer Act - and when deer were viewed as little more than a pest to be controlled - why would deer have been treated any differently? We are only 25 years on from the enactment of that legislation, so many attitudes will have yet to change. Indeed you only have to read threads on here related to muntjac to see that even the stalking community is deeply divided on this.
So we have something of a history of using a couple of cartridges of 4, 5 or 6 shot on deer. Combine this with a licensing situation where it is far easier to get a SGC than an FAC, a rapidly growing population of deer, together with an often woeful lack of knowledge of the legal situation, and it is clear that something will give. Until such time as the "farmer's defence" is tested thoroughly in the courts, I sadly doubt the situation will change.
The ethics around shooting deer - which incidentally I am firmly a supporter of - are a relatively recent phenomenon. I think we sometimes take it for granted that everyone shares those ethics.
