Deer shooting on Autumn Watch

[Dougan]

Did anyone else see the short section on deer culling on Autumn Watch last night?

- A stalker took one of the presenters on a shoot way up in Scotland, where some red deer needed culling - There were a couple of 'safety issues' that concerned me - They spotted a deer about halfway up a hill, and approached from below. As they got closer they crawled, so were laying down when the stalker took his rifle out of the case - the case was pointing the wrong way, so as he took the rifle out and turned it round...he pointed it at the presenter..?

Then as he was about take his shot, something spooked the deer, and they ran up the hill - they stopped at the top, and he took his shot while the deer was siloueted against the sky!...is this ok?..would he have known that there wasn't anyone for miles on the other side of the hill?

[The trakker]

ouch, wrong on every account. If this was the case........eeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkk !! On a sky line with a deer ca, any cal for that matter !! I wouldnt fancy been the rifle 'man' on the programme, but there again i hear they shoot deer as they please in Scotland, including night & lamping !!

[Scotsgun]

Dougan,

I never saw it myself. But before you condem the stalker, consider the fact that your viewpoint was dictated by the camer, e.g. was the deer siloueted against the sky as the stalker saw it? It doesn't sound a professional stalk as you describe it, but i never saw it so can't add anything else.

[Scotsgun]

.................but there again i hear they shoot deer as they please in Scotland, including night & lamping !!

I hope that comment is meant in jest.

[Dougan]

Dougan,

I never saw it myself. But before you condem the stalker, consider the fact that your viewpoint was dictated by the camer, e.g. was the deer siloueted against the sky as the stalker saw it?

Not sure...which is why I was asking if anyone else had seen it, and was hoping you'd catch the thread - If you do see it (can probably get Autumn watch on i player ) I be interested to know if it was just the camera...or they picked the wrong guy to film....?

[M99]

It is on the Iplayer - I've just watched it back and forth quite a few times. There was no Deer shot in that clip - it was staged. Yes the barrel came out of the slip straight through the body of the reporter.

But the deer were moving when the "shot" was heard and you never saw a beast go down - I think it was just "through the motions" with the sound of a shot for the cameras.

Well my thoughts anyway. The piece starts at just after 13 minutes on the Autumn watch Iplayer.

Mike

[The trakker]

.................but there again i hear they shoot deer as they please in Scotland, including night & lamping !!

I hope that comment is meant in jest.

After making enquiries to a stalk syndicate on forestry commision land, above the borders , a couple previous lease holder stated the Fc were lamping them , & it was a waste of payment. Along with some club buds we visitied one Weekend, never the less & having found it late in the eve, guess what Just as we had been told.

[John25]

Watched the clip on iplayer. 'Stalker' definately swept the presenter with his barrel.

Tango zero score of ten for that.

Did not see him take a shot, only saw film of deer on the skyline.

Probably typical of TV. Can't condemn him as I am not a stalker, but if he was given chance to edit,or have a say, I can condemn him for allowing himself to be presented that way.

[Dougan]

From what I remember (but havn't re-watched it) - the presenter asks him where the deer went after the shot, and he says that it went over the brow...which either means he did shoot it on the sky line, he missed, or as MiLisCer said, it was staged...

...but as you've said...either way it didn't look professional