Defenceless animals

WER Brown (Letters 20 October) criticises me for referring to the deer-shooting industry as "greedy", but fails to say that shooting estates, which pay no business rates, charge up to £20,000 a week for shooting parties to kill these defenceless animals.

He also condemns me for using the word "fun" when describing stalking, because, he says, it "is a serious and arduous activity", but he ignores the fact that there are many activities that encompass both descriptions, such as mountaineering, skiing, etc, that don't involve killing. All sporting activities have a significant element of fun in them, or those who participate wouldn't enjoy them.

The suggestion that shooting deer is to protect them from starvation is simply not true. Milder winters and native tree planting have improved the carrying capacity of their habitat to such an extent that it is clearly supporting an increased population.

But why does the shooters' concern stop at deer? Millions of wild animals starve every winter, yet I don't see anyone grabbing a gun to "protect" them. Perhaps there's no enjoyment or money in it.

ANGUS MACMILLAN

Meikle Boturich

nr Balloch, Dunbartonshire