Deer-stalking

Deer stalking is a British term for the stealthy pursuit of deer on foot with intention of killing the deer for meat, for sport, or to control the numbers. As part of a land management programme, just as with bird hunting and shooting, the aim with deer stalking is to reduce crop damage and to obtain food. Also, as with hunting, deer stalking has long been considered a sport. Stalked deer are commonly shot with a high powered bow (in countries other than the UK; in the UK it is illegal to hunt any animal or bird with a bow) or centre-fire rifle; prior to the invention of the modern rifle deer were stalked with the aid of a sighthound, such as the Scottish Deerhound. Stalking sticks are often used to steady the aim of the rifle and to steady the binoculars when scanning the ground.

The term "deer hunting" is used in North America for the shooting of deer, whilst in Britain and Ireland the term generally refers to the pursuit of deer with scent hounds, with unarmed followers typically on horseback.

"Stalking" is defined as to pursue or approach stealthily which is often necessary when approaching wild deer, or the high seat overseeing the area where the deer are likely to be passing. Scottish deer stalking is often done under the guidance of a stalker or a gillie, a resident expert. Deer stalking is not the only form of control, or culling, for the six wild species of deer at large in the UK. The six species are Red Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Sika Deer, Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer and there have never been more deer at large or more widely distributed in the UK than there are now. The first two species are indigenous although new populations have appeared after deliberate releases and escapes from parks or farms. A result of this is that both Red Deer and Roe Deer are now present in several parts of Wales, a country from which both had been absent as wild animals for several centuries. Fallow Deer have been at large in many parts of the UK for at least 1,000 years, added to by more recent escapes, but the other three species have solely originated from ornamental collections and deer farms, principally from Woburn Abbey, escaping through damaged fences or sometimes by deliberate release. A number of deer escaped in southern England following damage to fences by the hurricane of 1987.

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