RELAXED rules on deerhunting will bring more marksmen into the countryside as the wild deer population continues to soar.

Proposals to shorten the annual “close” period, during which deer are protected, and to allow orphaned fawns to be killed are among measures being put out to public consultation, it was announced yesterday.

The scheme is an attempt to reduce road accidents and damage to the countryside, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). But it has angered some animal rights campaigners, who argued that the plans will lead to a huge surge in people hunting wild deer simply for sport.

A spokesman for the RSPCA gave a cautious welcome to the measures where there is clear evidence of a need to cull deer and it is done by humane methods. A healthy, sustainable deer population must also be maintained, the RSPCA said. “It is very important that deer are not simply portrayed or regarded as ‘pests’. There is more to deer management than culling.

“It is essential that where exceptional circumstances are cited to support a particular course of action, the circumstances are truly exceptional. From an animal welfare perspective, the second principle of the Deer Initiative Accord is paramount — ‘a humane, responsible and sensitive approach to management’.”

Barry Gardiner, the Biodiversity Minister, said that wild deer populations were growing rapidly in parts of the country despite annual culls, and as a result the animals are causing millions of pounds’ worth of damage to agriculture.

He said: “They are damaging some of our most threatened woodland habitats. In addition, they are presenting an increasing hazard on our roads, with more than 300 people injured each year in deer-related road accidents.”

If the proposals become law, the close season will be shortened by a fortnight and licensed killing of deer will be permitted even during protected periods “to prevent the deterioration of natural heritage or to preserve public health and safety”.

“Any reasonable and humane means” to destroy deer suffering from injury or disease will be permitted, and dependent young could be killed if their mother has died.

Mr Gardiner added: “The current laws were framed when deer numbers were smaller and no longer promote effective, sustainable deer management. These proposed changes will ensure that we strike the right balance between conserving deer and effectively addressing the problems they cause.”

A spokesman for the Defra-funded deer initiative said: “Changing farming patterns and the Government’s policy of increasing forest cover have increased the available food and habitat. Climate change has meant we haven’t had a severe winter since about 1963, so everything’s going their way.”

Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, the animal rights organisation, questioned whether the deer population was soaring. He said: “Scotland has been talking about burgeoning numbers for some years now and as a result quite a lucrative stalking has built up. You can’t trust figures on deer populations from pro-hunting lobbies.

“If these proposals go ahead it looks like it will be a field day for those who want to kill deer. Who’s going to check that the deer are shot humanely?” Robert Gray, campaigns director for the Countryside Alliance, denied that hunting could become too widespread: “It’s so well regulated that you’re not going to get any Tom, Dick or Harry just turning up — there are a lot of lengthy procedures to getting a licence.”

The announcement by Defra comes after publication of the Deer Action Plan in December 2004, which included a commitment to update the law by December 2007. Members of the public have until October 24 to submit views on the scheme.

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