My View On The Richmond Park Deer Cull

By SShonoiki | Sunday, January 31, 2010, 19:22

Hearing family and other students complaining about the upcoming Deer Cull in Richmond Park; I asked why they were moaning as I use the Park in the summer to cycle through and play football in. Their response to this was that it affected their usage of the Park at certain times of the day. Subsequently, I did some research and I found that the Cull takes place twice yearly in November and February in order to keep the number deer down in the Park. After finding this out it reminded me of the time I saw a woman sitting outside the Bentall Centre with a petition and a sign protesting against the Cull.

Deer Cull Sign

Considering the fact that there is no shortage of deer on Park I do not have a problem with fact that the deer may need to be culled for various reasons, but what I am uncomfortable with is the fact that the age of the deer is not taken into when account when the shooting is taking place.

On researching what happens to the meat of the Deer after they have been shot, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the meat is sold to butchers, which means that people eat the deer from Richmond Park. Despite my initial reaction I do wonder what the meat from the Richmond Park deer tastes like.

By the way I am an A level student and my views are open to change.

The Deer Cull takes place from tomorrow, 1st February, for 6 weeks. The Pedestrian Gates will be locked from 8pm until 7.30am and if you are in the Park during that time you risk being shot.

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Comments

I love the fact there there are no lights (traffic or otherwise) in Richmond Park. I cycle through the park everyday, trying to avoid when cars go through it. Sounds like you might be one of those people who'd like the whole country lit up like a Christmas tree? ...let's hope not. Gives a sense of ruralness in an otherwise overpopulated town.

By RikJB1976 at 09:19 on 09/02/10
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I like the fact that it is not well lit. Fed up of too many lights in London. Nice to have a little rural tranquility in this city. I cycle through Richmond Park every day and try to time it to be when there are no cars there. Love it.

By RikJB at 09:12 on 09/02/10
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To reassure the original poster, yes - culling takes place across all age cohorts but it follows a protocol which maintains an agreed population structure and size. Actually there are 35% less deer in the park now than there were 10 years ago and this has raised some eyebrows locally. Maybe LilacHamster would like to extend her comment into a piece about the campaign against the deer cull? I've just done one on the car parking issue. tinyurl.com/yb2ong4
(It didn't involve anyone being shot though, Mr DailyLama! )

By TheParkie at 15:24 on 02/02/10
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Could we round up the people who voted in favour of car park charges and lock them in the park during the cull? It would give the deer more of a fighting chance and prove a little cathartic for the rest of us.

By TheDailyLama at 14:50 on 02/02/10
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Studies from the USA have shown that culling actually increases birth rates in deer, but if left without a cull they self-regulate according to the space and resources available, as any other wild animal population does.

By Lilachamster at 13:43 on 02/02/10
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