26 Oct 2010

Giant stag Exmoor Emperor shot dead

Nature lovers are mourning the loss of a giant stag thought to be Britain’s largest animal that was reportedly shot dead by a trophy hunter in Exmoor, Devon.

Giant stag Exmoor Emperor shot dead. (Picture: Richard Austin/ Rex Features)

The male red deer, known as the Emperor and reputedly the biggest wild animal in Britain, was apparently killed by a licensed hunter.

The deer stood 9ft tall to the tips of his antlers and is thought to have weighed some 300lbs.

Emperor’s body was found close to the Tiverton to Barnstable road in Devon. One local deer enthusiast said two shots had been heard close to the area the stag was found.

Legally shot
He was apparently shot legally after the landowner was paid for the shooting rights. Emperor’s demise comes several days after his picture was published in newspapers.

It is estimated the stag’s mounted head could fetch as much as £2,000 if properly stuffed.

Peter Donnelly, an Exmoor-based deer management expert, said he was angry the animal had been shot during the mating season.

“It could be that he didn’t get a chance to rut properly this year, therefore his genes have not been passed on this time round,” he told The Times newspaper.

“The poor things should be left alone during the rut, not harried from pillar to post. If we care about deer we should maintain a standard and stop all persecution during this important time of the year.”