News Views: Oh Deer, The Emperor has been shot!



And What? The Emperor surveys his territory



Earlier this week came the distressing news that the Emperor of Exmoor was no more, stolen from the moors by a slick, city dwelling tourist looking for a trophy to be the focal point of his new drawing room. Naturally I was disgusted that such a beast could be legally shot down, this is the biggest wild animal on these shores and we’re letting people ride up and cap it?! On reflection, sure, I can see the appeal of the Emperor’s head on my wall; I mean, if that’s not a talking point of a newly furbished flat then I don’t know what is.

OK if you’re inside now; look up at the ceiling, spacious yeah? At 9ft tall from hoof to antler, the chances are the Emperor wouldn’t be able to stand upright in the room you're in.

But hold the phone! Has the Emperor really been slain? According to The Guardian one farmer ‘smells a rat’,

"They wouldn't have needed a car, they wouldn't even have needed a pick-up, they would have needed a truck".

So it’s not easy to get rid of the carcass of such a beast, that’s believable, people might have noticed what would have to have been a very big operation. And not only that, there is now talk that the Emperor’s turf is ten miles from the area in question, another valid point but at 300lb’s I’m quite sure this particular red stag can go wherever he god damn pleases, can't he?

The Emperor had been roaming Exmoor for ten years before this incident made him truly newsworthy. Critics have fumed that the beast should of been able to sewn it’s seed for at least another year but at least the ‘probably European’ that paid £10,000 for the hit (Telegraph) has saved a couple of female deer a potentially punishing encounter.