From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CASTAWAYS FURORE OVER DEER KILLING 091306 DEC 10 By Gordon Darroch, PA News The BBC's island castaways flew into controversy after they were filmed illegally killing a deer, it emerged today. The Deer Commission for Scotland complained about the incident, which was broadcast as part of the Castaway 2000 series, in which the animal was captured and killed during a night-time ambush with a net and stun gun. The castaways were later filmed tucking into venison from the animal on their Hebridean island retreat of Taransay. Lion Television, the programme's producers, subsequently broadcast an apology admitting that the deer should not have been killed without prior authorisation and that the wrong type of equipment was used. It stated: "The Deer Commission for Scotland have advised us that no deer can be taken or killed without authorisation from the Commission. "It is a condition of the authorisation that a rifle with a greater stopping power than the minimum prescribed in the Deer (Firearms etc) (Scotland) Order 1985 is used and not a captive bolt slaughtering instrument." The castaways also acted illegally in killing the deer at night and trapping it with a net, the commission said. However, the commission noted that the killing had been safe and humane and said it would not be taking the matter further. The commission's technical director Richard Youngson said: "I must admit that this was the safest, though illegal, method of killing the animal with the people present. "There is an allowance that can be made where market garden crops are under threat and we are taking a lenient view in this case." A BBC spokesman said today: "The commission wrote to us to say that the deer had been killed illegally and a statement was broadcast on last night's programme. "While the Deer Commission accept that the killing was safe, we agree that we would not want other people to copy the castaways' actions." Kenneth Pantling Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A http://www.topica.com/t/17 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
