I HAVE heard and read about hypocrisy many, many times in my life but the recent headlines concerning armed police hunting commercial poachers in Robin Wood Melbourne, recently has to be up there with the greatest ("Now it's the gun-toting poachers being hunted, Derby Telegraph, November 19).

At first glance, one thinks that the welfare of these fine native-born (mainly) wild creatures that is at the heart of the matter.

But, reading on, one discovers that the woods "belong" to the Forestry Commission (in other words taxpayers) which lease the land to a private syndicate which will be legally entitled to hunt and blast these innocent creatures to death – not for the desperate need for food, but for pleasure.

So, what we have here is rich landed gentry and other business types feeling bored but, instead of finding a peaceful, sedentary pastime, arming up to kill birds (game) and mammals that "happen" to be edible and available in the woods around the East Midlands.

Whoever actually kills the deer or birds makes no difference to the animal, they are just as dead.

Old-fashioned meat-eaters simply "took out" the odd deer, bird, or rabbit and took them home for the pot. Nowadays, as the Telegraph indicates, it is very big business and police and keepers have to be armed to keep ahead of the game (pardon the pun).

I have a better idea.

Why doesn't the Forestry Commission, which represents the land on our behalf, show some compassion and turn our lands and forests into protected wildlife parks?

Otherwise, it would be lovely to see the hypocrites – hanging their heads on "trophy walls".

That would put an end to this seedy business.

Joe Coleman

Tewkesbury Crescent

Chaddesden