A stag, exploited by the “Duhallow Hunt” was used for carted stag hunting for three years and was shot the same day he killed the “Duhallow” huntsman, sources say.

Ger Withers, a huntsman for the “Duhallow Hunt” based in Russanarney, Liscarroll, north Cork (52.2314, -8.80924) was killed by a stag inside the “Duhallow Hunt” kennels while reportedly giving food to the stag on Tuesday 29th December 2020. Mr Withers was found unresponsive on the ground at the kennels after he did not return home. 

Gardaí and paramedics attended the scene and Mr Withers’ remains were removed to the mortuary at Cork University Hospital. The Independent reports the stag was still inside the kennel property and nearby when Mr Withers’ body was found. It was not made clear where exactly inside the property the incident occurred.

The “Duhallow Hunt” claimed the stag was a “pet”.

Anonymous sources, with alleged connections to the hunt, claim the “Duhallow Hunt” was illegally hunting the stag on St Stephen’s Day (26/12/20) while Covid restrictions were in place, just a week before the stag killed the huntsman. [(Edit) However, this claim doesn’t make complete sense as those stag hunting would usually remove the horns so they could catch the stag again without injury, if the stag had antlers on the 29th it means the alleged stag hunting on the 26th is highly questionable]. Our sources also say the stag was shot the night of the 29th.

Some pro-hunt sources claimed online that the stag was not only a “pet” but also used for scenting purposes to avoid the foxhounds chasing deers while hunting foxes, but little evidence seems to support this claim. Our source explains the stag was held captive and exploited for carted stag hunting for around three years. One of our sources expressed that keeping a stag captive in a kennel full of 40 barking and howling hounds will likely have caused the stag severe stress during his captivity and exploitation. Stag hunting with (more than two) hounds was made illegal in 2007 under the Wildlife Amendment Act, and if there is definitive proof that illegal hunting occurred, the “Duhallow Hunt” could be prosecuted.

No news outlets mentioned or questioned why a stag was in a foxhound kennel, or what conditions he was living under, and if he was safe, healthy or going to be killed. Google Maps and Google Street View show the “Duhallow” kennels is very small in comparison to other hunt kennels, which leaves questions as to where the stag was held captive. The “Duhallow Hunt” have been hunting since 1745 and state that they are the “oldest hunt in Ireland”.

UPDATE 29/04/21

From the Irish Times here

“[Health & Safety Authority inspector Ger McSweeney] had made inquiries about the stag and discovered Mr Withers had obtained the animal from a huntsman with the United Hunt in East Cork who acquired the animal in 2019 but Mr Withers had not paid any money for the animal.⁣

Mr McSweeney said from his inquiries he discovered that neither the Duhallow Hunt Chairman nor the Duhallow Hunt Trustees were aware that Mr Withers, who was their sole employee, had procured the stag.⁣

[...] the HSA had decided not to take any prosecution for any breaches of health and safety legislation in relation to Mr Withers’ death.”⁣

Do you think the Chairman and trustees were aware of the stag? Or would their awareness make them liable to the prosecution by the Health and Safety Authority seeming as the kennels were a workspace and captivity for purely foxhounds? More importantly, why did the United Hunt have a red deer stag, and why did they have a red deer stag to spare for the Duhallow Hunt? What were they doing with him?⁣

Carted stag hunting is when a stag is put inside a mobile cart, then released in a field and chased by hounds and hunters on horses. The stag will run until he is exhausted, the hunt then corners him, recaptures him, and repeats the process next time they wish to hunt him.

“Deceased was professional huntsman in his 40s, married with three young children.” - Irish Times

The Health and Safety Authority was investigating the death.

Various news reports quote Pat Fleming, chairman of the “Duhallow Hunt”, saying Mr Withers was employed at the kennels and was doing his work when he was attacked and killed by the stag.

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This story will be updated when more information surfaces.