Two men charged with shooting north Devon deer

Two men have been charged in connection with the unlawful shooting of a deer during the rutting season in Devon.

The animal was shot and killed in the Shirwell and Loxbeare area of North Devon last October.

The men, aged 35 and 38, from the North Devon area, are charged with poaching, killing a deer during the closed season and unlawfully killing a deer.

All wild deer, with the exception of Muntjac, are protected during the closed season.

For female deer - does and hinds - this is from 1 March to 31 October. Stags and bucks have a shorter closed season from 1 May to 31 July.

The two men will appear before North and East Devon Magistrates' Court in February.

It is not known what type of deer was killed, but the three most common species in the area are red, fallow and roe.