A Scots community has been left devastated after finding their beloved 'local celebrity' Red Deer dead with 'his head chopped from his body'.
Residents in Bonawe, Argyll and Bute, have told how they heard gunshots shortly before finding the remains of Stanley the deer by Loch Etive yesterday morning.
They fear that the stag had been used as a target by trophy hunters due to his friendly nature.
With the animal being found dead out with hunting season, they have demanded for those responsible to be stripped of their gun license.
Heartbroken local, Dawn Osborne Harris, said: "We're all absolutely devastated.
"He was a little character and everybody knew him. What's really upsetting me is the fact that he would have just stood there because he was so friendly.
"I just keep thinking that he was a target and would have been standing there like a sitting tiger.
"I had been out walking my dogs and I heard two very loud bangs. I was surprised as it isn't hunting season yet.
"I never thought anything of it until one of my neighbours came over to tell me about Stanley being shot by the Loch. It has really cut us up."
Stanley - who frequented the area for around five years - had become a familiar face as he would enter neighbouring gardens and "munch anything and everything".
Locals, who would often feed the deer, described him as a "beautiful specimen".
Dawn said: "He was gorgeous and absolutely huge. He definitely wasn't ill - so if they are caught, they cannot use that as an excuse.
"He was a beautiful specimen. The whole community is heartbroken, we really loved seeing him around - everybody knew him.
"You'd be able to tell if he had been for a visit because there would be footprints in your garden and half of your plants would be eaten.
"You'd think, oh, that wee scallywag!"
Under UK law, hunting stags is only legal between July 1 and October 20 every year.
It is forbidden to shoot the animals out of season unless authorised to do so.
Dawn added: "Whoever done it deserves to have their gun license removed.
"It scares us that people are in a residential area during the day with guns. There are children in the village that play outdoors."
Police Scotland confirmed that they have received a report and that they are investigating the incident.
A spokesperson said: “Officers were made aware of a stag carcass having been found near Kenmore Cottages in Bonawe on Friday, April 8.
"Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
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