Bull shot in eye by high powered rifle

A Co Armagh farmer has warned someone could get killed after he found a bull shot dead in the eye.
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The farmer said his Charolais bull was found in a remote part of a field with blood coming from his eye and his anus.

He revealed how he was out walking with his wife last Thursday evening about 8.30pm when he spotted the bull laying in the corner of a field.

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“I thought it was one of the cows who was about to calf and went to inspect but discovered the young bull dead,” he said, adding that he had not realised he was shot.

The emergency services are currently at the scene.The emergency services are currently at the scene.
The emergency services are currently at the scene.

He explained that he had thought the bull had suffered a brain trauma as there was blood coming from his eye and bum.

But when his father took him to Dungannon to a special disposal outlet, they revealed the bull had been shot in the eye.

The farmer, who didn’t want to be named, said he believed the bull was shot by someone out ‘lamping’ - when lamps are used to identify targets.

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“They were using a sniper’s rifle. It was a high powered rifle and they would have known it wasn’t a fox. A fox’s eyes are an inch apart but a bulls are six inches apart.

“It’s only a matter of time before someone is hurt.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police were made aware that a calf may have been mistakenly shot and killed in the Angorra Road area of Portadown on Friday, 18th October.”

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said: “It is alarming that this is happening. This has caused a great deal of worry among local farmers.

“This is totally unacceptable. It has caused a lot of anxt among farmers.”

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Editor’s note: In an earlier version of this story we incorrectly referred to ‘lamping’ as an illegal pursuit. This was incorect. The Countryside Alliance have asked us to point out lamping is not illegal. They said night shooting is necessary to assist in the management of foxes and ground game to ensure that damage to livestock, wildlife and crops is kept at controllable levels.