Gamekeepers and former forest rangers claim animals have been left wounded by night shooting.

Welfare groups have raised fears that the drive to protect forestry north of the border will put more pressure on the native deer.

However, the practice of night shooting has been defended by both Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Forestry Commission.

Night shooting has been blamed for injuries

Former Forestry Commission ranger Donald Milton is one of those who have raised concerns about the impact of night shooting.

"I have seen one stag with its lower jaw shot off, another one with its foreleg swinging, obviously the result of a bullet, and another one shot in behind the rib cage.

"I put it down to night shooting," he told BBC Scotland.

Peter Fraser of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association said problems arose if deer were wounded during shooting at night.

"If they disappear into the woodlands then we cannot find them.

Wounded animals

"That to me is a welfare issue and I would greatly discourage it," he said.

There have been reports of animals wounded by night shooting on Forestry Commission land.

However, Dr Bob McIntosh, the chief executive of Forest Enterprise, said it was not the only organisation involved in the practice.

"The limited amount of night shooting we do is done under very strictly controlled conditions and supervised by our chief rangers.

There is the advantage that the animals can be very close to you when you shoot at them

Peter Duncan Scottish Natural Heritage

"I am satisfied that our guys do a very good and responsible job when they are carrying out night shooting," he said.

There have not been any complaints about deer being injured by night shooting on SNH land.

The practice was defended by the organisation's Peter Duncan, who said: "There is the advantage that the animals can be very close to you when you shoot at them.

"They do not see light as danger. You can shine a bright light at them and you can shoot them at ranges of 30 yards.

"As long as you have a dog there I don't see any problems."