American TV presenter and big game hunter is slammed for posing for online photo with goat she shot dead on Scottish island
- Larysa Switlyk has caused outrage after posing with dead animals in Scotland
- The American television presenter went on hunting trip to Isle of Islay
- She put up photos of ‘kills’ on Instagram and lauded fellow hunters for theirs
- But she was branded a ‘twisted sicko’ on social media by animal lovers
An American TV presenter who posed with dead goats, stags and sheep after hunting with guns on a remote Scottish island has been slammed by animal lovers.
‘World-renowned hunter’ Larysa Switlyk drew criticism from politicians and celebrities for glorifying hunting after posting the snaps on Instagram.
The blonde television presenter, dressed in camouflage gear, knelt beside the corpse of a goat on the Isle of Islay, in one picture posted on social media.
In others, she posed ‘in sniper mode’ lying in the long grass and pointing a gun into the distance.
US television presenter Larysa Switlyk has caused outrage after posting pictures on Instagram of her posing with various dead animals, including this wild goat
The presenter is described as a ‘world renowned hunter’ but many on social media have criticised her for glorifying killing. She is pictured here with a Red Stag
Ms Switlyk, pictured with a dead sheep, has also been slammed for smiling next to animals covered in blood
Firms offer hunting trips in Islay, where it is legal to shoot Red Stags between July 1 and October 20. Ms Switlyk is pictured here with her companions stalking animals
Celebrities on social media were among those to criticise her, with Judy Murray calling the pictures ‘disgraceful’
BBC presenter Nicky Campbell branded the hunter a ‘twisted sicko’ for the killings
One of the snaps showed her holding up the head of a dead sheep beside a rock smeared with blood.
Other animals she hunted included stags, and in one caption she wrote: ‘In awe of my Scottish Stag ~ can’t wait to bring it back to the castle for the chefs to cook it up!’.
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The photos sparked outrage in Scotland, with one MSP warning he would be looking into whether the hunts were organised by an official group.
In Scotland, it is legal to hunt red stags between July 1 and October 20, provided hunters use firearms, have a licence for their weapons and have the permission of the landowner.
What are the laws on hunting in the UK
Hunting of deer in the UK is generally legal provided it does not take place within the animals’ breeding season.
With this in mind, hunting seasons have been defined and vary according to species of deer. They also differ depending on which UK country the hunt takes place in.
Deer cannot be hunted at night, or shot from a moving vehicle.
There are some exceptions to the law should a group of deer be damaging land or to control numbers.
Hunters must also only use firearms to kill the deer, providing they have a licence, and must have the landowners’ permission.
Wild goats and sheep in Scotland have no legal protections thus why they are also often targeted by hunters.
Wild goats and sheep have no legal protections under Scottish law and are often included by companies offering hunt parties.
Ms Switlyk posted pictures of a man named Jason, also posing with animal carcasses, and wrote: ‘Congrats on Jason on his gold medal goat here in Scotland on Islay. A unique hunt’.
In another, she said: ‘Proud of Jason and his second monstrous Red Stag here in Scotland. Talk about gold medal status. Was fun to be behind the camera and capturing it all on film.
‘Amazing hunting here in the Highlands.’
MSP Michael Russell said: ‘If this is actually happening on Islay and laid on by some sort of tour company I would want to see it stopped immediately.’
Tennis star Andy Murray’s mum Judy Murray tweeted: ‘A unique hunt? Disgraceful. It’s a goat. And it’s in Scotland, on a beautiful island. Stop this please @scotgov.’
And Nicky Campbell wrote on Twitter: ‘Please don’t take this the wrong way but you are a twisted sicko’.
On her website, Ms Switlyk described herself as ‘a mixture of a tomboy and model,’ and ‘competitive, engaging and adventurous.’
Her television show, Larysa Unleashed, aims to ‘enlighten and educate the general population about why people hunt and fish, the importance of conservation, cultural experiences, and the rules and regulations behind it’.
And she is described as having ‘found true love and zeal for hunting’.
Miss Switlyk, pictured with hunting guides and a Red Stag she killed, said she wants to ‘enlighten’ people about the importance of hunting
She was joined on the trip by a friend called Jason, pictured, whom she congratulated on his wild goat kill, pictured
The presenter, pictured with a Red Stag she and her friend shot dead, described the hunting on Islay as ‘amazing’
Miss Switlyk is pictured here posing in ‘sniper mode’. She has also been criticised for promoting hunting and asks people to get in touch on her Instagram posts
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