A GANG of poachers is hunting and killing deer and game birds in west Dorset using dogs, catapults and shotguns.

Dorset Police Wildlife Crime Lead Police Inspector Mike Darby said rural crime officers were joining forces with Avon and Somerset police to try and catch the gang which has been operating around the Bridport, Dorchester and Crewkerne areas.

Police believe it is just one gang involved and in some cases the criminals have left evidence of their kills - carcasses, skins and entrails - behind.

Extra officers have been on high visibility patrols and police are asking farmers and landowners to be vigilant and report any suspicious circumstances, from broken padlocks and open gates to tyres marks on their land.

But the warning not to approach any suspected poachers.

Insp Derby said: "We have had numerous reports of vehicles acting suspiciously at night and reports of deer carcasses.

"These are poachers but some just kill for fun. They use lurchers and there have been reports of them using firearms.

"We believe it is just one gang operating in the areas around Bridport, Dorchester and Crewkerne.

"We are very keen for people in rural communities to contact us if they find any gates or padlocks cut or tracks of 4 x 4s.

"We want exact locations."

Last week the combined forces carried out a two-day operation patrolling the boundaries of the area this gang is targetting.

Ins Darby added: "They use various methods to kill the deer - lurcher dogs to chase them down, catapults with ball bearings and there have been reports of them using firearms and firing catapults at gamekeepers.

"If people believe they have intruders on their land they should phone 999. We don't want them to confront people on their land because of the risk to themselves."

Insp Darby said the gangs were 'active criminals' who were having 'significant impact' on livelihoods.

He added: "If these gangs see a quad bike around they'll steal that too, they damage land and crops and target both wild and farmed deer.

"They can kill up to 50 pheasants a night and if you think that pheasant might be worth £50 in the food chain or on a shoot up to £100, you can see there is a large amount of money involved.

"It's clearly a significant crime. They are targetting certain estates and it has massive consequences."