THE mystery of the head of a deer found in a cage in the centre of the Forest of Dean has been solved. It was the 'end target' for a rare breed of tracking dog – a Bavarian Mountain Hound – used by enthusiasts to follow a specially laid blood trail.

With the consent of the Forestry Commission, members of the Bavarian Mountain Hound Society use the Forest once a month to lay a blood trail through the woods which eventually leads to the caged head of a deer.

Society member Peter Garraway, of Dursley, revealed the activity to the Review following last week's front page picture of a cage and its gruesome content which had been photographed by a reader near the Three Brother landmark.

"It's a well organised and very controlled day," said Mr Garraway.

He explained: "The tracking hound runs on a 10 metre long leash and follows a blood trail laid by a member of the society in an area of the Forest allocated by the Forestry Commission."

Training days and tests take place once a month with the object of bringing hounds up to standard to take a special test.

"The idea is that hounds can be used to track injured deer," said Mr Garraway.

The society's website says that on each day a maximum of six hounds can be put through their paces.

The days are also used to enable members to gain further experience of laying blood tracks and to help train judges.

It says: "You will also have the opportunity to lay tracks and watch other hounds work."

Bavarian Mountain Hounds are descended from original hunting dogs said to have the finest noses for following ground scent.

Meanwhile the mystery of the dead foxes also appears to have been solved. They were road traffic victims.

Newly elected district councillor Roger Sterry came across the dead foxes as he drove through the Forest in a downpour last week.

"They had obviously been hit by a vehicle and were dead in the centre of the road. I stopped and threw them onto the verge to save other motorists driving over them," he said.