BOAR are being indiscriminately killed in the Forest of Dean, regardless of age, sex or whether they're 'problem animals' according to details obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

The figures are the result of enquiries made by Dr Martin Goulding, a leading wild boar expert, who's expected to talk about them on this Sunday's Countryfile programme (February 28).

Speaking to the Review, Dr Goulding said: "Using the Freedom of Information Act I wanted to find out what wild boar were being shot, what age and what sex. What the statistics show is that all sorts of animals are being shot, of both sexes and at any time of year.

"This highlights the fact that there is no closed season and the Forestry Commission aren't, or can't really target specific animals. I very much doubt whether animals aged three to four months old can be that difficult. Shooting everything on sight is just fire fighting and won't solve anything."

Dr Goulding, who has been closely studying the UK's wild boar population for more than a decade, says he appreciates the Forestry Commission is acting on guidance from the Verderers and the district council and is in a difficult situation. But he argues the organisation should be more open about its aims and be far clearer about how it intends to manage the boar.

He says there very different approaches: eradication, encouragement or management.

"Once you are clear on what you want to do, you can then decide which animals you need to cull."

Dr Goulding also argues indiscriminate shooting is most likely to disperse the population – boar travel widely and are known to have crossed the Wye into Wales and he says could easily spread as far south as Chepstow.

He makes a case for a 'closed season' because research shows 90 per cent of boar kittens are born in the spring.

And, he adds: "It must be morally wrong to be culling wildlife just because it is impacting on people walking with dogs which aren't on leads. They should be on leads, but while we were filming I kept a close eye out and didn't see one dog on a lead."

Dr Goulding says he knows his comments are likely to infuriate the Forestry Commission, but believes there are ways to reach compromise.

Forestry Commission ranger, Neil Sollis, was also filmed by the Countryfile team. A spokesman for the Commission said they continuing their policy of containing and controlling the population and, since the autumn, have focused on taking out male animals only.

Other features in the BBC1 programme will be presenter Matt Baker abseiling off Eagle's Nest in search of bats and descending into Clearwell Caves on the hunt for Ochre. Fellow presenter, Julia Bradbury, canoes the rapids at Symonds Yat and explores the long history of tourism and the Picturesque movement.