BANNING hunting on Exmoor would have the same impact as a ban on football would have in places such as Liverpool and Manchester, Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael will be told.
The comparison is highlighted in a detailed response drawn-up by Exmoor National Park Authority as part of the Government's nationwide consultation on whether to ban hunting with dogs.
The ten-page response from the park authority, which was approved by members this week, pulls no punches - a ban on stag hunting on the moor would decimate both the wild red deer herd and both the social and economic viability of the area.
The authority goes to some lengths to stress it has no moral views on the rights and wrongs of hunting with dogs - instead, it sticks to the impact a ban could have on the conservation of Exmoor's deer herd.
However, it is acknowledged that of the 26 authority members, eight are farmers who are directly involved in agriculture, several are retired and others are or have been actively involved in hunting.
Nevertheless, the response states: "Whether hunting with hounds should be banned is clearly a sensitive national issue, the morals and ethics of which are not the concerns of the Exmoor National Park Authority.
"However, given that a ban on hunting with hounds could represent a significant change in current deer management arrangements, there is concern that such a ban could have serious implications for the future arrangements for the sustainable management of the red deer herds and, in turn, their conservation and enhancement; the enjoyment by the public of the "special quality" of the national park; the social and economic well-being of the national park's communities."
Exmoor boasts the largest herd of wild red deer in England and the authority believes that fact was crucial to Exmoor being given national park status in 1954.
As a result, the authority goes out of its way to protect the herd, while ensuring the wildlife thrives side-by-side with the people who have to live and work on the moor.
To that end, the park's management plan states: "Management by people is essential to maintaining the herd and traditionally a mixture of hunting and shooting has achieved this.
"The relationship between the deer, the hunt and those who manage the land is complex and the key to the continued success in maintaining the fine herd of red deer."
The response to Mr Michael explains the position further and points out that the number of deer culled by shooting far exceeds the 150 or so deer killed each year by hunts.
The report continues: "Hunting with hounds is also used to manage the distribution of deer and move local deer populations away from areas where they are causing unacceptable damage.
"This forced movement of the deer is also thought to help maintain a high quality red deer herd by discouraging inbreeding.
"Crop damage by deer can also be significant and damage to hedgerows and boundaries is clearly evident in many places on Exmoor.
"It is acknowledged that there is increased tolerance of deer damage to crops, woodlands and boundaries among Exmoor farmers and landowners as a result of interest in hunting of deer with hounds.
"The hunt responds to problems raised with the Deer Management Society by organising hunts on areas where damage is occurring, which effectively disperses the deer."
Authority members believed the current "deer management arrangements" worked well and had the support of the majority of the landowning and farming community.
But they were concerned that banning hunting with hounds could also signal the end of the tolerance shown by many farmers and landowners who currently turned a blind eye to much of the damage caused by the deer herd.
They warned that such a ban could result in increased pressure to reduce the size of the herd, which is currently believed to be at least 3,000-strong.
The response added: "Without new effective management frameworks in place there could also be an increase in indiscriminate, uncoordinated shooting with, in short, an end to the present red deer management regime as we know it and the risk of serious consequences for the future number, quality and distribution of Exmoor's red deer herds.
"The Exmoor National Park Authority believes that an increase in commercial stalking could lead to significant danger of over exploitation of the local red deer herd, particularly the larger "trophy" stags.
"In conclusion, the main alternative method to hunting with hounds for the management of deer numbers is through shooting with rifles.
"There is a concern that total reliance on shooting to control deer numbers on Exmoor will lead to higher levels of shooting than currently because of a reduction in the tolerance of deer damage."
As a result, authority members believed that would have the knock-on effect of causing a substantial decline in herd numbers, a reduction in the quality of the herd, lead to changes in deer behaviour as they would favour the cover of woodland rather than the open moor and lead to greater suffering as wounded deer could not be tracked down and culled, as was currently done by the hunts.
Members also noted the "serious impact" any hunting ban would have on the social and economic well-being of Exmoor, which in turn would put the national park's own statutory duties at risk.
They noted that no overall study had been done into the impact of the "hunting pound" on tourism in the park, but believed it was "an important addition to the income of the local tourism industry".
The report concluded: "Any visitor to Exmoor soon realises that hunting of red deer and fox hunting, as with other country sports on Exmoor, such as game shooting and fishing, are traditional pursuits enjoyed by a large number of local people and visitors.
"The national park authority believes that these activities form an important and significant focus in the social life of Exmoor's rural communities.
"Some have likened the social impact of a ban on hunting on Exmoor to the impact a ban on football would have on communities in Liverpool, Manchester or Newcastle.
"While some would be pleased, others would have a profound sense of loss and overall impact would be impossible to fully measure."
Members felt that the combined shooting and hunting controls currently used on the moor were the only effective measures to maintain herd numbers, together with the quality and "visibility" of the red deer.
They added that if legislation was introduced to ban hunting with dogs, "adequate arrangements" had to be in place "in good time" to ensure the future conservation and management of the herd, together with measures to "balance the adverse effects" on the social and economic well-being of rural communities.