Sir, Apart from ourselves, as far as I am aware, the only predator the seal suffers from is the killer whale, sightings of which seem to have decreased round our coasts in direct proportion to the increase in the number of seals to be seen. Nature being what it is, all creatures great and small would seem to almost need a capable predator.
Readers may remember a fuss some years ago when there was an outbreak among seals on the West British coast. They died in numbers from something akin to canine distemper. This was ascribed to over population at the time. Within very few years, they were as numerous as ever. This probably made the West Brits happy again.
Apart from the Brown Bess, in modern times it would be very difficult to suggest a less suitable weapon than the P14 Lee Enfield rifle and standard cartridge for use as a seal culling tool. Fine for people, of course, where you have a target about three feet by one and a half not including the brain, or legs. Unless you want a horrible bloody mess, the area where a hit will without fail kill a seal is the back of the head. Look at the back of your hand that is the approximate area of your target.
Some years ago, I saw one of our ever welcome tourists using a 6.5 x 68 mm. Mannlicher rifle on seals at Ballyvaughan from about 200 metres. He blew blubber and bits all over the scenery and with his fourth or fifth shot, shot the poor seal's head as well.
The P 14 rifle fires a solid copper jacketed bullet, in the military version sharply pointed to avoid making mince of people hit with it (to comply with some League of Nations agreement). It is incapable of inflicting what is called the necessary hydraulic shock, to ensure a clean kill on an animal such as a seal.
There are numerous sporting rifles eminently suitable for seal culling with suitable ammunition. What I wonder about is how many people are capable of using them with the necessary restraint. If you are not certain you can't kill him stone dead don't shoot.
If you get to Kenmare this summer, take a trip on the "Seafari" cruise, and count the seals you'll meet. Yours, etc., The Orchard, Kingston, Galway.