To hate the disingenuous, lying, underhand Hunting Brigade and there ongoing campaign to bring back fox hunting

[Boomingmarvellous]

I hate fox hunting with horses and hounds. It's cruel and barbaric. That's my only objection. I don't mind shooting foxes if they are predating livestock like chickens and lambs. The rest should be left in peace to maintain their place in rural life.

The Hunting brigade and the Countryside Alliance have lied about everything to support their 'sport'. Not least the mass euthanasia of hounds and horses and loss of countryside jobs if it was banned. 10 years on it is more popular then ever.

They still 'accidentally' kill foxes who stray across their path. Why? Because the trail they lay is still concocted to smell of foxes. They have had 10 years to raise hounds to follow a different scent. Dogs can be trained to pick up the scent of anything so why stick to fox? Of course it's because they knew if a conservative government got in they would change the law back again.

Thank you SNP for scotching that idea.

[DoreenLethal]

I don't think they have been underhand ever. They have been blatant throughout.

[Supermanspants]

YANBU. As an ex-hunter this vile sport needs to stay banned although agree that there seem to be too many 'accidents' where foxes are killed.
Too many Tory MP's oppose repeal now. Pigs will fly first before it is brought back
The Act needs strengthening

[Nataleejah]

Hate them wth passion too. YANBU. Vile creatures

[JustAnotherOP]

Yanbu but I agree with Doreen I think they're quite proud of themselves.

[PhilPhilConnors]

I live in the middle of hunting country.
The people who hunt (and I know many) are not vile at all, they are carrying on a tradition that many generations have done before them.
I agree it is a horrible "sport", but until there is a full enforced ban it will continue. Under the Tories there will never be a full ban as they will ostracise many of their voters.
There are options to change how it's done, but people don't like change and if they can get away with doing it as it has been done for generations, they will.

FWIW, the hunt saboteurs cause more damage to animals than the hunters themselves do. IMO they are the vile creatures.

[Boomingmarvellous]

I sincerely hope it is never repealed and is strengthened. There is a conservative anti hunting group so I just hope the numbers never add up to a return of hunting.

No problem with families enjoying Boxing Day riding across our lovely countryside and having fun. It's a great tradition, but I just wish the countryside alliance would STFU.

[Nataleejah]

Some traditions need to disappear.
I understand hunting when its done for food or some wildlife management.
But for sports and traditions sake -- ZERO RESPECT. I hope they break their necks.

[Boomingmarvellous]

I also live in a village with countryside all around. We have a few local hunts. I know a few hunting families. I have no problem with them, I've helped then socialise the foxhound puppies. They just enjoy the riding and it's not about killing foxes. Some wouldn't take their children if it ended with a fox torn to pieces. And 'blooding' children. Ffs. Would that still be going on because it's tradition?

I am just so irritated with the countryside alliance's determination to bring back something most people don't want.

[TheSpectreOfMorningtonCrescent]

Sorry, they are vile and arrogant. This is a law they break, albeit a fairly toothless one, just like those who shoot and poison raptors. But the minor fines they could receive are not going to deter those who can afford to maintain stables and kennels.

[YouBastardSockBalls]

They'll never bring it back because it's more popular and works better as it is now.

But anyone who eats imported meat (most of the population) really doesn't have a leg to stand on re animal cruelty. There are far bigger, and far more cruel practices that people's time would be better spent campaigning against, but because of the class element to hunting it will ALWAYS be targeted over many far more upsettibg and barbaric practices.

[jacks11]

Have to agree with Phil on many points.

I don't have such strong anti-hunting views as other posters. I can appreciate why others have that view though.

I have never been on a real hunt, but have been drag hunting. To my knowledge the law, as it is, was followed. The hunt saboteurs were mostly ok, although a few were bordering on thuggish. I have heard of situations where the saboteurs caused more damage to animal life than the hunt that day, which surely cannot be right even if you object to hunting? Although don't get the issue with drag hunting myself.

If there is evidence of a hunt deliberately flouting the law, then go to the police and have it dealt with. Think the legislation is a bit wooly though and I think this has led to limited prosecutions.

[OurBlanche]

Will there ever be a place for a clam debate on this? The rhetoric used is quite incredible and wrongly one sided... the anti hunt brigade are equally objectionable, some more so in their allegedly understandable aggression.

I live in the middle of a hunting community. Many locals hunt, many don't. Many happily ride with no intention of even seeing a fox, the kids/runners love laying the trail, ensuring the hunt does not cross land of people who are opposed, do no damage, to property or horses, and generally have a great time. Sadly the followers continue to be rude, shouty and in the way. We continue to be told to fuck off, when we try to get into our own driveway. They do the hunt a great disservice and fuel a lot of local resentment.

The anti brigade also continue to be rude, threatening, extremely loud and deliberately provocative... shrieking such things as "I hope you break your fucking neck" to children on pones as well as adults. They break into gardens to get to the hunt line, they do much damage, threaten householders. My own experiences include them letting my chickens out and shouting at me for being a fucking idiot when one of their dogs killed one. Calling the police to me for trying to kill their dog when it put its nose on the stock fence around my chickens. They are vile, abusive and utterly out of control. They consider themselves to be above the law and seem to get away with anything short of murder.

But I suppose that the physical harm they cause to people and property are justifiable... if you have lost your wits and have no acquaintance whatsoever with common sense, or accurate information!

[wasonthelist]

just like those who shoot and poison raptors

Eh?

[Boomingmarvellous]

Precisely. It's the countryside alliance with so much money and resources and influence behind it that keeps pushing for something very few people really want.

Such a pity they don't put as much effort into the protection of songbirds or the rest of the countryside.

[CrazyMermaidHair]

Fox Hunting belongs in the past along with bear baiting, cock fighting etc.

It's nothing but a piss up for the aristocracy, and has little to do with controlling numbers of foxes and protecting livestock.

[ivykaty44]

Saboteurs causing damage is a problem - why on earth do they cause so much damage? Totally absurd

[OurBlanche]

Erm... that, CrazyMermaidHair, is exactly the kind of ignorance I mean.

No aristocracy in the hunts round here. They no longer hunt foxes as, lo and behold it really does belong in the past, 10 years and counting. They set out on drag hunts these days, absolutely fuck all to do with numbers of foxes or protecting livestock. Mainly as fox number are controlled via a man with a gun these days!

Stop believing the emotive cant the anti hunt brigade continue to publish. It is often highly misleading and causes a lot of misery in small communities.

[Boomingmarvellous]

Also agree that hunt sabs are not doing any favours to themselves or the countryside.

10 years ago it was fair enough for them to disrup hunts. They had no other means and they had no other influence, unlike the power and resources or the countreyside alliance, but now they should just stop harassing people enjoying a morning ride in the country. fair enough to monitor hunts and you don't need to distrust to do that.

I just want to know why Hunts continue to use 'fox scented' trails. Is is because they are so sure the law will be repealed and the hounds 'fox ready'? These trails inevitably will result in the odd fox crossing a trail and being picked up.

[YouBastardSockBalls]

It's nothing but a piss up for the aristocracy, and has little to do with controlling numbers of foxes and protecting livestock.

THIS is the crux of the argument. It's purely a class thing. Hunting has EVERYTHING to do with controlling foxes and protecting livestock, and most people who hunt are just normal countryside people.
But moronic classisms like the statement above show clearly why people put so much energy into stopping hunting which is already banned anyway rather than other, far more deserving causes.

And yes, hunt sabs are basically rent-a-thugs who are truly vile. They abuse children and adults alike, and seem to view the horses and hounds as The Enemy and don't care if they hurt them (which they often do). They also killed a hunt supporter a few years ago, an old man who followed in a car, by flying their small helicopter into his head. They're vile.

[CrazyMermaidHair]

What about the pro-hunt brigade who harass and bully any land owners who refuse to allow hunting on their property? I'm sure that causes a lot of misery as well.

And seriously, what is the point of drag hunting?

[YouBastardSockBalls]

I just want to know why Hunts continue to use 'fox scented' trails

Because it has been bred into hounds for literally hundreds of years to follow a fox scent. They would be unlikely to follow another trail.

FWIW I'm not particularly for or against. I used to hunt a lot, and therefore have a lot of knowledge of how hunts operate and the type of people who attend. I don't hunt now, but I hate to see the misinformation presented as fact, and the classisms which often come out when the subject is raised.

[OurBlanche]

Sabs seem to do it because they can. They are weirdly rabid in their approach. They are angry, aggressive and utterly dismissive of anyone who gets in their way. I doubt they like animals any more than they seem to like people.

I am not talking about all of the anti hunt brigade, just the professional sabs. Those who travel round the country doing damage and threatening people "in defence of the fox". They are the same people who desecrate graves, steal bodies, rant and rave about killing people who hurt animals.

If you think I am being a bit OTT, do some reading about them, they are, frankly, terrifying. Even PETA, who seem to have gained a reputation for being good, carry so much disinformation and downright lies!

[Notrevealingmyidentity]

Hunting has nothing to do with controlling foxes. What bullshit.

There is evidence that it has no effect whatsoever on the fox population.

[YouBastardSockBalls]

And seriously, what is the point of drag hunting?

It means that the millions of pounds that hunting brings to the rural economy, the social lifeline it gives to many isolated people, and the services such as fallen stock collection can continue.

Hunting is a huge part of the rural community and economy. If you haven't lived in it then it must be difficult to understand.

But even Tony Blair has said that he had totally underestimated the importance of hunting to the community, and that the bane as a mistake. Personally, I don't think the ban was a mistake, as hunting works so well now and is so much more popular.

[YouBastardSockBalls]

There is evidence that it has no effect whatsoever on the fox population

Really? Where is this evidence?