Trail Hunting or Fox Hunting?

[wantmorenow]

Just read a random pop up post in Facebook about hunting with hounds in the UK which I naively thought had been banned. I am shocked and quite amazed at my own ignorance. I genuinely didn't realise this still goes on and despite the law banning hunting. There is footage of the fox being pursued and the data shared is an eye opener.

Yes as I said, my rural county has a specific police officer to monitor the hunts here. I don’t think this stuff is made up.

Even if no fox is killed by trail hunters, others are. It may be other wildlife or people's cats particularly where they have trespassed onto other land.
It is an outdated barbaric practice.
It's also worth reading up on the treatments of the hounds too.

Plus they muster on public green and roads, the hounds shit everywhere, they let it lie. They see rules as being for other people.

Hunt sabs aren't kind cuddly people FYI. They purposely endanger the lives of riders, dogs and horses by setting wire traps etc. They verbally and physically threaten kids at meets

You know there is a really efficient way to prevent that from happening don't you? Take your kids somewhere nice?

I don't take my child but interesting that you think violence and intimidation of kids is acceptable.
I'm saying don't be fooled into thinking sabs are cuddly caring people. They will try to pull riders off horses and have no qualms about injuring horses or dogs.
I no longer hunt but nothing is black and white.

Well why don't the hunt put the sabs out of a job by obeying the law then.

There were young kids taking part in the hunt I mentioned- their parents must be so proud. Who raises their kids to hunt a wild animal for fun ffs.

Because the sabs will attack without any evidence ie at the start of a meet.
There are good and bad both hunters and sabs. It isn't black and white.
The majority of people go trail hunting with zero inclination or desire to hunt foxes.

It's totally black and white - It's the law.

@twistyizzy But why should sabs be seen as cuddly people? Who told you to see them as such? I don't see them as that at all. If you don't want to be pulled off your horse don't take your horse, if you don't want to be intimidated by sabs don't go to the hunt. If don't want your kids to witness things, don't take them. It's as simple as that. And don't be banging on about the poor horses and dogs - claiming animal cruelty when you've actively partaken in the slaughter of others for fun is nothing but hypocrisy.

And the majority of people don't want to hunt foxes. If sabs are so black and white why do they start attacking before a hunt has started?

Definitely still happens in my local area. Everything else aside, having a pack of hounds heading towards you is terrifying, and no they aren’t under control. No other pack of dogs like that would be tolerated. Nor would all of the massive vehicles blocking local roads.

Yes it is used as a cover for fox hunting and the powers that be don't give a shit. I know 2 separate people (not known to one another) who hunt foxes in England and love to boast about it - it's totally normal in their circles. It sickens me

The majority of people who hunt don't want to hunt fixes, that's why they go trail hunting. For these law abiding followers is it acceptable to be assaulted physically and verbally with no proof of them doing anything?
You are saying it is acceptable to pull kids from horses before a meet has started and where that child has never participated in chasing a live fox?

Why don't this majority put pressure on the hunts that do go after foxes.

If they want the sabs to stop it's really quite easy- just demonstrate that they are obeying the law.

The problem is the crown prosecution service who find it difficult to convict illegal foxhunts even when presented with very clear evidence.

Trail hunting is legal, some hunts embraced it and act fully legally. Some hunts use it as an excuse to continue fox hunting.

It hit the headlines during covid because they discussed their plans online rather than in person and were recorded. Unfortunately this illegal hunting is very widespread and the only way to stop it will be to ban hunting with dogs.

As PP said blood hounding is an entirely different thing but the public wont understand that

Banning hunting will have a huge impact on the countryside, all the people whose livelihoods depend on the hunt and all the farmers who rely on them to take fallen livestock and often to help maintain their fences and tracks. Thousands of dogs will be killed, they cant be rehomed to a domestic property.

I am in support of banning hunting. The hunt have no right of access to our land but they fly through just the same tearing up footpaths, worrying the animals and leaving lost hounds wandering the roads.

But sabs attack before a hunt has started. How does someone provide evidence that they are obeying the law before they've even set off?

Trail hunting is legal but if you do your research you will find that often foxes are "accidently" chased and killed. Personally I think just ban trail hunting as well then there's no excuses. It's like something out of the dark ages surely we should have moved on from this it's the 21st century for goodness sake.

You are saying it is acceptable to pull kids from horses before a meet has started and where that child has never participated in chasing a live fox?

@twistyizzy

I'm saying that if you take your child to an event where you know that there is a very real potential that hunt saboteurs are in attendance and there is a very real risk that ANY animal will come to harm because of your actions and still stick your kid on the back of a horse then any responsibility lies with you. I also think that dragging your kids out on a day out to 'pretend' (hahaha) to hunt animals that you're no longer allowed to hunt (though they still are) because you miss ripping them to shreds makes a person a piss poor parent.

They were at the back of my house the other week. My son went out and challenged them and they said they were trail hunting. How the heck can they guarantee no poor animal will get killed "accidentally" during this? Someone mentioned a deer earlier, absolutely sickening. I still think it's just a cover for terrifying and killing a poor animal. Cruel bastards.

They take their kids out to follow a trail not to pretend to rip an animal to shreds. They take them to practice riding out on a variety of terrain and become better riders and to enjoy their ponies with other kids, nothing to do with wanting to teach their kids how to rip a fox to shreds.
They have every right to go and do something that is legal without fear of attack. Trail hunting is legal and therefore riders have a right to do that legal activity without fear of attack.
Sabs purposely target kids in these situations.

'@twistyizzy

Hunt sabs aren't kind cuddly people FYI. They purposely endanger the lives of riders, dogs and horses by setting wire traps etc. They verbally and physically threaten kids at meets'

Evidence please?

@twistyizzy but you can ride out on all terrains at anytime and with other kids and not involve trail hunting or dogs ..

Perhaps worth noting that the vast majority of prosecutions under the Hunting Act are not for registered hunts (about 30). Most of the rest are for hare coursing, which can be a big money activity involving large bets. It's a criminal activity on many levels (breach of th Hunting Act, aggravated trespass, illegal gambling).

Interestingly, sabs seem to have next to no interest in coursing.

It is also quite possible to see a fox leaving an area where a hunt is in progress not because it's being chased, but because it's just getting away from the noise and commotion.

I'd also not believe much that Chris Packham has to say.

Edited to add, I have never ridden to hounds. but I have seen plenty of videos of sabs disrupting activities that are legal under the Hunting Act, including spraying liquid into hounds' faces.