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Original poster

Trail Hunting or Fox Hunting?

214 replies

wantmorenow · 01/01/2025 09:28

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.

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17
liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 12:00

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 11:24

It’s not a ridiculous suggestion. There is certainly some talk that terrier men dig out foxes while out with a drag hunt (not chasing foxes). Kind of a brucie bonus during their day out. Great that you say your hunt doesn’t but it’s ridiculous to suggest no hunts do. Or that it’s not a possibility. Personally I think the idea of terriers going out for a jolly on the quad bike is ridiculous but there you are.

ITS NOT A DRAG HUNT 🙄! No bloodhound pack will be doing this and no knowledgable people, even the sabs apart from the few like you that don't know the difference, will suggest it's a possibility!

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 13:21

liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 12:00

ITS NOT A DRAG HUNT 🙄! No bloodhound pack will be doing this and no knowledgable people, even the sabs apart from the few like you that don't know the difference, will suggest it's a possibility!

Show quote history

In all honesty I can’t say I’ve ever given bloodhounds any thought. I’m not interested in them at all. I know they’re different to foxhounds and are slower and not used to chase foxes. Therefore I’ve no actual interest in whether they’re chasing a person or a scent. I was vaguely thinking some bloodhound packs did one and some did the other.

I know that trail hunting with a fox hound pack is normally a cover for chasing foxes.

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 13:25

Says here some bloodhounds hunt a runner and sometimes the runner has dragged a scent. Certainly seems to talk about drag hunting 🤷🏻‍♀️

Trail Hunting or Fox Hunting?
Stirabout · 02/01/2025 14:15

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 10:42

I know what bloodhounds are and what clean boot hunts are. There’s a bloodhound hunt near me which afaik is never sabbed as no need to sab it. They’re not foxhounds!

But I genuinely can’t understand taking terriers out for a ride round for the day and am just suspicious that the “terrier men” while out and about on their quad bikes for the day will use the terriers if they come across any fox sets while out in the fields. So everyone is busy following the runners and while people are distracted there’s some fox getting a terrier sent down their set…….seperate from the bloodhounds.

They are much the same as beaters in a pheasant shoot.

liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 15:09

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 13:25

Says here some bloodhounds hunt a runner and sometimes the runner has dragged a scent. Certainly seems to talk about drag hunting 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes the bloodhounds track a human runner - fox hounds track a 'dragged' scent. It says it right there!

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 15:17

liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 15:09

Yes the bloodhounds track a human runner - fox hounds track a 'dragged' scent. It says it right there!

Show quote history

I think I have interpreted it in a different way, fully admit possibly incorrectly. But I genuinely thought it meant some bloodhounds followed a live runner and others (still bloodhounds) followed a dragged human scent. Even when I read it again now that’s how I read it.

the whole article is about drag hunting and talks about bloodhounds And it talks about hunting the clean boot as a type of drag hunting 🤷🏻‍♀️

but I fully agree I don’t know about bloodhounds. Why would I when I have nothing to do with them and have never protested against them. I admit if I was protesting against them while knowing nothing about them that would be irritating. But I never have. I have no issue with bloodhounds.

Whenismytime · 02/01/2025 15:18

GCAcademic · 01/01/2025 09:54

They are certainly still hunting foxes with dogs round my way. As well as trespassing - ignoring the local farmers who repeatedly tell the hunt to keep off their land to no avail. They even chased a deer into a neighbour's garden and savaged it in front of him. They think they can go wherever they like, damaging other people's fields and gardens, and they know the police will do nothing when they kill an animal.

This is my experience too. They do not care about trespassing, including trampling through gardens on huge horses where small children are playing or diving into traffic, endangering people, wildlife, livestock, horses ect. If you complain you are accused of being a 'sab' and told to fuck off. People that think they join legal hunts are naive at best IME.

liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 15:27

@FeegleFrenzy Tbf your source seems vague and pretty ill informed too. Here is a more accurate description from an animal rights group, not a hunt making claims, clearing up the difference.

savemetrust.co.uk/2021/02/02/hunting-the-clean-boot/

FeegleFrenzy · 02/01/2025 15:32

liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 15:27

@FeegleFrenzy Tbf your source seems vague and pretty ill informed too. Here is a more accurate description from an animal rights group, not a hunt making claims, clearing up the difference.

savemetrust.co.uk/2021/02/02/hunting-the-clean-boot/

Thank you. I did know that Brian may is ok with bloodhounds which is good enough for me 👍🏻

Dh is a keen ultra marathon runner . I might suggest he contact our local bloodhound pack to see if they need anymore runners. It would be great training for him, he’s a bit scared of big dogs though. Might make him run faster 😂

Nessastats · 02/01/2025 16:12

twistyizzy · 01/01/2025 10:37

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

Any decent parent wouldn't allow their child to be at a fox hunting meet.

liveforsummer · 02/01/2025 16:14

@FeegleFrenzy Tbf they are giant dopes. Would probably cure his fear - although might help him not get caught before the end of the hunt line. Happens sometimes apparently although never seen it at ours. The ladies that do it for our hunt are far from what you'd expect and are in their late 60's at a guess. I get tired just thinking about it! Lovely to see the welcome their get from their pursuers at the end though. Here is a picture of my terrier following the hunt. She'd be delighted if she was given the privilege of joining in. I can absolutely see why hunt staff bring them along!

Trail Hunting or Fox Hunting?
BurntBroccoli · 02/01/2025 17:21

I'm not sure why all the fox hunts didn't just start hunting with blood hounds instead?
They would still have meets and ride outs, local farmers would be happy and they would probably have more support.

Ariela · 02/01/2025 17:30

namechangeGOT · 01/01/2025 15:02

There is not a single good hunter. They're all scum.

Show quote history

I disagree @namechangeGOT Drag hunts & bloodhounds have NEVER chased foxes. Draghunting has been going on for over 200 years as a completely separate sport, often associated with the military eg www.staffcollegedraghounds.co.uk/. Following them on a horse is fun, effectively a very well organised group ride with a few usually optional jumps thrown in, never see a fox. See www.mdbassociation.com/
The problem is if you say you go 'hunting', many people automatically assume that means chasing foxes.......

BurntBroccoli · 02/01/2025 17:55

@Ariela
It's such a shame that trail hunting has contaminated the name of drag hunting. So many more fox hunts than drag hunts too it seems.

Is drag hunting more expensive?

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