Hunting on Boxing Day

[GreyMary23]

I've seen numerous reports about Boxing Day hunts going ahead yesterday. What the fuck? I despise hunting anyway - like most decent/sane people - but to allow it to go ahead when so many are spending Christmas alone due to covid is utterly unbelievable. Before anyone says it's because it's outdoors, so is children's sport yet my dc haven't been able to attend rugby or football training in weeks.

How on Earth was this allowed to happen?

Definitely not a class thing as far as I am concerned.
If you get your thrills by killing animals you are vile however how much money you do/don’t have or whether you live on a country estate or a council estate.
I dont much like hunt sabs either, they are idiots who don’t help the situation

I suppose the issues of sabs being present would be solved if trails were published, if the scent used on trails were transparent, if terriermen with boxed terriers were not used, nor spades for digging out, and if said trails were not supposedly laid around areas where foxes were known.

I further suppose that if foxes weren't released during hunts for "dispatch", or autumn hunting (cubbing) was not set around gorses and copses and coverts, and hunt security were not employed, that perhaps sabs and monitors would not need to be quite so visible?

If hunts have nothing to hide and accidents really are accidents, then surely the above would be acceptable?

After all, judging by a lot of comments on here, the thrill is the hack, the chase, the open air, and not the kill, and it seems no one wants accidents to happen.

The main problem sabs and only sabs cause is they muddy the issue.

Due to their actions, obfuscations and downright lies not even hunt monitors can be sure what any hunt does, or would do if left to its own devices.

All the emotional language, bile and hate won't change that.

I, and others here, can keep repeating we know hunts that do not, may never have, killed a fox, blooded a child etc. But others will refuse to believe it, based on some very old tropes, lies and deliberately manoeuvred situations that will obfuscate the real illegalities and cruelties.

Sabs and Tommy R work in much the same way... to the detriment of many!

foodlesnoodles

Then why are drag hunts still sabbed?

They're as likely to lead to the death of a fox as a clean boot hunt.

And why, as I asked way up thread, do sabs take so much care to remove any cameras a hunt may have?

It is not one sided! Many sabs, whether you want to have met them or not, act as they do because they can... not out of any altruism.

@MispyM

foodlesnoodles

Then why are drag hunts still sabbed?

They're as likely to lead to the death of a fox as a clean boot hunt.

I can't answer that question, I'm sorry - I personally don't know of a drag hunt to be sabbed - they're usually super transparent about their activities and are well known for actual drag hunting.

I can't imagine why anyone would deliberately do that as there are enough dirty hunts who need covering but I can't answer for any others.

I'd ask for the location or hunt you're referring to but understand you might not want to out where you are.

Foodle

It's also been mentioned on this thread. As well as riders unaffiliated with any hunt getting harassed... But a quick Google search did lead to me finding this, which was the top result (I didn't continue searching/looking).

www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2017/12/01/hang-on-why-are-hunt-saboteurs-targeting-drag-hunts-7111818/amp/

@CuriousaboutSamphire

The main problem sabs and only sabs cause is they muddy the issue.

Due to their actions, obfuscations and downright lies not even hunt monitors can be sure what any hunt does, or would do if left to its own devices.

All the emotional language, bile and hate won't change that.

I, and others here, can keep repeating we know hunts that do not, may never have, killed a fox, blooded a child etc. But others will refuse to believe it, based on some very old tropes, lies and deliberately manoeuvred situations that will obfuscate the real illegalities and cruelties.

Sabs and Tommy R work in much the same way... to the detriment of many!

Imagine a world where people volunteered their services, free of charge, out of the sheer altruistic goodness of their hearts in other areas where people might be breaking the law.

Anti-burglary wardens sound like a great idea, particularly in areas where its more common. Anti-street violence/stabbing volunteers sound as though they are really needed right now in some parts of London. Anti-rape marshalls would be really helpful.

Imagine too, if they could be largely tolerated by the police, even when they trespass onto private property and commit minor breaches of the peace, even when caught on camera, or direct acts of vandalism.

What a great world that would be. Because theres a lot of badness and law breaking out there, but its only really foxes that receive this unusual level of attention, and only really people who are perceived as "rich, rural based toffs" who are targetted.

@foodlesnoodles the reason hunts don't want to invite sabs along or publish meets and trails is because of the vile behaviour of the sabs, nothing to do with trying to hide what they're doing.
Would you want to invite a bunch of football hooligans to supervise a sporting or social occasion you were attending or organising? Except at least football hooligans tend to target other adults as first choice, which is more than can be said for sabs.

Being a sab on the basis of animal welfare is a bit like saying you joined the Ira or isis because you're devoutly religious.