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Original poster

She used to fox hunt?!

274 replies

Boxingdayhunts · 26/12/2023 22:29

name change urgh

long story short - over Xmas got talking about newspiece about Boxing Day ‘trail hunts’. Got shock of my life when family member (married in not blood) revealed she had on occasion when younger joined hunts. actual fox hunts.

this is something I feel strongly about. I would never have thought this about her.

aibu to feel shocked, disappointed, and look a little differently at her now?

OP posts:
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6
Sugarsun · 27/12/2023 10:16

YANBU

I will always judge people if they take part in certain activities.

But unfortunately fox hunting is very ingrained in some families and I know many people who support fox hunting, even though they’re otherwise supposedly decent people.

ClottedCreamScone · 27/12/2023 10:17

ChristmasFluff · 27/12/2023 09:28

There's a false equivalency between foxhunting and eating meat going on here (speaking as a vegetarian - and largely vegan). Foxhunting is outright cruelty, which is why it is banned. There is no 'kind' way to hunt down a fox with dogs.

Anyone who was able to partake had a complete failure of empathy for a living creature, and so unless they also told me about their Road to Damascus moment, yes, I'd think of them differently.

And OP has not said she cannot be around this person. She's said she thinks of them differently. Lots of us find out things that make us think differently about people - doesn't mean we cut them off.

What is it with people these days that we are meant to believe everyone is made of sugar and spice and all things nice, even when their frogs are showing?

I think meat consumption is worse tbh. It’s a different scale of cruelty altogether.

I think hunting with dogs is awful, and a terrible end for a fox. But it’s a terrible end for an animal who has otherwise lived the way it’s meant to.

Animal farming is so, so much worse. Day old chicks macerated alive, chickens kept stuffed up in barns with no access to light or freedom to engage in any of the natural behaviours. Sheep funnelled into the abattoir in absolute terror. Turkeys fed so much they can barely stand.

Most people are distanced from this cruelty which is why they can tolerate it. But it’s a far worse life than that of a hunted fox.

Sugarsun · 27/12/2023 10:24

ANightmareBeforeChristmas · 27/12/2023 09:11

To be honest, unless you are a vegan (I am not, for context) you are on shaky ground taking a moral stance over fox hunting.

Nope.

Comparing fox hunting with eating meat is very stupid.

Killing animals for food, is completely different to killing animals for sport/fun.

There is a reason why a giraffe shot down as a trophy piece is seen as disgusting and usually plastered all over the internet.

Its the same reason why ivory hunting is illegal.

Killing an animal for fun is no where near killing one for food, especially when the fun comes from the actual chase and torture of the animal too.

I unfortunately knew someone who killed their dog in a very barbaric way.
Comparing his vile actions to eating meat would be as stupid as comparing fox hunting with eating meat.

Shouldgetupearlier · 27/12/2023 10:27

I hunted a few times in my teens. I hated the fox aspect but justified it to myself as we never caught anything. The last time we did, and I never went back. From a riding perspective there was nothing like it especially where I grew up. Most riding was on roads or in your own field apart from a couple of bridle paths. Then, for one day only you were able to gallop for miles across huge areas of fields.
I don’t talk about it now to current friends. There was no drag hunting near us in those days.

FindingMeno · 27/12/2023 10:28

I understand what you're saying, op.
I find people from a family background of hunting are not my people.
My experience is that they have been brought up in a different world to me, and it's one I don't care for much.
It's not their fault if they were taken out hunting as a child, obviously, but I would wonder what other values had been instilled in them.

quisensoucie · 27/12/2023 10:29

Paragon of virtue, are you @Boxingdayhunts ?
Never done anything that may be frowned upon today?
Smoking around kids used to be a thing
Drinking while pregnant used to be a thing
Riding a bike without every conceivable part of your body being covered was a thing
Actual fox hunts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, my giddy aunt. I don't agree with hunting but put your pearls down

Createausername1970 · 27/12/2023 10:33

Society is made up of a wide range of people with different interests, opinions and attitudes. If I get on with someone and enjoy their company, it doesn't mean I have to embrace everything about them.

I am uncomfortable with some things I have done or said in the past.

But that is life.

CornishGem1975 · 27/12/2023 10:33

It was completely normal when I was younger, not something I'd be surprised, upset or offended by. I used to love seeing the Boxing Day hunt come by when I was a kid. Never took part as I'm not from that demographic but it was a sight to see.

VisionsOfSplendour · 27/12/2023 10:33

If that gave you the shock of your life I suggest you get out more

If this person is an outdoor horsey type I suspect your dramatics are not going to make for a lifelong friendship

TheSuggestedAmendment · 27/12/2023 10:36

You sound like the kind of person that could do with having some Different Opinion people in your social circle. It won’t kill you and may even make you more interesting, tolerant and happier.

Willmafrockfit · 27/12/2023 10:37

it is just a boxing day tradition,
yabu

frami · 27/12/2023 10:37

My neice used to hunt, (my DSis and her husband own stud farm). My problem was with my DSis letting/encouraging her (Dsis doesn't ride and would by her own admission have never gone near a horse but for her husband). Dsis let her daughter hunt purely for the social cachet. They live somewhere where hunting is still a real class thing and Dsis admitted to me once how satifactory it was having Dniece part of a group which would have totally looked down on our parent's families and probably still would if they knew the connection.

I had great difficulty separating my loathing of fox hunting (I ride and do understand the thrill of the actual chase) from my Dneice but my feelings were more against my sister for letting and encouraging her. Thankfully my neice went to Australia for a year, ended up staying 4 due to Covid and came back with a whole different perspective on life. She's now in her mid 20s and no longer hunts and is totally against it.

I expect your friend is the same. Once you are over the intial shock just put it out of your mind. It was in a time and place that has passed. We have all liked, done, watched, enjoyed things in the past that we wouldn't do today but that is just part of life and adds to it's richness and as long as no hurt was caused to others we just have to own it.

HowToSaveAWife · 27/12/2023 10:39

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Southwestten · 27/12/2023 10:42

CurlewKate · Yesterday 22:58

I don't defend fox hunting. I think it's cruel and barbaric. But when I was very young it was part of the world I lived in and I did it.

Do you eat salmon? If so, then you are cruel and barbaric.

WandaWonder · 27/12/2023 10:43

OK and?

Maybe give a questionnaire to people you meet to see if they are acceptable to be in your presence?

RandomButtons · 27/12/2023 10:47

Poppinjay · 26/12/2023 23:11

It's a normal part of country living, as is going out at night to shoot rabbits and game shooting parties.

Most children brought up with it see death amongst more pets, wildlife and farm animals and are more in touch with where their food comes from than most.

Hunts don't generally go after foxes since it's been illegal and, even when they did, most children got nowhere near a kill and will have been told it's the kindest way to deal with the predators that attack the livestock their family and friends depend on for their livelihood.

If you're going to judge her, will you also check out the history of all your friends, family and colleagues to ensure they haven't any animal welfare skeletons in the cupboard? Once you start looking, you will realise that nobody is entirely innocent if you dig deep enough.

It used to be a normal part of country life.

our local county show won’t let hunts in now unless they only do man trailing.

OP - many of us did things in our younger days that were acceptable at the time. Times change so I wouldn’t judge her if she’s not still actively involved.

LakeTiticaca · 27/12/2023 10:51

I'm not a countryside person so I know nothing about stuff like this. Isn't foxhunting illegal now though?
My main point is that if we judge everyone on what they did in the past then many of us would be very lonely and friendless

mydogspooeybum · 27/12/2023 10:57

My uncle was the kennel man for a hunt many years ago. If he was still alive I would not disown him

Iwannerbeyourslave · 27/12/2023 11:11

You've got to be kidding, hunting is still going strong, foxes are still being ripped to shreds and court cases against illegal hunts are growing. As an ex-sab I follow the hunt sabateurs on social media, who are growing in number and arming themselves with drones, capturing plenty of illegal acts. Hunt staff are regularly attacking and abusing sabs...why bother if it just a pleasant hack out after a laid trail?

NosnowontheScottishhills · 27/12/2023 11:13

BalletBob · 27/12/2023 09:13

It's not "just part of growing up in the countryside". It's the preserve of a very small demographic. I grew up living rurally and it was not part of the experience for my family or the vast majority of others in our community. It's a hobby. It's not something that is intrinsic to the experience of living in the countryside.

Show quote history

I don’t agree I grew up in an exceedingly rural small farming community. 40-50 years ago farmers hunted foxes as part of their life in the community they lived in most turned up in wellington boots and oilskins. Like weekly market day it bought the farming community together. The farmers also saw foxes as a problem to both their chicken and young lambs and although some loss is an inevitable part of farming but when its subsistence farming too high a loss of livestock eats into your already tiny income. Farmers would also kill rabbits rats etc for the same reason.
Farmers have a different view on animals they are the livelihood not pets killing animals whether it be with hounds a shot gun or at the abbetoir is part of day to day life.

I have fox hunted I’m not ashamed of it personally I actuallyhave more problems with captive breeding of 100’s of thousand of game birds just to release them so that people can pay to shoot them and those that don’t get shot just get run over.

wintersgold · 27/12/2023 11:17

YANBU, anyone who even considers going fox hunting is a barbaric and bloodthirsty person as far as I'm concerned. I would have nothing to do with her if I were you

LlynTegid · 27/12/2023 11:17

Right to feel shocked, but depends on when and at what age. May not have had much choice in reality if a child.

DewHopper · 27/12/2023 11:21

You sound very young OP - like you think that she should be cancelled or something? In the grown up world we meet people who may not share our values, political views, interests etc - it's part of life.

I am not pro hunting at all (live rurally too) but am friends with people who shoot and fish which are also things I don't do.

Also, as another poster said, if you eat meat then you are complicit in horrors far worse than hunting. People don't tend to want to hear that though...

Willyoujustbequiet · 27/12/2023 11:26

We were taken to the hunt when we were little. We didn't know any different.

I live in a rural area with strong traditions but thankfully the vast majority of folk are more enlightened now and are appalled they once joined in.

As long as she doesn't express pro hunting views now I wouldn't worry.

notfeeblebutPhoebe · 27/12/2023 11:26

So many rural people were involved, all classes, A small farm family I knew always looked after a puppy for the hunt. It lived in the house with their dogs it was house trained, a pet. Whenever they went to a meet their hounds always came to see them. When it was mature it went to the kennels and they were all walked together.
Hunting was probably the only sport or hobby that many had.