Hunting is in a spot of bother

[meleeka]

Can anyone remember what happened when stag hunting with dogs was banned? Did they all get culled then? I don’t remember there being any concern about that at the time.

 

[Clodagh]

Can anyone remember what happened when stag hunting with dogs was banned? Did they all get culled then? I don’t remember there being any concern about that at the time.

I think you can still do it with 2 hounds, so not banned. (Could be wrong).

 

[Gallop_Away]

Those hounds may have been diversified into other forms of hunting. But if we are talking a total ban on all forms of hunting, then that wouldn't be possible.

Eta I know nothing about stag hunts so I'm only guessing here.

 

[rextherobber]

Because legally if I was walking my five on Dartmoor and they chased a squirrel I would be as guilty of illegal hunting as a pack of hounds after a fox. It may be unlikely I would be prosecuted and I know you have more knowledge of the law than I do.

You would be guilty of having out of control dogs - that's the law, regardless of any issue or connection with hunting. If you cannot control 5 dogs, you shouldn't be walking 5 dogs....

 

[Koweyka]

They just hunt and kill stags a different way now, stag hunts are disgusting. This was 2020, monsters on horseback at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, if research and observation exemptions mean that the stag can be whipped across his head to keep running and having horns beeped and quads revved and I dont even want to call them humans screeching and screaming so it can be terrified further before they kill him.

 

[Burnttoast]

They just hunt and kill stags a different way now, stag hunts are disgusting. This was 2020, monsters on horseback at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, if research and observation exemptions mean that the stag can be whipped across his head to keep running and having horns beeped and quads revved and I dont even want to call them humans screeching and screaming so it can be terrified further before they kill him.

That's utterly horrific. Anyone who's comfortable being up that close and personal with a severely distressed animal on its last legs and making it continue in that way and for that purpose is missing something somewhere, tbh.

 

[Gallop_Away]

They just hunt and kill stags a different way now, stag hunts are disgusting. This was 2020, monsters on horseback at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, if research and observation exemptions mean that the stag can be whipped across his head to keep running and having horns beeped and quads revved and I dont even want to call them humans screeching and screaming so it can be terrified further before they kill him.

I don't actually have the words......

Utterly horrific ?

 

[NinjaPony]

What is striking to me is how little support there is for hunting as it currently stands, among a group of diverse people who are mainly all horse riders/owners either currently or historically, or dog owners with ties to sport. We must be one of the groups most likely to be sympathetic with hunting, compared to the rest of the country who are removed from horses or countryside sport. So if hunting has lost support from this group, is it any wonder they are in trouble? I think most of us would be supportive of hunts continuing, if only they could stick firmly to the law and regulate their activities so that they behave respectfully to their neighbours and their animals and land. Unless this happens pretty quickly and visibly, they will continue to lose support until their way of life is untenable.

 

[Tiddlypom]

But the deer was injured and needed to be pts, so the hunt was doing the humane thing by driving it towards a marksman, apparently ?. That clip has been shown on HHO before.

Which is complete balls - the animal, if indeed seriously injured, should have been quietly stalked and then dropped instantly by a skilled marksman.

What despicable individuals. Don't anyone pretend that they weren't enjoying that.

The antis who filmed it had to make their escape smartish after the hunt realised that they'd been seen and videoed.

 

[Nasicus]

They just hunt and kill stags a different way now, stag hunts are disgusting. This was 2020, monsters on horseback at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, if research and observation exemptions mean that the stag can be whipped across his head to keep running and having horns beeped and quads revved and I dont even want to call them humans screeching and screaming so it can be terrified further before they kill him.

That's absolutely disgusting. Humans are the worst.

 

[Sandstone1]

Lets hear all the pro hunters justify that..... Blood lust pure and simple. In this day and age there is absolutely no justification for treating a animal like that. Sickening and I would question the mentality of people who enjoy that.

 

[Fred66]

Isn't that about the dogs being out of control though, Clodagh, not about the number being exercised at one time? And that's illegal now, hounds or not, I think?

ETA it might be that hounds packs would need to be cut some Slack for, say, five years until the numbers dropped right off, but I don't see why Fred thinks it would need banning.
.

Because if it wasn’t what would stop them continuing to trail hunt ?

 

[Clodagh]

They just hunt and kill stags a different way now, stag hunts are disgusting. This was 2020, monsters on horseback at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, if research and observation exemptions mean that the stag can be whipped across his head to keep running and having horns beeped and quads revved and I dont even want to call them humans screeching and screaming so it can be terrified further before they kill him.

That was disgusting.

 

[moosea]

Because if it wasn’t what would stop them continuing to trail hunt ?

Maybe the new law could state number of riders allowed and max number of hounds allowed?

 

[YorksG]

Maybe the new law could state number of riders allowed and max number of hounds allowed?

Can I just remind people again, not all hunts are mounted.

 

[Clodagh]

You would be guilty of having out of control dogs - that's the law, regardless of any issue or connection with hunting. If you cannot control 5 dogs, you shouldn't be walking 5 dogs....

So why are hunts not prosecuted on that basis rather than attempting to prove intent to hunt? (Genuine question open to anyone).

 

[rextherobber]

So why are hunts not prosecuted on that basis rather than attempting to prove intent to hunt? (Genuin

So why are hunts not prosecuted on that basis rather than attempting to prove intent to hunt? (Genuine question open to anyone).

Good question! But shouldn't it be, "So why are hunts not prosecuted" full stop? There's loads of video and witness evidence of illegal hunting, damage to property, and out of control hounds... It's difficult to imagine any other social group behaving in this way with no repercussions

 

[GSD Woman]

I come from a totally different culture so some of this is a bit disturbing. Stag hunts/deer hunting is done with the hunters up in tree stands or chasing the deer out of the thickets and swamps with hounds and shoot them then if they are run by where the hunters are. Many of these yahoos stand near their trucks drinking and then try and shoot the deer. Some people stalk the deer which is what accounts for the most hunters being shot by other hunters, IIRC. Blaze orange is mandatory in my state but it still happens.
The white tail deer herd here does need culling so responsible hunting is the best way to do it. I prefer deer stands with good shots myself.
I've already discussed fox hunts here so I won't go over it again.

 

[paddy555]

What is striking to me is how little support there is for hunting as it currently stands, among a group of diverse people who are mainly all horse riders/owners either currently or historically, or dog owners with ties to sport. We must be one of the groups most likely to be sympathetic with hunting, compared to the rest of the country who are removed from horses or countryside sport. So if hunting has lost support from this group, is it any wonder they are in trouble? I think most of us would be supportive of hunts continuing, if only they could stick firmly to the law and regulate their activities so that they behave respectfully to their neighbours and their animals and land. Unless this happens pretty quickly and visibly, they will continue to lose support until their way of life is untenable.

interesting post. I didn't look at the hunting forum on here for years after I joined HHO. I thought everyone would be terribly pro so there was no point. I am very surprised at the lack of support by many for both hunting overall, illegal hunting and hunts behaving badly towards other people and their animals

 

[Koweyka]

Then you have this …. This is the Cattistock, this is trail hunting apparently….firstly terrorising an animal sanctuary….then finding a fox….the terrier men dig the fox out, on the huntsman’s command the hounds are released as is the fox and the fox is turned into the hounds and killed. This is why trail hunting has to be banned.

https://fb.watch/b53gc3Assp/

 

[tallyho!]

If you could all hear yourselves.

The more each side argues for and against, the weirder it all sounds. It’s like a horrible histories episode… yes kids they really do still gad about in costume killing stuff and playing a bad tune on a brass.

They just hunt and kill stags a different way now, stag hunts are disgusting. This was 2020, monsters on horseback at the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, if research and observation exemptions mean that the stag can be whipped across his head to keep running and having horns beeped and quads revved and I dont even want to call them humans screeching and screaming so it can be terrified further before they kill him.

Jesus.

Surely this, and all other hunting, all belong way back in the dark ages. If it's about preserving traditions, lets all chope each others heads off after an argument and take it home to show the family.

Seriously - some bloke who kicks a bag of wind with a load of other blokes in a stadium full of drunkards just got done for kicking a cat across his kitchen floor... but all of this stuff............. nothing!!!!!

 

[Velcrobum]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-60318408
That does not sound like a trail unless the hounds rioted onto another scent,

 

[paddy555]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-60318408
That does not sound like a trail unless the hounds rioted onto another scent,

another one these incursions are so frequent they are a bit like buses. You know another one will be along soon.
I expect the hunting folk will be along to defend this one shortly.

 

[Clodagh]

another one these incursions are so frequent they are a bit like buses. You know another one will be along soon.
I expect the hunting folk will be along to defend this one shortly.

I think everyone saying hunting folk will be along to defend it is a bit unfair. I don’t think any hunting people have supported trespass and damage.

 

[Koweyka]

The Ledbury invaded a housing estate today, chased a fox into a garden and the fox went under a shed, (witnessed by residents) hounds everywhere, and quads, the whip all over the estate trying to round them up, the huntsman blowing his horn, furious residents, quite surreal viewing ?

 

[Gallop_Away]

I think everyone saying hunting folk will be along to defend it is a bit unfair. I don’t think any hunting people have supported trespass and damage.

I don't know who all these pro illegal hunting, pro tresspass, pro violence, pro damage hunting folk are? I've not seen anyone commenting on this thread say they are in favour of any of these things?

 

[paddy555]

I don't know who all these pro illegal hunting, pro tresspass, pro violence, pro damage hunting folk are? I've not seen anyone commenting on this thread say they are in favour of any of these things?

fair enough.

So in post 3052 we have one lot trespassing in Dorset and only 2 posts later another lot post 3055 Ledbury.
Who sets a trail hunt through a housing estate?
So illegally hunting or out of control or just trespassing. The only way I can see to stop it is a total ban as the hunts won't take responsibility for themselves.

What do you see the solution as?

 

[Gallop_Away]

I think there needs to be a governing body for hunting that comes down hard on illegal/irresponsible hunts. Hunts who are caught illegally hunting should be immediately disbanded. Hunts who are caught trespassing or causing damage should be severely fined and if it happens on more than one occasion, again should be disbanded.
This is what I would like to see happening so that legal and responsible hunts can carry on doing what they love.
Sadly I don't think this will happen. While I really do not want to see a ban, I think that is the way it is heading.

 

[suestowford]

I read a report today about another hunt in Cornwall who trespassed into a nature reserve, and on to farmland, mixing with livestock. (I don't think it was the same hunt who killed a cat)
They can't be trail hunting when this happens, really. Either they are illegally hunting, or the hunt staff are a bit rubbish at keeping the hounds under control. Neither is a good option.

 

[SEL]

I think there needs to be a governing body for hunting that comes down hard on illegal/irresponsible hunts. Hunts who are caught illegally hunting should be immediately disbanded. Hunts who are caught trespassing or causing damage should be severely fined and if it happens on more than one occasion, again should be disbanded.
This is what I would like to see happening so that legal and responsible hunts can carry on doing what they love.
Sadly I don't think this will happen. While I really do not want to see a ban, I think that is the way it is heading.

That's exactly what I think should happen too. There are responsible hunts setting trails and maintaining control.

Unfortunately the ones that trespass, commit criminal damage and fail to set or follow a trail get the negative press - and rightly so.