Millionwords
Well-Known Member
Exactly this, the "trail" was laid close enough to b the A30 to kill hounds, yet they didn't look for them or collect them, or care
Hunting is in a spot of bother
- Thread starter Tiddlypom
- Start date
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
To be fair, the country is now so covered with roads that this used to happen occasionally when we drag hunted. I can guarantee a trail was laid and we were following it. A hound was hit one day but it was properly cared for by hunt people.
That hunt has since folded due to difficulty finding ground to run trails over, and that is likely to be the future for a lot of hunts, I would think.
There is no excuse for abandoning injured or dead hounds.
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paddy555
Well-Known Member
surely the point at issue is that if one of those hounds had run onto the A30 (or any other road) then not only would it be dead but the driver, passenger, kids in the car or any others in the car also have the potential to have been killed. All due to dogs being allowed to be out of close control.
Same does happen on narrow country lanes, many times I have gone round a blind bend to find myself face to face with a lost hound.
Times have changed. There is no longer the open land available in many areas to have a pack of dogs running freely be they hunt or domestic dogs.
There are lots of posts about domestic dogs being leaded to avoid accidents yet it is OK to have a pack of hounds running near roads, railways, through villages and into gardens with pets and kids. On Dartmoor dog walkers have to lead their dogs for part of the year. I haven't seen our local hunt getting out their dog leads. No difference, still dogs.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I think it’s awful they didn’t look for the hounds or collect the bodies. If nothing else the car drivers will need their insurance details.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
presumably these hounds are chipped so that should identify the owner ie which hunt.
Millionwords
Well-Known Member
One of them was still alive and terribly injured, taken to the vet by members of the public.
The fact that they're even near these roads, not under close control, clearly not hunting a trail suggests the hunt really aren't trail hunting, nor do they care a jot for the safety of other road users or hounds in their pursuit of fun.
Eta that sounds snippy towards you @Clodagh it wasn't meant that way sorry. I know we often don't agree on this particular topic, but your input is always useful and welcome by me
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
No statement up yet about the dead hounds that I can see from either the Mid Devon Hunt or the BHSA.
The MDH apparently met yesterday in the village of Belstone, which as you can see from Google maps is only a few fields away from the A30, which is a fast and busy road. There are no claims that the meet was targeted by antis.
As it happens, back in the day (long pre ban) I had a day out with the Mid Devon, but that meet was in a remote area of Dartmoor.
If no one from the hunt involved turned up to claim the hounds and to exchange insurance details that is appalling. Let’s hope that the hounds’ microchip details are up to date to confirm ownership. Or do they still rely on ear tattoos?
ETA Hunts seem to be very casual about hounds wandering around on the roads. I seem to be more bothered about it than they are, and have many a time stepped in to wave down through traffic because stray hounds are on the road.
The MDH apparently met yesterday in the village of Belstone, which as you can see from Google maps is only a few fields away from the A30, which is a fast and busy road. There are no claims that the meet was targeted by antis.
As it happens, back in the day (long pre ban) I had a day out with the Mid Devon, but that meet was in a remote area of Dartmoor.
If no one from the hunt involved turned up to claim the hounds and to exchange insurance details that is appalling. Let’s hope that the hounds’ microchip details are up to date to confirm ownership. Or do they still rely on ear tattoos?
ETA Hunts seem to be very casual about hounds wandering around on the roads. I seem to be more bothered about it than they are, and have many a time stepped in to wave down through traffic because stray hounds are on the road.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I’m sure they’ll be chipped and tattooed. But even if they can’t find a chip the tattoo has the hunt initials.
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
We have hound trails in out area, occasionally the trail will cross a road, there are signs up warning with spotters and marshals on the road to stop the traffic when the hounds are coming.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
That’s how it should be done.
Of course, the hunt have to have firstly laid the trails, then put the hounds on the trails, plus be ready and able to call the hounds off instantly if they go off trail
.There is no excuse for losing hounds in a correctly conducted trail hunt.
little_critter
Well-Known Member
The A30 in Devon is not just any old A road. It is pretty much THE main road trunk road through Devon & Cornwall (the next biggest road in Devon is probably the M5). To lay a trail anywhere near it seems grossly irresponsible.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
I think our local hunt probably saves time with all that trail nonsense.Of course, the hunt have to have firstly laid the trails, then put the hounds on the trails, plus be ready and able to call the hounds off instantly if they go off trail
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
That’s how it should be done.
Of course, the hunt have to have firstly laid the trails, then put the hounds on the trails, plus be ready and able to call the hounds off instantly if they go off trail
There is no excuse for losing hounds in a correctly conducted trail hunt.
It's also very rare for a hound to go off trail and they are running alone with no hunt staff etc, trails are laid with an aniseed mix. Strange how it works so well and hunts cannot manage it
Ditchjumper2
Well-Known Member
But most hounds if a fox jumped up in front of the would still follow it. It's what they were bred to do.
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SEL
Well-Known Member
They do. My local hunt lay their trail on the bridlepath near my fields. I have a copse behind the fields with foxes in and you can hear the hounds change tone when they catch live scent.
Obviously the fox then makes a run for it and heads across fields inaccessible to horses straight for the main road.
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
That’s how it should be done.
Of course, the hunt have to have firstly laid the trails, then put the hounds on the trails, plus be ready and able to call the hounds off instantly if they go off trail
There is no excuse for losing hounds in a correctly conducted trail hunt.
I've never known, or heard of the hounds on a hound trail going completely off trail in our specific area although I'm slightly more out of touch with them the last four years. Occasionally there is a hound that doesn't come in with the others. Whether it's because the trail is laid with aniseed? Unlike our local hunt who repeatedly went onto land they had both no permission to be on or had been specifically told not to go on hence our largest LO withdrew permission to hunt over his land.
Ditchjumper2
Well-Known Member
Even bloodhounds will riot on deer 
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Yes, it happens quite often with drag packs. The difference in the hounds voices is quite noticeable. . The big difference from fox hunting is that I have never seen hounds not respond to an instruction to come back to the master.
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Millionwords
Well-Known Member
Strange that the MFA and whatever it's become claimed they use fox urine.Trails are laid with an aniseed mix.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
It's also very rare for a hound to go off trail and they are running alone with no hunt staff etc, trails are laid with an aniseed mix. Strange how it works so well and hunts cannot manage it
Drag trails are laid with aniseed. Fox hunter trails are usually laid with fox scent with the reasoning given many times on this forum that they don't want the hounds to lose the ability to follow a more difficult and realistic scent.
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GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
These are hound trails not fox hunting, a very different thing.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
Pregnant alpaca 'savaged and killed' in Devon
Ruby was sustained fatal injuries on New Year's Day. Police are investigating the incident and have appealed for information
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
That’s awful. Poor thing.Pregnant alpaca 'savaged and killed' in Devon
Ruby was sustained fatal injuries on New Year's Day. Police are investigating the incident and have appealed for informationwww.devonlive.com
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
I didn’t even know that there was a Tiverton Stag Hunt, but according to the beeb that is the hunt responsible.
Pregnant alpaca died after 'devastating' attack by hounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-67891839
"On New Year's Day we received a call from the chairman of the Tiverton Stag Hunt to say his hounds had attacked our alpaca and that the vet needed to euthanise her.
"The hunt had not informed us or our neighbours that they would be out that day, and clearly the hounds were out of control - otherwise Ruby would still be with us."
The BBC has approached the Tiverton Stag Hunt for comment.
There seems to be much more rioting than in the past - hound control in general is not what it used to be.
Pregnant alpaca died after 'devastating' attack by hounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-67891839
"On New Year's Day we received a call from the chairman of the Tiverton Stag Hunt to say his hounds had attacked our alpaca and that the vet needed to euthanise her.
"The hunt had not informed us or our neighbours that they would be out that day, and clearly the hounds were out of control - otherwise Ruby would still be with us."
The BBC has approached the Tiverton Stag Hunt for comment.
There seems to be much more rioting than in the past - hound control in general is not what it used to be.
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I agree with this. I’m not sure what has changed with management and training. It’s inexcusable.
SEL
Well-Known Member
That's horrendous.
I don't think I've ever seen the Kimblewick actually under control when they're around my land.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
really nice of the manners of the hunt today to tell me they would be hunting in my area knowing how many horses I have. The hounds announced their arrival as they ran across one of the fields with horses in. To get in they would have had to go over the electric fencing. Once in they were struggling to get out.
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Not only bad for you and the horses, but I imagine that the hounds got shocked on your electric fencing, too. It’s such bad practice.
I hope that all your horses are ok. The hunt should definitely be apologising to you and putting right any damage to your fencing. Send them any vets bills too, if any of your horses got injured.
I do know which hunt you are referring to. I used to hunt with them 45 years ago+, and back then they would never have done that. Good manners and to respect landowners were drummed into us when following them as teenage Pony Club members.
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
I know that feeling well, arriving at field to find hound prints all over it and upset ponies.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
our recollections are a bit different. They were 10 times worse back then. No problem with the Pony Club kids it was the adults that were so totally arrogant and rude.
We had endless hounds in the fields. I remember our very very old Jersey being in the middle of them. Riders jumped into the fields. I remember on one Saturday when a farm dog got hit and killed. Don't know if it was a hunt supporter but few others drove up our road at that time. Anyway it was lying dead on the road and the hunt just rode over it.
There was only one lot worse than the riders and that was the car followers. The single track road was constantly jammed with 10 or more vehicles. Often we couldn't get out on a Saturday morning. I remember riding on one occasion (dressed in my usual non riding clothes) the car follower had opened the gate for the hunt to ride through and shut it in my face. Car followers who thought they had the right to just climb onto our road bank to watch the hunt. I remember local riders who were worried they were going to meet the hunt on the road as they were out.
I don't have any fond memories, they made our life very miserable and it was most Saturdays with a massive field back then.
So far I haven't seen our dog fox today. He was OK yesterday before the hunt. The vixen has been missing for a while, in fact since the last time they hunted around us so I don't give much for her chances.