Is there anyone on HHO who disagrees with foxhunting?

What I don't understand is most people that are pro hunting are also pro shooting. When asked why they should be allowed to hunt foxes they say because shooting is an inhumane way of keeping the population down but then go out and shoot other animals. Seems a totally stupid argument to me.

It can't be about keeping the population down really because it just isn't an economical way of doing it. It would be way cheaper to just shoot them, yes it might not be 100% effective but I really can't see that that a farmer that has lost his stock to a fox wouldn't just go and pick up a gun rather than waiting for the local hunt to maybe catch the fox?

I think it is a blood sport and therefore should not be allowed in a civilised society. Sometimes I hear my friends outraged at issues like bull fighting and the yearly torture of a donkey being chased through the streets in Spain and yet I know they hunt. To me taking pleasure in the death of another purely for sport is abhorrent.
In my opinion we can't choose what is acceptable and what isn't with regards to another species natural behaviour. Foxes hunt, so do lots of other animals and we don't send a whole herd of people dressed up to the nines on horseback charging round the countryside after them.
The farmer next to me went through a phase of loosing his chickens so he shot the fox. I didn't have a problem with this. It was affecting his business and it wasn't done for something to pass the time. He was protecting his own animals.

If most of the foxes have moved in to the cities I'm presuming we won't be starting to hunt in the cities? Perhaps shooting them will be ok then?

Finally I may be wrong but weren't foxes introduced to the isle of Wight for the sole purpose of hunting?
 
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Foxhunting is banned and I support this despite living in the countryside all my life and being a chicken/duck keeper - I do know the damage they can do (not just about getting a meal). Lamping, as is carried out round these parts, is less objectionable to me and I can see why this is deemed necessary by some. The marksmen I am aware of are excellent shots and the end is very quick and does not involve the same degree of drawn out torture. I would however object to it during breeding season as there would then be a set of cubs to slowly starve to death. As many have stated earlier I can see both sides of the argument so take a compromise position on the fence.
 
NeilM said:
And this I believe is the REAL reason why so many people object to hunting and it certainly is the real reason why hunting (as in killing a fox) with a pack of hounds is now illegal.
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Totally agree, and this is absolutely why it is perfectly legal to hunt rabbits and rats with dogs and not foxes, hares or deer.
 
Countrychic said:
What I don't understand is most people that are pro hunting are also pro shooting. When asked why they should be allowed to hunt foxes they say because shooting is an inhumane way of keeping the population down but then go out and shoot other animals. Seems a totally stupid argument to me.

It can't be about keeping the population down really because it just isn't an economical way of doing it. It would be way cheaper to just shoot them, yes it might not be 100% effective but I really can't see that that a farmer that has lost his stock to a fox wouldn't just go and pick up a gun rather than waiting for the local hunt to maybe catch the fox?

I think it is a blood sport and therefore should not be allowed in a civilised society. Sometimes I hear my friends outraged at issues like bull fighting and the yearly torture of a donkey being chased through the streets in Spain and yet I know they hunt. To me taking pleasure in the death of another purely for sport is abhorrent.
In my opinion we can't choose what is acceptable and what isn't with regards to another species natural behaviour. Foxes hunt, so do lots of other animals and we don't send a whole herd of people dressed up to the nines on horseback charging round the countryside after them.
The farmer next to me went through a phase of loosing his chickens so he shot the fox. I didn't have a problem with this. It was affecting his business and it wasn't done for something to pass the time. He was protecting his own animals.

If most of the foxes have moved in to the cities I'm presuming we won't be starting to hunt in the cities? Perhaps shooting them will be ok then?

Finally I may be wrong but weren't foxes introduced to the isle of Wight for the sole purpose of hunting?
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I have never seen a fox wounded by hounds,but I have seen plenty of foxes with gunshot wounds put out of their misery by hounds.
 
I think the reason it is banned is because we are a civilised society. We are gradually reducing the amount of suffering other species have to endure to provide a few "animal lovers" with a bit of sport. Especially when they aren't even brave enough to admit they get their fun watching an animal being chased then killed, they have to invent a load of laughable reasons
 
Countrychic said:
I think the reason it is banned is because we are a civilised society.
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Good god. I mean, you're welcome to believe what you like about the ethics of foxhunting, but if you genuinely believe we live in a civilised society, I think you should seek psychological help :eek:
 
shortstuff99 said:
Also as to the foxes hunting for fun, if left and not chased off they come back for the carcasses and bury them to form over wintering 'caches'. So actually they are doing what comes naturally to them, hunting while the food is plentiful, and then storing for the hard times but they are usually disturbed before this can happen.
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Sadly, for fun or instinct, the end result is the same for the poor owner of the dead hens, geese, rabbits, cats etc.
A fox devastated my friends hens, although they were in at night, the fox broke into the hen run and killed the lot, as well as her rooster and a goose.
I am all for shooting them, after seeing that carnage, with not one corpse taken.
I dont like the thought of them being hunted by a pack of dogs, but do see the need to control their population by marksmen.
 
marmalade76 said:
Yeah, the same civilised society that allows halal slaughter.
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I think part of the problem also comes from how far people are distanced from meat production. It doesn't look fluffy or cute in the supermarket shelves and when people see a whole rabbit in the butchers or in a supermaket the looks of disgust and comments along the lines of 'I don't know how anyone can eat that'

Those that are exposed to the killing of animals however fluffy, cute or ugly for food etc seem to find hunting a lot easier to accept. Humans must be by far the largest consumer of meat, but so few people are involved in its production.
 
Countrychic said:
I don't really see how that relates to what I wrote at all? Are you saying you hunt to save the foxes from having to be shot?
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No ,I suppose you dont see how it relates to what you wrote. " What I don't understand is most people that are pro hunting are also pro shooting. When asked why they should be allowed to hunt foxes they say because shooting is an inhumane way of keeping the population down but then go out and shoot other animals. Seems a totally stupid argument to me"
 
I case anyone has forgotten, OP was asking if anyone on here disagrees with fox hunting - not whether it is justified - or whether you agree with it.

I am against it, I think it is barbaric to call it a sport or even use it as an excuse for an enjoyable day's ride, ending in tearing an animal into pieces.
I agree we are supposed to be civilised, hunting is not civilised and even some areas of Spain are now banning bull figthing at last.
I also cannot understand how halal killing is allowed in this country, whether it is to do with religeon or not. We don't sacrifice animals to our god any more because we are civilised.
I think people who hunt are arrogant because they are openly trying to flaut the law or conniving to get around the law banning it.
Anyone who agrees with hunting should just stick to posting on the hunting forum. I disagree with hunting so I keep off the hunting forum.
 
A good solution would be to build completely fox proof fences/ houses etc. A good parallel is in Africa the farmers have problems with big cats breaking into pens and killing livestock. Their solution is to kill the lions etc as they see them as pests, if they do this most people find this horrific. So the solution was to make sure the cats could not get to the livestock in the first place. So could we not do this in England? Just make sure that our livestock are safe?
 
muff747 said:
Anyone who agrees with hunting should just stick to posting on the hunting forum. I disagree with hunting so I keep off the hunting forum.
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Charming. What about eventers who hunt to keep fitness over winter? Shoudl they be banned from CR? Do hunting folk know nothing of stable management and have nothing to contribute to stable yard? And no experience of veterinary complaints so they'd be no use in the Vet forum either... And certainly no need for them to post in the general forum, because they hunt so they should stick to the Hunting section :confused:

Get over yourself. It's a forum, people are entitled to express their opinions in any section they desire, provided they do so in a manner which does not breach the Ts and Cs. Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean they should be fenced into another forum :rolleyes: :cool:
 
Countrychic said:
I'm a vegetarian. But would consider hunting chavs
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I agree!!

Anyone who states that they enjoy hunting because of the riding can do the same with a drag hunt - although I hear the jumps are often bigger.

And those who state that the bullet isn't always quicker.......it's quicker than being chased to the point of exhaustion before the fox has to accept it's fate.
Round my way, they go out lamping for foxes at night -quicker, no stress to the fox prior to being killed (unlike hunting) and far more effective.
Personally I prefer live and let live - I'm sick of hearing farmers moan about having lost a lambs to fox - get a shotgun licence and deal with it humanely!
 
JFTD said:
Charming. What about eventers who hunt to keep fitness over winter? Shoudl they be banned from CR? Do hunting folk know nothing of stable management and have nothing to contribute to stable yard? And no experience of veterinary complaints so they'd be no use in the Vet forum either...

Totally irrelevant to my point, you know I meant hunting comments And certainly no need for them to post in the general forum, because they hunt so they should stick to the Hunting section :confused:

Get over yourself. It's a forum, people are entitled to express their opinions in any section they desire, provided they do so in a manner which does not breach the Ts and Cs. Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean they should be fenced into another forum :rolleyes: :cool:
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The OP is asking if anyone disagrees with foxhunting, not whether it is justified or not
And there are comparable alternatives to hunting an animal - instead of making an excuse to chase down and rip a fox apart (and sometimes an unfortunate cat or two)
 
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muff747 said:
The OP is asking if anyone disagrees with foxhunting, not whether it is justified or not
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Yes, and JFTD's comments were in direct relation to you telling people where they should and shouldn't be posting :rolleyes: Whether you agree or disagree with hunting, this is a public forum.. Other people have just as much right to post as you, you know?
 
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