Just curious - Pro or Anti hunting

[Ravenwood]

It is very, very, extremely rare for the field to witness a fox being caught by hounds - and of course, you won't see that at all now anyway unless the ban is overturned.

In some areas of the country, there is no jumping at all

 

[megwan1]

foxes rabbits squirrels cute but vermin

i am pro but dont actually hunt although i have followed on foot a couple of times and enjoyed watching the hounds work

i have friends in hunting and who are huntstaff and so have been round kennels and seen how the hounds like to live together and work and the connection between huntstaff and the hounds for that to be lost because of a bunch of people who dont understand nor try to understand who think it should be stopped would be a great shame!

we all know the arguments for and against so all i can say is ban the ban and i will be voting cnservative next election for the one reason they will review it and overturn this unpolicable ridiculous law!

this law was introduced to inhibit peoples choice and this country is becoming a dictatership (hilter banned hunting)!
they will have shooting then fishing if we let them!!!

 

[Puppy]

Pro

 

[MagicMelon]

I'm totally against hunting and am very glad of the ban (although it still is very much flawed IMO). I have done some mock hunting but that's it, XC is way more thrilling for me! I do not believe "fun" should be had out of killing an animal.

I know most people are pro on here as obviously it is a pro magazine, I just dont venture into the Hunting threads!

 

[EPRider]

Scared stiff out hunting but I think that is part of the attraction. Took up shooting after the ban as foxes must be controlled and moved on. However there are no natural predators to do this task for us.
Foxes are enjoying a time of plenty but when the famine comes and people see poor dying foxes what will they do?

 

[wench]

Ban the ban!!!

 

[stacey_lou]

But there is nothing above foxes in the food chain to keep them controlled

 

[Wimbles]

Pro

 

[littlespritz]

very pro!

 

[Daffodil]

Pro!

 

[katie_and_toto]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm totally against hunting and am very glad of the ban (although it still is very much flawed IMO). I have done some mock hunting but that's it, XC is way more thrilling for me! I do not believe "fun" should be had out of killing an animal.

I know most people are pro on here as obviously it is a pro magazine, I just dont venture into the Hunting threads!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto! I'm 100% with you, killing animals is not fun in my books

 

[Enfys]

Pro.

Mind, I now live in a country where hunting is the norm, a way of life and quite accepted, but pretty strictly controlled. You have to have a license and permits to hunt specific game, hounds, rifle and crossbows are all legal. Guns and crossbows are sold alongside camping gear in stores. Huge business over here.

There are seasons for fox, deer, bear, turkeys, geese, elk etc, depends where you are in the country. Many huntsmen (fox and hounds) are English, I don't know if he is still here now but my nearest pack used to be hunted by someone I hunted with in Wales!

Vermin such as coyotes and racoon are fair game at any time if they are a nuisance or a danger to livestock, and so is everything else if you are a poacher and don't give a damn about anything than making a quick buck.

I permit deer and turkey hunting on my land in the season.

 

[k1963]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm anti hunt... but in the horsey world you learn to live and let live and accept that everyone is entitled to their opinion I think... so I have no problem with others hunting, just wouldn't do so myself.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same as me

I used to have lessons on my horse with an instructor who was a keen hunter . As I was sh*t scared of my bronco

I could waste loads of time just sitting on him , asking questions about hunting - until the day she cottoned on to my time wasting !

Good poll ( sorry , have forgotten the name of the person who started it - it's getting late in my defence

) & quite surprised by the results .

Boxing Day meets ( we have one where I live ) , conjure up hangovers & full stomachs , but maybe those who hunt are too disciplined or made of stronger stuff than me !

 

[k1963]

[ QUOTE ]
Pro.

Mind, I now live in a country where hunting is the norm, a way of life and quite accepted, but pretty strictly controlled. You have to have a license and permits to hunt specific game, hounds, rifle and crossbows are all legal. Guns and crossbows are sold alongside camping gear in stores. Huge business over here.

There are seasons for fox, deer, bear, turkeys, geese, elk etc, depends where you are in the country. Many huntsmen (fox and hounds) are English, I don't know if he is still here now but my nearest pack used to be hunted by someone I hunted with in Wales!

Vermin such as coyotes and racoon are fair game at any time if they are a nuisance or a danger to livestock, and so is everything else if you are a poacher and don't give a damn about anything than making a quick buck.

I permit deer and turkey hunting on my land in the season.

[/ QUOTE ]

Please excuse my ignorance , but whereabouts are you based ? America ? Canada ?

 

[Enfys]

Not ignorance at all, I just don't have my location written down, never think that anyone would be interested, until I say something like the above.

I live in Ontario.

 

[Pedantic]

I am not anti hunting but I struggle with the idea that an animal has to be killed for people to "enjoy" themselves, to say that it is a pest control method comes across as a bit weak if the statement of "a fox is rarely caught" is to believed, also as a pest control method it doesn't sound very financialy viable, all those horse and peoples time to kill one fox.
So at the end of the day why not a drag hunt.
I think some humans should admit they get a kick out of killing something.
As far as what foxes do to livestock, yes no denying, but it is only a fox being a fox, or like a wasp being a wasp etc, it doesn't know any different so you cant apportion "blame" to it with any logic like it is a thinking logic human, I have nothing against eating meat or killing pests if that is what they are, just dont flower it up, if you like hunting/killling and that is your bag that is how you are.
As far as going myself I dont think my beast would behave enough, if I had a more sensible steed I would probably give it a try just to see.

 

[stacey_lou]

Well all these results have been interesting and its good to hear everyones views and I like the fact that there are people that disagree but respect those ppls views who are pro.and no one got Irate which is good, I didnt want to start a huge debate by posting this just curious.

 

[k1963]

[ QUOTE ]
Not ignorance at all, I just don't have my location written down, never think that anyone would be interested, until I say something like the above.

I live in Ontario.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks - I am a curious sort

I used to have a branch of the family living in Ontario , but never been . Think they might all be dead now

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

The downside to the ban is that the gamekeepers now shoot the foxes all year round to keep the numbers down. This year that included a vixen who had cubs

- she was shot and the the cubs were left to starve to death and we found five of them dead in the field over the next few days

. They shot 13 foxes in a mile stretch in one night - the hunt goes through there at least once a year a rarely finds one. The fit and the healthy would get away from the hounds and that vixen would have been alive to feed her cubs - its was shot in closed season - they stand no chance against a high powered rifle with night sights.

 

[Happy Horse]

Pro. The foxes round here kill all the ducks and ducklings and they have no natural predators to control numbers - the closest to their natural predators is hunting with dogs. The population has gone crazy down here - I'd welcome a hunt.

 

[popsicle]

I enjoy the hunting now the ban is in force. I enjoy the ride, but always hope that a fox isn't
"accidently"

killed

 

[MrWoof]

NO!!!!! The Conservative Party will REPEAL the current Ban brought in by this totally mendacious Labour Government. Please do get your comments in order before puting them in writing. Especially on such a contentious subject as "Hunting".

 

[Tinkerbee]

I may be odd, but I have never understood this theory of anti hunt people that the fun of hunting comes from the killing of the animal.

I personally derive no enjoyment from the death of an animal. I find hunting immense fun, but it is not the death that I go out for. That is merely a helpful and beneficial by product in my eyes.

Maybe I'm the minority and all pro hunters revel in the joy of knowing a fox has died....maybe.

 

[MrWoof]

[ QUOTE ]
I am not anti hunting but I struggle with the idea that an animal has to be killed for people to "enjoy" themselves, to say that it is a pest control method comes across as a bit weak if the statement of "a fox is rarely caught" is to believed, also as a pest control method it doesn't sound very financialy viable, all those horse and peoples time to kill one fox.
So at the end of the day why not a drag hunt.
I think some humans should admit they get a kick out of killing something.
As far as what foxes do to livestock, yes no denying, but it is only a fox being a fox, or like a wasp being a wasp etc, it doesn't know any different so you cant apportion "blame" to it with any logic like it is a thinking logic human, I have nothing against eating meat or killing pests if that is what they are, just dont flower it up, if you like hunting/killling and that is your bag that is how you are.
As far as going myself I dont think my beast would behave enough, if I had a more sensible steed I would probably give it a try just to see.

[/ QUOTE ]

"..... only a fox being a fox .....". I can only assume that you are not a sheep or poultry (non battery) farmer. Have you any idea how much income is lost to fox damage each year? What would YOU suggest as "pest control" - gassing or snares?? Horrendous. Look at my reaction on this subject on other posts.

 

[k1963]

[ QUOTE ]
The downside to the ban is that the gamekeepers now shoot the foxes all year round to keep the numbers down. This year that included a vixen who had cubs

- she was shot and the the cubs were left to starve to death and we found five of them dead in the field over the next few days

. They shot 13 foxes in a mile stretch in one night - the hunt goes through there at least once a year a rarely finds one. The fit and the healthy would get away from the hounds and that vixen would have been alive to feed her cubs - its was shot in closed season - they stand no chance against a high powered rifle with night sights.

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand the downside to a hunting ban - either way the fox suffers . Would rather see a ban on shooting in a closed season , but would prefer the fox to be shot ,by someone with an accurate aim , then chased . Difficult one for me .

 

[MrWoof]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The downside to the ban is that the gamekeepers now shoot the foxes all year round to keep the numbers down. This year that included a vixen who had cubs

- she was shot and the the cubs were left to starve to death and we found five of them dead in the field over the next few days

. They shot 13 foxes in a mile stretch in one night - the hunt goes through there at least once a year a rarely finds one. The fit and the healthy would get away from the hounds and that vixen would have been alive to feed her cubs - its was shot in closed season - they stand no chance against a high powered rifle with night sights.

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand the downside to a hunting ban - either way the fox suffers . Would rather see a ban on shooting in a closed season , but would prefer the fox to be shot ,by someone with an accurate aim , then chased . Difficult one for me .

[/ QUOTE ]

See my other posts. It needs a seriously good marksman to shoot a fox. NOT with a 12-Bore but with a RIFLE. A 12-Bore only peppers them and, therefore, subjects them to a slow, lingering, rotting death.

 

[skewby]

Interesting! I have only just started hunting and have said pro. But in all honesty I'm going along myself to really make up my mind.

I think I am pro because I believe that the foxes will be culled anyway, in a nastier way. I am totally pro with regards to what hunting (as I understand it) was originally meant to be - natural selection as if foxy got away it was a fair fight. Not blocking up holes and sending terriers down.

I'm also pro because I had the biggest buzz of my life to date when I went. And, because it's such a fabulous tradition - I love being able to participate in something that's such a part of our history.

And, because the people I met were soooo nice!

And mostly - because I DETEST the ban. On a number of levels. The power of the media, how other campaigns such as live export (which I think is hideous) never really got off the ground, and mostly, because how dare bloody townies dictate how we live and what we do, and how the general public believes that we're all a bunch of bloodthirsty toffs.

The guys at my work take the p|ss constantly, whilst eating meat from god only knows where. It's just so ridiculous.

Having said that, the more I hunt, should I witness practices with which I disagree, I shall hunt no more. I'd also rather drag hunt to be perfectly honest but the ones near me look MENTAL and I'm frightened! That doesn't mean I'm currently anti though - just a bit of a softy.