fox cub hunting

[stripee]

season has started. To train up hounds. Often secretively, but if you see in woods can report...

[Meles meles]

Originally Posted by stripee

season has started. To train up hounds. Often secretively, but if you see in woods can report...

Its sad that we still do this for sport.
I was out one weekend, In all my camouflage.
Cant remember who was shocked more me or the dogs when ooops there suddenly was a big branch in their way.
The Fox went home happy though, and as much as i know i may have been wrong. The dogs was not hurt. but even so i would do it again

[stripee]

if hounds show no aptitude for this they are put down. The rules after the "ban" are being very bent and not much sign of anything different round here.

[Meles meles]

Originally Posted by stripee

if hounds show no aptitude for this they are put down. The rules after the "ban" are being very bent and not much sign of anything different round here.

when it comes to status and money everything is bent, including those we talk about he he

[Dogghound]

Makes me sick to the bone, ill be keeping my eyes peeled for em grrr................

Well done meles

[Ukwildlifeo]

The law that got passed was so watered down its pointless. There are so many loopholes that anyone with a good lawyer - ie the well off people or there well off friendsthat partake in the hunting will be able to get away with it. Doesn't heklpthat even when the law is broken the police arent interested

[Vixen]

and there was me thinking the ban had worked, and most Fox hunting has stopped

[demicav]

I find it repulsive, abhorrent and utterly cruel to hunt poor, defenceless baby animals. It sickens me to the core. I can feel a major rant coming on. I've said it all before, there are some sick scum in this world.

[GriGGerS]

Originally Posted by demicav

I find it repulsive, abhorrent and utterly cruel to hunt poor, defenceless baby animals. It sickens me to the core. I can feel a major rant coming on. I've said it all before, there are some sick scum in this world.

Here Here..... Im with you 100%....

[mammalman]

Because of the foot and mouth outbreak all forms of hunting are supposed to have been voluntarily stopped. Clearly this is only window dressing by the huning fraternity who are still hell-bent on killing wildlife for fun. Many hunts are still hunting in the old, now illegal, way. It is importatnt that everyone who is opposed to this cruel "sport" lobbies their MPs to have pressure brought upon the police to enforce the act. Why is a large section of the rural community being allowed to break the law with impunity? Is it because most of them are rich and influential?

[Kymba]

Originally Posted by Meles meles

Its sad that we still do this for sport.

I am sorry but this isnt sport.
It is Cruel, Sick and disgusting, I cant see what pleasure anyone gets from doing this to poor defenceless animals,,
It makes me Sooooo Angry

[paulchandler6]

Originally Posted by Kymba

I am sorry but this isnt sport.
It is Cruel, Sick and disgusting, I cant see what pleasure anyone gets from doing this to poor defenceless animals,,
It makes me Sooooo Angry

Agree 100%
Although some would argue that its a more humane way of keeping numbers down. Do they actually get a kick out of a romp across the country side or is it the sick mentality of the kill?

Paul

[naturelover]

me too vixen,i was so pleased when it had been passed,no more poor foxes fleeing for their lives,makes me sick to the stomach and ashamed of the human race.

[Duke of York]

Originally Posted by mammalman

Because of the foot and mouth outbreak all forms of hunting are supposed to have been voluntarily stopped. Clearly this is only window dressing by the huning fraternity who are still hell-bent on killing wildlife for fun. Many hunts are still hunting in the old, now illegal, way. It is importatnt that everyone who is opposed to this cruel "sport" lobbies their MPs to have pressure brought upon the police to enforce the act. Why is a large section of the rural community being allowed to break the law with impunity? Is it because most of them are rich and influential?

I think you've hit the nail on the head. It is classed as a 'sport' because it is a rich man's/woman's pastime (like the shooting of game birds) which even the royal family seem to enjoy therefore it must be acceptable

I'm now waiting for one of the red coat brigade to come on and defend it with expressions like "It is the best form of humane Fox control" "You don't understand the countryside" "If the foxes didn't enjoy it they wouldn't compete"

[Meles meles]

Originally Posted by Kymba

I am sorry but this isnt sport.
It is Cruel, Sick and disgusting, I cant see what pleasure anyone gets from doing this to poor defenceless animals,,
It makes me Sooooo Angry

Im not saying I agree with it, Have you read my earlier post??
Infact i agree with you 500% (2 arms, 2 legs & a heads worth)

[mammalman]

You may be aware but it is time again for National Trust members to elect members to the NT Council. I checked the candidates names on Google and found that at least four are avid hunt supporters and some, possibly all, of these are Countryside Alliance members. Needless to say none of them mention this in their election statements.

[stripee]

Originally Posted by mammalman

You may be aware but it is time again for National Trust members to elect members to the NT Council. I checked the candidates names on Google and found that at least four are avid hunt supporters and some, possibly all, of these are Countryside Alliance members. Needless to say none of them mention this in their election statements.

yes, Countryside Alliance keen on infiltrating bodies such as National Trust so to vote to get bans lifted on Trust land. Plenty of money behind the CA from interested parties. They say they are about rural affairs but are basically about hunting.
I see the whole pack of hounds in the season running about and baying, whereas I thought only 2 were needed to flush out the Fox to be shot. Are they just having exercise or onlooking?

[salukiwhippet]

Originally Posted by paulchandler6

Agree 100%
Although some would argue that its a more humane way of keeping numbers down. Do they actually get a kick out of a romp across the country side or is it the sick mentality of the kill?

Paul

Hunting is not an efficient way of controlling Fox numbers. The majority of hunts will end with no kill. Even when hounds do kill, (and it is a clean kill, I've seen it. The chase is a separate issue.) few members of the 'field' (followers - mounted and otherwise.) will see the kill itself.
However, many landowners used to tolerate low Fox numbers on their ground for when the hounds came through. That was the case on the last estate I worked on, in fact, I was not allowed to control foxes. Now that the ban is in place, landowners, worried about chickens, lambs etc are calling on riflemen to shoot foxes on sight. I'm certainly accounting for more.


James

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by salukiwhippet

Hunting is not an efficient way of controlling Fox numbers. The majority of hunts will end with no kill. Even when hounds do kill, (and it is a clean kill, I've seen it. The chase is a separate issue.) few members of the 'field' (followers - mounted and otherwise.) will see the kill itself.


James

The most efficient way of controlling Fox numbers is leaving it for nature to decide, they dont need controlling. Regarding hounds they arnt efficient killers like most dogs, the Fox is ripped apart alive, tired and scared. Supose if you have to control them (which i dont think you do) then your right shootng would be best by a decent marksman. Better yet use stronger & higher fences and keep the foxes out of chicken pens etc.

[mammalman]

Most Fox control is not to protect chickens and lambs as fencing protects the former and lambs are rarely taken. Foxes do scavenge and therefore will take dying and dead lambs. Better animal husbandry is the answer. Unfortunately many shepherds are lazy and sooner blame the Fox than do their job professionally.

The main reason foxes are controlled is because of game birds. So we therefore have a situation where our native Fox is persecuted so as to protect an introduced alien species (pheasant) so that some well-healed people can shoot them for fun. There is big money to be earned oby shooting estates, hence their wish to eliminate any competition. It is similar to the killing of hen harriers on grouse moors.

[witham]

Despite living in the country all my life, I hate the idea of a Fox being hunted, although I have read that they are being far more persicuted now by the vermin shooters who can kill huge numbers in one night, I heard of over 20 in one night in our area last year. My feelings have been sorely tested a few times over the years when I have found my chickens dead with their heads bitten off, we even scared one off one Saturday afternoon in broad daylight in full view of us, it had somehow got into our garden which is fenced/hedged all round and we heard the commotion and saw it with one in its mouth, I also used to keep a few Call Ducks, the minature ducks, and after leaving them ok in their pen, went out shopping, in the afternoon I went to check on them as it was too quiet and found that one was missing and the rest dead feathers everywhere, heads scattered about, they were securely fenced in or so we thought, our dog had been out in the garden before I went out, so his scent was still there but it didn't stop the Fox getting in from the back fields. We also get alot of city foxes dumped in the area by people who think they are doing them a favour, yet many end up starving to death as there's not the amount of 'human waste' to scavage on that they are used to and they don't always adapt to hunting for food quick enough and sometimes try the easy option of attacking pet Rabbits etc being kept outside in pens in peoples gardens.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by mammalman

Most Fox control is not to protect chickens and lambs as fencing protects the former and lambs are rarely taken. Foxes do scavenge and therefore will take dying and dead lambs. Better animal husbandry is the answer. Unfortunately many shepherds are lazy and sooner blame the Fox than do their job professionally.

The main reason foxes are controlled is because of game birds. So we therefore have a situation where our native Fox is persecuted so as to protect an introduced alien species (pheasant) so that some well-healed people can shoot them for fun. There is big money to be earned oby shooting estates, hence their wish to eliminate any competition. It is similar to the killing of hen harriers on grouse moors.

I'm not a farmer but i can imagine that it is very diffucult to keep upland sheep indoors for lambing, it might even be considered cruel being that they spend the rest of thier life wandering at will . Upland lambs are often tiny and easily possible prey for a Fox.

If there was no pheasant shooting there would be significantly less habitat and other foraging opportunies for foxes and other wildlife, if ever this shooting is banned our countryside may well be in big trouble.

You cannot compare foxes with hen harriers there are very few breeding henharriers and probably hundreds of thousands of foxes....... I would potentially support control of Fox numbers but never hen harriers for this reason.

Foxes have no natural predators we 've removed them all, in some areas - to protect people's livelyhood I can see the need for control of numbers, I do not and never will support hunting with hounds (for anything). I support a good clean kill by a skilled gamekeeper. (which is how numbers are really controlled anyway).

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

I'm not a farmer but i can imagine that it is very diffucult to keep upland sheep indoors for lambing, it might even be considered cruel being that they spend the rest of thier life wandering at will . Upland lambs are often tiny and easily possible prey for a Fox.

If there was no pheasant shooting there would be significantly less habitat and other foraging opportunies for foxes and other wildlife, if ever this shooting is banned our countryside may well be in big trouble.

You cannot compare foxes with hen harriers there are very few breeding henharriers and probably hundreds of thousands of foxes....... I would potentially support control of Fox numbers but never hen harriers for this reason.

Foxes have no natural predators we 've removed them all, in some areas - to protect people's livelyhood I can see the need for control of numbers, I do not and never will support hunting with hounds (for anything). I support a good clean kill by a skilled gamekeeper. (which is how numbers are really controlled anyway).

I carnt agree with this.

Foxes have little impact on lambs, poor nutrition and weather are far more likely to cause mortality than foxes. Banning shooting would not spell trouble, there are stacks of other recreational activetys in the outdoors that, would ensure countryside management, you could even include farming as a way of maintaining habitat, you carnt compare foxes and hen harriers because the once decent population of hen harrier is now shattered due to game keepers "controlling them", I feel the amount of food available is the best way of controlling foxes and let nature take control.

[Meles meles]

Originally Posted by witham

we even scared one off one Saturday afternoon in broad daylight in full view of us, it had somehow got into our garden which is fenced/hedged all round and we heard the commotion and saw it with one in its mouth, I also used to keep a few Call Ducks, the minature ducks, and after leaving them ok in their pen, went out shopping, in the afternoon I went to check on them as it was too quiet and found that one was missing and the rest dead feathers everywhere, heads scattered about, they were securely fenced in or so we thought, our dog had been out in the garden before I went out, so his scent was still there but it didn't stop the Fox getting in from the back fields.

They can jump rather well

We also get alot of city foxes dumped in the area by people who think they are doing them a favour, yet many end up starving to death as there's not the amount of 'human waste' to scavage on that they are used to and they don't always adapt to hunting for food quick enough and sometimes try the easy option of attacking pet rabbits etc being kept outside in pens in peoples gardens.

On one hand you have to be grateful that people are thinking to relocate rather than kill, But then on the other hand you wish that more will feed them in london and the rest just leave them alone