Trail hunting

413x · Sunday at 13:05

Ban it.
There is simply no need.
Its cruel and pointless.

If it was really about the countryside could just go riding without a pack dogs.

These toffs use "the countryside" to appeal to more people. What they actual means is "us elites"

Em3bbs · Sunday at 14:35

Seems like a lot of people want to stop it mainly because it's 'the toffs'. Some green eyed monsters involved here maybe?

throwaway4372 · Sunday at 14:37

classic "we're in trouble let's make them argue about hunting instead"

alchal · Sunday at 17:51

Too right!

I love watching a fox getting torn to bits by a pack of rabid dogs as a sit on a horse cheering on.

Then I'm off grouse shooting in a wild less tundra.

The not so well off just don't get it, the savages, green eyes everywhere....

Freakbro · Monday at 12:09

We own a livery, have 5 horses of our own and buy and sell horses, no jealousy here.

Werewolf · Monday at 12:33

maybe it's more to do with people not liking the idea of chasing down an animal for hours so that it can be ripped to pieces in a manner that would normally get everyone involved prosecuted for animal cruelty and if not imprisoned for the organised nature of it, then banned from keeping animals for ten years or life?

We banned badger baiting, we banned bear bating, we banned **** fighting, we banned dog fighting, why is it ok to set a pack of barely controlled dogs onto a fox? Especially as the hunts have a habit of doing things like making sure they've got a suitable fox ready on hand to "accidently" run into, or have been found repeatedly training their dogs with a previously captured fox.

I won't mention the times the hunts have killed people pet cats or other animals when they've allowed their dogs to run uncontrolled through people's private property.

Em3bbs · Monday at 12:40

I'm confused, I thought this thread was talking about trail hunting.

If we want to ban something because of some people were being unlawful, then we might as well ban everything.

Werewolf · Monday at 12:42

Trail hunting was the frankly half hearted attempt to stop fox hunting, many of the hunts are still fox hunts but they "accidentally" come across the fox and "oh dear we can't stop the dogs doing what they do naturally".

That I think is the main reason a lot of people don't like it.

Kenai · Monday at 12:45

Only the wilfully naive think trail hunting is anything other than a thinly veiled excuse to go fox hunting and pretend finding a fox was all thoroughly unexpected and definitely not the the reason everyone went out in the first place.

dowie · Monday at 12:57

Yeah, that's the thing - in theory, trail hunting would be a fine compromise, they can still maintain the countryside traditions and secure jobs and whatever else they were worried about when the ban came in - the traditional hunts get to stay etc. but the'yve clearly abused it as cover to carry on hunting, they can't really have it both ways - the compromise was there but abused ergo don't be surprised if that now gets outlawed.

Just need to pass legislation re: riding with loose packs of dogs - or indeed riding with more than one dog loose in general.

Of course, there's nothing to stop them from going riding without the dogs - the hunts can remain as a social club of people who go riding together, maybe they can invent some other game to play while doing so - either with tech or without - chase a trained dog for the boomers/traditionalists who dislike tech or have some mobile or VR game for the younger generation lol.. don't really care what they do as long as they don't hunt foxes for sport with dogs.

413x · Monday at 13:06

No. It's unnecessary cruelty

jaybee · Monday at 14:27

I've obviously been living under a rock. I entered the thread thinking this was about finding local cycling or walking trails. Hadn't even heard of it!
Genuine question now... do we not have a problem with the Fox population generally in the UK? I had heard that during COVID they spiked and thrived with all the lack of human activity. In fact, round here, we get a **** load of them all the time making a load of noise at night. We also see foxes when out at night driving or even walking, among neighbourhoods even quite far from any woodland. Not that I condone the glorified hunting of them.

With regard specifically to trail hunting. Would cracking down on it not be similar to saying we can't have super fast cars, or knives, or alcohol, just because they could be misused?

Werewolf · Monday at 14:58

Even if we have a problem with fox numbers ripping a few of them apart using dozens of dogs and horses isn't in any way an effective method of controlling the population, especially not the urban foxes which are not in places where the "trail hunters" have their fun.
Fox hunting has never been about controlling the numbers, given they might get two or three on a "good hunt" at the expensive of hundreds of man hours of work.

If you want to kill foxes to deal with there being a problem of too many of them then there are cheaper, faster, more humane and frankly better in every possible metric options.

Mint8 · Tuesday at 10:53

I think its actually because "trail hunting" is pretty obviously just fox hunting dressed in a (very) thin disguise.

Its the same people, the same local hunts - the same everything only now they just "accidentally" come across a fox - whilst riding the exact same hunt routes they always did.

One is banned, the other isnt - which is clearly a total nonsense.

moon man · Tuesday at 12:19

It's an easy one for people to be outraged about without actually doing anything to affect the situation , going veggie or vegan takes effort for instance , so just look like you care but don't give a **** is the way to go

Every year in the UK around 1.2 billion land animals are slaughtered for human consumption. This includes over 1 billion chickens, 15 million turkeys, 14 million sheep, 2.8 million cattle, over 10 million pigs and almost 15 million sheep and lambs.
Btw, not replying any more than this one as it's late I'm the year for another holiday and you know I will end up getting one

Hagar · Tuesday at 13:49

It's almost as if being bundled along under the chassis of a fast car is more acceptable then being attacked by dogs. But I appreciate your sentiment and wish you a happy new year.

Thekwango · Tuesday at 14:02

you'll not get a holiday if you don't go off posting insults and being a general **** to other posters.

Freakbro · Wednesday at 08:13

Are you being intentionally obtuse? As the difference here really isn't a difficult concept to grasp.