Countryside Alliance Angling Forum

[H Jampton]

Hunting appears to be more acceptable if done on foot and by a using a smaller number of dogs, as in the Fells. Why is this??

[Peter Sharpe]

Possibly because small groups of hunters in The Fells, hunting on foot, don't arrogantly block the roads, don't try to block off public rights of way, don't let their hounds run amok on roads and railway lines, and don't let them tear domestic pets to pieces.

[H Jampton]

Peter Sharpe:

Possibly because small groups of hunters in The Fells, hunting on foot, don't arrogantly block the roads, don't try to block off public rights of way, don't let their hounds run amok on roads and railway lines, and don't let them tear domestic pets to pieces.

Niether do these chaps:

http://www.boardogs.com

[Peter Waller]

H Jampton:

Hunting appears to be more acceptable if done on foot and by a using a smaller number of dogs, as in the Fells. Why is this??

To be honest, I don't know! But then I didn't realise that it does.

 

Tell me, how do these pedestrian hunters dispatch their prey?

[H Jampton]

Peter Waller:

Tell me, how do these pedestrian hunters dispatch their prey?

From the film on a TV programme that I saw, they don't have too. The lead hound on the film seemed quite capable of doing it on it's own.

[Peter Waller]

Thanks for the info. Didn't see the TV prog I'm afraid. From what you have said it sounds like a scaled down affair of the horses and hounds version. That being the case I would have thought that exactly the same moral and ethical objections would apply, wouldn't you?

[corydoras]

As a rural Scot now living on the south coast of England I find this whole hunting with horses and hounds debate to be at best bizarre.

 

In a country where we have a goverment that seems to be unable to provide us with decent education for our children, affordable housing, quality healthcare or anything like the public transport infrastructure we need, the topic seems to be unworthy of any parliamentary time whatsoever.

 

We did have fox hunting in Scotland, before our silly Parliament banned it, but none where I come from.

 

We do have lots of hill farms that breed Scottish Black-Faced sheep though, and foxes are a major PITA for sheep farmers during lambing time, and of course foxes will take hens and ducks at any time of the year, given the chance.

 

There are three main fox control methods used in in my neck of the woods. These are not listed in any 'order of preference'.

 

• Number one is 'lamping'. This is basically driving around country lanes and farm tracks at night in a Land Rover equipped with a powerful spotlight and a .22 or .303 rifle. When the fox is caught in the spotlight beam it 'freezes' for 20 seconds or so. Enough time for a good marksman to put a 800mph lead pellet in the back of its brain.
  

• Another method, especially common at this time of year is to go out with some terriers and guns and just dig them out of their earths. They can usually get the dog-fox, vixen and all of the cubs this way.
  

• Sometimes the foxes are gassed by tipping a couple of spoonfuls of Cymag down the earth, then blocking the earth up.
  

All of the above are efficient, legal (at least in Scotland), and humane.

 

What I do not understand is how the CA and other hunt supporters can claim that hunting with horses and hounds is an efficient method of controlling vermin. I have never seen a hunt, so I cannot say how many people are involved, but it seems to me that there is a lot of man hours spent to kill one single fox. I am sure that 15-30 horses galloping through the countryside, jumping over hedges etc. must cause as much damage as the fox that they are hoping to kill.

 

Having said that I would not ban fox hunting. There are too many people these days who want to take our civil liberties away and far too many who sit back and do nothing when there rights are taken away.

 

I have noticed one or two posts in this thread by those who advocate having BOATs reclassified as footpaths or bridleways, well I am sorry folks but as far as I am concerned this is not on. A BOAT is just as much a road as is the A1 or the M6, its just a road that has never been covered in Tarmac. You have no more right to block a BOAT that you have to block any other road.

 

Before I close I have one question for all the anti-hunt members. Which of the above practises would you like to see replacing hunting with horses and hounds?, because farmers are still going to want to control what they perceive as vermin.

 

And please can we have a ban on people banning things

[Dunk Fairley]

"His ghostly figure on horseback is sometimes seen coming through banks and...."

 

Surely Lee, that was an EA Bailiff!

[fcuk]

Peter Waller:

Thanks for the info. Didn't see the TV prog I'm afraid. From what you have said it sounds like a scaled down affair of the horses and hounds version. That being the case I would have thought that exactly the same moral and ethical objections would apply, wouldn't you?

Now i though,with the comments you made you new somthing about the sport,you dont,same old thing,if someone finds somthing distastfull or they dont know what they are talking about they want to ban it,

 

tut tut.....

[trent.barbeler]

Dear Dunc,

 

Whats an EA bailiff? Could be those blokes dressed in similar attire to Dick Turpin, as it's been that long since anyone in my neck of the woods have seen one!!

 

Regards,

 

Lee.