Boxing Day Hunt
The drag is prepared and, when ready, a trail is laid for the hounds to follow.
The newspapers tell us that over 300 hunts will meet today. Hunts have traditionally met on Boxing Day ( the day after Christmas Day) and large numbers of supporters gather to see them. In previous years these meets would have attracted protesters ( and some still do ) but since the ban on hunting with dogs, these hunts now 'hunt' by following a trail. It is still a very contentious subject as there are many grey areas to this piece of legislation and it is proving difficult to enforce. Cruelty to animals can never be condoned but, by banning hunting, there is the possibility that other forms of pest control will be adopted that are more cruel and unregulated For now, the sight of the hunt gathering and then riding off across the moor is quite a spectacle.
No one is more anti hunt than me.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I have ever voted labour was to get hunting banned.
SP
Is it the whole hunting scene that makes you anti? How do you stand on drag hunting?
ReplyDeleteI can't help it ... I find hunts so exciting! BUT I am very, very glad they use a drag now. These are fabulous photos, Harriet. It looks like the weather cooperated, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious sight!
ReplyDeleteWhen Australia was settled by the English foxes were introduced as 'sport' for the early colonial settlers. That sport fell by the wayside and now we have foxes stealing lambs at will. Looking at it from a farming prospect, one less fox is several lambs left to survive.
We often see a fox when driving into the city, and there is something arrogant about 'Reynard's' stance as he stops to watch us drive by.
I agree with Shirlwin. The UK will fit into this country 33&1/3 times.You have the manpower to control the economic damage from the fox. We have to try and control and suffer the lossages.A case in fact(Victoria) when fox's attacked a milking heard and cut the uders to peaces.There is no love for Fox's/Rabbits & Cane Toedes in this country.
ReplyDeleteI thought, perhaps, there would be more comments on this subject. I am interested in the comments from Australia, I have seen flocks of ducks with their heads bitten off by an invading fox. Not the kindly parent fox taking home food for cute cuddly cubs, as stories would have us believe, this is just killing for killing sake. But should chasing animals to kill them be regarded as a sport - I don't know? I am still sitting on the fence - but a hunt is a wonderfully British tradition and, if it can survive with drag or trail hunting, I hope it does.
ReplyDeleteThe hounds are adorable, and the lovely picture of them sniffing the little girl.
ReplyDeleteI'd be delighted if the ban on hunting could be enforced, as it's sad to think of the terror of the hunted fox.
However, foxes are a menace--they've killed our chickens, mauled our ducks, and we've had pet rabbits mysteriously vanish. I sort of hate them, but then you see a wild fox run across the meadow, or lie by the footpath, mysteriously shot (I live in the country!) and feel some kinship with them.