I detest fox hunting. I don't think that the ban is working, but at least it is a start. I just wish the law was being enforced.

Fox hunting is not about controlling foxes. It is an excuse for a bloody good ride across countryside. Indeed, countryside that riders wouldn't normally have access to. There are also no doubt a faction who enjoy the actual kill.

The thing I always struggled with when it came to fox hunting was the contradiction often exposed when having to justify it. Many times I heard pro fox hunters state that they did it to control the fox population, then in the next breath they would state it was relatively harmless as the foxes nearly always got away! Now you can't have it both ways, so which is it?

The truth is both sides are so passionate about their feelings on the matter you'll never get the true facts, both sides will say whatever they can in order to win the debate so it's difficult to believe anything that's said. However, as pro hunting as I am, hunting foxes with hounds has never sat right with me, it just appeared to be pure blood lust whenever I've witnessed it.

Rips your post doesn't come across as pro hunt, I wonder if we have different definitions? When I talk about being anti hunt, I mean the pursuit of foxes/ deer and the like with dogs, a pursuit which generally ends in the animals death and in my opinion an unnecessary pursuit as the animal could be shot. I am wondering if you define hunt differently? Perhaps to include shoots etc?

Moobli.... Exactly!

Helen, I think we probably agree
People hunting foxes here is a big problem. They let their dogs out if vans and go hunting, dig them out and dispatch the foxes, for no other reason than pleasure. We are suburban but are blessed with a great deal of green space so our foxes are generally healthy and well. The police do actually act on it as of course it is illegal thankfully.
If the hunting ban was lifted then the police wouldn't be able to act....

this post is exactly how and what i have always thought on this issue as well.
except the dodgiest piece of info that got me was the 'hunting foxes with hounds is more humane as shooting them will leave them all injured and dying a long painful death'

I still agree with the repeal though

If they are doing it without permission, that's poaching. A lot of police forces now take action against poachers. I know a lot don't but there are more and more forces taking direct action.

Helen

i think people say that, because if a fox is shot, but not killed and only injured, it can still run on, go to ground and then have a slow death, where as if the hound gets it (and usually only one hound gets it first) its dispatched of quickly with one bite to the neck and its over..

i know why they say it

what i was saying was that notion is pretty much pants, as its not that hard to cleanly shoot and kill a fox as they make out.
see my previous post couple pages back explaining why.

therefore their is an 'equal' likelihood that a fox could get get away injured and die slowly from *both* dogs and gun, however, in both cases, its very unlikely.

hence why i said this line the pro hunt lobby come out with about the 'need to control the fox thru hound instead of shooting is more humane' is just a piece of propoganda for that side

This is the other bit of pro hunting PR i dont agree with either, i dont see how one hound can kill the fox with one bite. The pack has chased its quarry and no doubt been worked up into a frenzy by it i dont see them all sitting back and waiting while one does the deed.

A girl who went hunting all the time even admited this wasnt the case and as soon as the fox was caught it was a bit of a fee for all. They have even carried out tests on dead foxes that proved this wasnt the case.