A quick kill,

I think this is entirely debatable.

Surely the purpose of pest control would be to dispatch of young, fit, foxes that pose the most threat to wildlife and livestock? not old or ill animals that are on the verge of death anyway. This logic only instills the fact that it is blood sport pure and simple.

The long pursuits are rarely on the trail of a fox, it more to do with getting from cover to cover.

was just going to say, you find its alot of mileage but thats going from what bit of cover to the next, not after the fox...

I assume you are referring to me and my own dogs?
Yes, my dogs have killed various wildlife but they do not rip it to shreds, the dogs do not even have a tug of war over it. Anything that is caught is immediately relinquished to Flynn, even if the other 2 have caught it and he kills it very swiftly. Neither do they eat it there and then.

If a dog was to catch something within a matter of seconds and dispatch it with a well placed bite then I wouldnt have a problem. IMO, it's different matter for a pack of dogs to chase something long distance and then all pitch in and have a piece each.

I have typed this post a dozen times and can't express what I feel. I am for a repeal of the ban. It was ill-thought out but, I don't think it has done as much harm as it was said. Even though I am pro, I can see the pitfalls, and will freely admit it.

My life is more centred around shooting and have been lamping many times as part of my job - sometimes just counting, sometimes with a keeper shooting. I will defend hunting because I have many friends who do follow the hunt and I am sure that the majority of them enjoy riding, rather than the actual kill. Yes foxes need controlling and yes hunting with hounds, is one tool in the box.

I use my lurcher for rabbiting, yes I enjoy it but I will actively cheer when a rabbit gets away because it's put up a good run and deserves to be free. Yes, I enjoy watching her coursing them, and yes, I would course hares if it were legal. The rabbits she catches are either eaten by us, dogs or ferrets. I feel I would be hypocritical if I was anti-foxhunting.

It is very hard to try and get across to people (who think that all fieldsports are evil), how I feel. I respect the quarry, and find anyone abhorrent that doesn't.

Finally, I wouldn't have the lifestyle that I do (and job) if it wasn't for countrysports so I will defend them all totally.

Helen

Hunting/killing animals for 'fun' is disgusting. It should remain banned, in fact we need better laws to stop people getting around it.

(I've nothing against people hunting for food.)
(Or allowing dogs to hunt for their own food.)

Helen that's a great post. I don't agree with it but it's a good post, well balanced.
I am VERY anti hunt. I feel there are better, kinder ways to 'dispatch' foxes/deer whatever. Shooting is one option, it's quick and effective. I cannot believe that the vast majority of gamekeepers and farmers would be unable to do that. I feel chasing a fox to it's death is cruel and unnecessary ( as do many animal welfare organisations). To
pursue an animal on horseback, for 'sport' is not about animal control, it's about going on a jolly in the countryside. If people were doing vermin control the most effective and financially
Viable way of doing it is not chasing a fox through the countryside with hounds and people on horseback.

As for people going on shoots etc... Different. The bird is shot and if it isn't dead when it falls it is dispatched quickly; the dogs are taught to have soft mouthes... I find it hard to be as anti, but then the birds aren't torn to shreds in the name of 'sport'

Can I also add, if the law is repealed it means that what the kids do with their status dogs to foxes in towns throughout the UK will become legal. Anyone want to take responsibility for that one?

lol, thank you.

I think you could possibly be right

Kids with status dogs are going to do it if it were illegal or not - just like dogfighting. I haven't heard of it happening before the ban, or after.

Helen