I would think she shows no interest in Badgers , because she is clever enough to realise they are nasty "big" beggars and she will more than likely come off worse,/

How you can say she has been used to go to ground after foxes, simply because she goes mad when she sees them is baffling

I`ve 2 Boxers hers, they go berserk when they see rabbits /foxes/deer and anything that moves to be honest, and I can tell you now, they have never been useD to chase anything.

Along with the fact if she had been used in the way you say, you would see proof..as the prey she would have been sent after have teeth..very sharp ones and will use them if needed.

Never yet seen a terrier that is used in control of vermin, not to have any war wounds

And that was MY point. You are suggesting that we need to control foxes ourselves, but I was pointing out that their numbers are related to food supply and other environmental factors and that fox hunting is in no way an effective means of control. As they are one of our main natural predators, what we do to foxes also affects the populations of 'pest species' such as rabbits, rats and mice. It still begs the question as to why we think we need to try to do this rather than use prophylactic means of protecting livestock.

The argument for fox hunting is that 'it's fun'. There are no ethical arguments in its favour.

How interesting you see Rabbits, Rats and Mice as "pests" but not Foxes! Cute and furry like doggies 'eh?

Oh and its illegal to hunt Mice with dogs.

he must be a ruddy good shot, they've always moved too quick to get a clean shot on them when i've been out, and

The quotation marks round 'pest species' indicate that it's not necessarily my personal opinion. Where did hunting mice with dogs come in?

Indeed. Good posts.

******, i had better tell jess her suppers off the menu then

This is a topic which (as we are all aware!) is a major topic of debate! I am against hunting with dogs for my own reasons but can see both sides of the argument. There are few other ways to control foxes that would not have an impact on other wildlife but a hunt will only relieve the countryside of a couple of foxes at a time so, in theory, their numbers will not be drastically affected by the few hunts that continue despite the ban.

I know that they are 'pests' and so do need to be controlled. I just don't like the idea of hunts! But we must remember that there are some awful people out there who are not so honest about there methods and do not discriminate between the animals that they will catch (snaring being my main example!) so perhaps it is the lesser of the evils out there?

I don't know. I like to ramble a bit apparently! And I do see the arguments for and against. But hunting is not for me. I'd rather leave nature to its own devices and in a perfect world, the foxes wouldn't be able to get to livestock and we wouldn't have a need to control them!

On another note, it's illegal to hunt mice with dogs?! But what about cats...

Sarah xoxox

(also, haven't managed to read the whole of this thread, so apologies if any of my ramblings have been brought up before! )

Perhaps the thread title, "Hunting with dogs"

Bad owner!!!

Not rambling and a good post! Re Mice, Cats are not governed by law, therefore they can hunt them, must say mine never bought Mice home.

I second that.