And did you enjoy watching those deer being chased over the country side to exhaustion and then being bought down by a pack of hounds on a frosty morning?

No need to be patronising just because I do not support the hunt does not mean I know little about it.

However, if it is all done in the name of controlling the population - why are all those hangeron chasing round the country having to be kept out of the huntsman if they are not doing it for the fun of it?

If its each to his own I shall start breaking the laws I think are daft, its an illegal activity and those who watch and do nothing are aiding a criminal activity - would you harbour a theif in the same way?

[Studies have been made on the red fox in this country, and it was found that many foxes do cache food in different places to come back to later.

I would recommend reading "Running with the Fox" by David Macdonald to anyone (pro or anti foxes) who is interested in fox behaviour.[/QUOTE]

Lets not let facts get in the way.

Natural behaviour for the fox, exactly not for the fun for it! The only animals killing for fun are the humans on horse back but apparently thats fine.

Even if I agreed they have to be controlled why does a bunch of hooligans have to chase them across the country, dig them up etc especially when they are not very effect at it anyway?

[QUOTE=Borderdawn;1520740] What like foxes kill for fun sort of thing?

Here's a thought what would happen if we did not acredit animals with emotions. (which is what anthropomorphism is all about. It's easy to make the case for animal emotions.imo In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is bad biology to argue that humans are the only emotional beings. Emotions serve as a "social glue" to bond individuals with one another and to catalyse and regulate their social encounters. They also permit individuals to behave flexibly in a wide variety of situations. Humans are not the only animals that need to do these things. There is every reason to believe that emotions would have evolved in numerous other species. Charles Darwin himself advocated evolutionary continuity - that differences among species are differences in degree rather than kind.

I don't have any problem with a cull for the good of the majority - however, what I do take issue with is how that cull is carried out. A skilled marksman I am all for.

Definition of vermin ...

1. Various small animals or insects, such as rats or cockroaches, that are destructive, annoying, or injurious to health.
2. Animals that prey on game, such as foxes or weasels.

So it would seem the game industry has classed foxes as vermin, along with stoats and weasels.

It is a very subjective subject as to what is vermin and what is not.

The RSPCA will also look after magpies, crows and squirrels and then release them. All of these are also classed as pest and vermin by many.

What like foxes kill for fun sort of thing?

Not quite Spot, anthropomorphism means treating animals as if they are human in appearance, character or behaviour. so if you mean that humans kill for fun, as we do, then yea

.

Your welcome to your opinion, but my statement was serious... as Melzy is the one pointing out we dont own animals, nor should we interfere with in their lives...

Simply pointing out, dogs as other animals dont have a choice they live by our rules , and as most people purchase there pets..i.e paying money, which constitutes ownership, you can hardley say that you dont own them.

Then that is what she should have said!!!


Spot, I think you may have the wrong idea on deer culling......your imagination could`nt be further from the truth .

Foxhounds chase Foxes.... they do not chase deer nor do you hunt them down with horses, not in this neck of the woods anyway...they do hunt deer with deer hounds north of the border though.

But mostly in the UK, they are stalked..(on foot )

Not sure if there are any hunts in Exmoor or the New Forest who operate that way.


When controlled culls are in operation....firstly they will close the park to the public..(that includes me)as it is private land.

They operate in early mornings... they use professional marksman.... who can take a clean shot and bringing down their target. they take a natural selection in the culling.. the old, weak, young males.

It is a necessary evil in land management for the welfare of the land and the animals living on it.

I know they where culling that day, as I , as usually take my 2 for their daily walk in the morning...the park was closed, with park attendants on the gates...it did not take much working out what was going on, as the deer had become overpopulated....

As a whole they are a very well managed healthy lot... the estate works well in looking out for their welfare, and it is not taken lightly when they need to be culled.

There you go again being presumptous, however I think you've made my point better than I could. When it has to be done it is done clinically, cleanly and not with a bunch of whooping monsters just in it for the fun - thank you.

Thanks Kirsty, I was beginning to wonder if I'd become invisible!!!

Right, so the people who raise the pheasants and other game birds so that when they've all grown up they can have fun blowing their brains out then these are the same people who consider foxes to be vermin???? Oh I understand now!!!!!

Arh right so saying that animals have a sense of humour and kill things just for the fun of it and to annoy us is not giving animals characteristic of human behaviour.