Yes the Hounds, antis are responsible for 99% of their injuries. Ive seen them lured on to railway tracks, across main roads, hit with sticks, kicked and threw poisoned meat, all this from animal lovers too, incredible isnt it.

They may eat more then rabbits, but they will eat the ill and young of them aplenty, they would also eat dead ones, and ones with myxi, they are scavengers as well as hunters so they will eat everything. But we also don't know what condition and how many there were before the Romans came either, as none of us were there.

They are indeed scavangers - one took down the goose carcase I had hung up for the birds in my garden the night before last ! I didn't know that foxes would eat myxi rabbits I must say ... even Tai turns his nose up at them ... but I can't see why they shouldn't, so I am sure you're right. They are great opportunists.

Did you know that Badgers love peanuts, changing the subject?

Funnily enough at work we feed peanut butter sandwhiches to badgers who are young and have just come off milk, or adult badgers who won't eat to get them too, although I do wonder who found that out

And honey, they lurve honey!!

Yes the Hounds, antis are responsible for 99% of their injuries. Ive seen them lured on to railway tracks, across main roads, hit with sticks, kicked and threw poisoned meat, all this from animal lovers too, incredible isnt it.

Because "a nice ride" is restricted to the same bridleways and tracks you use day after day. A day's hunting is an opportunity to ride on private land as part of a large group, galloping around jumping everything in your way. It's a huge buzz and for us it had absolutely nothing to do with killing foxes or hares, it was a chance to really test out your skill as a rider and the ability of your pony.

When you are selling a pony, if it has been hunted it adds value because it tells you the pony is talented, bold, brave and controllable in very testing circumstances. A "nice ride" isn't in the same league. We had competition ponies which were used for show jumping and eventing. We took them hunting because it was a vital part of their education.

Yes, they do, but they love what they do ... else they wouldn't do it.

If my old Dutch Warmblood could have talked, he would tell you that he LIVED for hunting. As for the hounds, very few of them get injured or are killed, and it is in their blood, they have been bred for centuries to chase the fox ... whether you are pro or anti, you cannot blame the hound for his total desire to chase and kill foxes.

Ill tell you pidge, wont make it up, wont tell you lies. I love hunting. My mother hated it, father isnt bothered. When I was young I expressed an interest, my parents got me in touch with hunts to find out about it, no propaganda, no making things up. I went to meets, I enjoyed the atmosphere, the Horses, the Hounds and the general friendliness I was shown.

I havent ridden a Horse in many years, I follow on foot. Ive never ever seen a Fox caught by the Hounds, nor do I express a wish to do so, not many of the followers ever do. I love the chase, I love the pack, I love the hunt. I am satisfied that the Fox will be caught and killed almost instantly, if not it will be UNHARMED. If it goes to ground, it depends of the Farmers wishes as to whether its dug out and shot.

Ive seen Foxes mangled in snares, riddled with mange, hit by cars, shot but not killed, all of these leave the animal a long suffering death Id never wish on anything. Hunting is kill instantly or run free and unharmed.

Its not about the pink coats, thats just traditional wear, nobody moans about the Beefeaters, guards or the Queen in all her "traditional" wear do they? Thats all it is, a "uniform" nothing more, and of course there are no rules stating you have to wear it.

Its legal to shoot a Fox, and miss, and leave it to suffer for days if you cant find it. Its legal to snare a fox and for it to chew its leg off in a desperate attempt to escape, then die days later of massive infection and blood poisoning. Its legal for you to gas a Fox hole, and HOPE thats who is at home, they will suffer too, long extended periods of suffering before they finally die, along with anything else that may be there. Its also legal for you to poison the Fox, assuming of course thats who gets the poison, look how many dogs are poisoned, you can bet most of that was left for Foxes, but who is to tell the dog that?

So for me, hunting, is the safest and quickest method to reduce Fox numbers on land where Farmers want the numbers reduced. Supporting farmers and the countryside, keeping the Foxes in the Countryside healthy, not like the mange ridden things in towns, skeletal some of them and in obvious poor health.

Hope that helps a little.

wow, its amazing how fast this went from a massive arguement to being friendly its good when everyone can get on, of course we will all have disagreements but its nice to keep it civil and friendly

i highly doubt the figure is anywhere near as high as that. yes, you get the idiots who do sick things like that in protest but i think they are in the minority. i am against lots of things but would never go to such an extreme.

dogs will get injured on hunts, and what about those who get killed once they are too old? even the people taking part in the hunts used that when the ban was getting drawn up, they kept going on about what would happen to the dogs...

there are other ways to get some excitement and have fun. and what a rubbish excuse to up the price of a horse money as always...

they might love to do it, but are they aware of the dangers involved?? and i think the figures of injured hounds will be more than 'a few'. also, i never blamed the hounds. and i dont, i blame the sick people who train them.

So do doctors (look up the word "iatrogenic". Are they vermin too?

Snorri

Well done lady, an excellent post and just what I was looking for.

I'm still on the fence, but only because I have never attended a hunt and don't know enough about it to say it is 100% wrong.

However, in my view, I don't care whether they are hunted, trapped, run over or shot and missed, ANY animal being made to suffer in this way is being wronged by humankind and we need to take positive steps to end it. So, it's not all about hunting for me.

Just wanted to add..
I am SO jealous of those that have seen badgers...I really want to see badgers and sadly have never seen one.

I also wanted to add...the 'city' foxes in my area are beautiful, not at all mange ridden. There are loads, as I said, where we walk the dogs regularly and they are in excellent condition. They do have quite extensive woodland to roam in, a churchayard and park...plus more woodland close by (over the road!) Perhaps that is why, as they have lots of space, but also access to houses and gardens etc. We see them quite alot. (we also get quite a diverse array of birdlife...)