The Devon County Hunt Saboteurs (DCHS) and Plymouth and West Devon Hunt Saboteurs have spoken out in support of the planned ban on trail hunting, but say the law must go further.

The hunt saboteur groups have welcomed the move, but argue that there must be better enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004, which they allege is a “smokescreen” for the illegal hunting of wildlife.

A spokesperson for the DCHS said: “We support a ban on trail hunting for this reason, but changes to the existing Hunting Act must go much further and must be accompanied by better enforcement.”

The Plymouth and West Devon Hunt Saboteurs echoed the view, stating: “The existing act needs to be strengthened and a ban on trail hunting put in place to ensure that this can't continue.”

The DCHS has said that their sabs have never seen trails laid and regularly see what they describe as hunts chasing and killing wild animals.

The Labour Government under Tony Blair banned the hunting of wild mammals with dogs in 2004, but hunt saboteur groups say that the legislation is full of loopholes, making it difficult to prove illegal hunting has taken place and to secure convictions.

In the last five years, there have been two confirmed cases in which hunt participants were convicted under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. None have been convicted under the Hunting Act. In 2021, two terriermen with the Eggesford Hunt were convicted of interfering with a badger sett in an attempt to flush out a fox. In 2023, a terrierman associated with the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt was found guilty of blocking, damaging and causing a terrier to enter a protected badger sett.

For a successful conviction under the Hunting Act, prosecutors must prove that the wild mammal was pursued by one or more dogs, that the hunting was intentional and that the defendant intentionally engaged and participated in the hunt. However, the accidental or inadvertent hunting of a wild mammal with one or more dogs is not an offence. Anti-hunting activists claim that hunters often use this defence.

The Eggesford Hunt, the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt, the Lamerton Hunt and the Mid Devon Hunt were all contacted for comment.

However, a spokesperson for the South Devon Hunt, which operates on the east side of Dartmoor, said: “Trail hunting brings people together, either mounted or on foot, to spend time with friends, and enjoy some fresh air in our beautiful landscape.

“It’s perfectly legal and no foxes are chased or killed by hounds.

“We’re one of more than 200 registered packs in England and Wales, strictly regulated by a governing body and operating with landowners’ permission.”