Hunt saboteur activists recently shared information about “cubbing” meets within Dartmoor National Park to “make the public aware” of what, they say, is the beginning of the “fox cub hunting season”.
Plymouth & West Devon Hunt Sabs remain anonymous for their own safety, but disrupt hunts to expose “illegal activity”, with help from the public on reports of fox hunting, “to prevent wildlife persecution”.
A hunt saboteur said: “Hunts are out really early at 5am, or evenings, hunting and killing young foxes to train their hounds for the main season. It may look like people gathering on foot, often without traditional hunting attire, with hounds nearby.
“The public often tells us that the Dartmoor Hunt, or Spooners and Lamerton, were actively out hunting and currently, cub hunting is underway. This time of year, fox cubs are beginning to find their own territories. Sadly, terriermen (individuals hired by the hunt) often feed a fox family to keep them in a specific area.
“The hunt will surround an area where new cubs will be going out finding new territory, it might be woodland or a tor, They’ll position people and then put the hounds in. I’ve seen several fox kills and it’s a horrible death.”
Illegal fox hunting (with a pack of dogs) is a contentious subject with 81 per cent of people against it ever being “brought back” according to data shared on the government website YouGov.
However, the 19 per cent who do support “bringing back” the killing of foxes (and other wild animals), with dogs, also feel very strongly about it, with some reportedly still participating in illegal hunts, according to some members of the public.
Hunting foxes or other wild mammals with a pack of dogs in England and Wales was banned more than 20 years ago under the Hunting Act 2004.
This act controversially allowed so-called trail hunting, where hounds follow an animal-based scent, to continue, however, many say it serves as a “smokescreen” allowing illegal hunting to continue.
In a statement, The Dartmoor Hunt said that it “carries out lawful hunting activities, including hound exercise and trail hunting and have done so since the Hunting Act came into force in 2005”.
They added: “Despite that, we are continuously targeted by anti-hunting activists and keyboard warriors who make spurious allegations about our activities.”
A Lamerton Hunt contact said “we don’t fox hunt, we trail hunt and we’re exercising hounds, we’ve not started hunting yet.” Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt have not yet commented, but their website details “trail hunting on Dartmoor”.
The government has recently held a consultation on trail hunting, in line with Labour’s manifesto commitment to ban it altogether.
Speaking about cub hunting, a hunt sab said: “We've had a couple of reports of cubbing meets so far this year, one for The Dartmoor Hunt last weekend and one for a future meet. As sabs we witness chasing of foxes and occasionally deer or hares every time we sab a hunt.”
A spokesperson from Devon and Cornwall said: “We would encourage witnesses to report any offences to us, to share unedited footage and images with us, and to be prepared to give statements to allow us to investigate any allegation of criminality.
“When a criminal offence takes place, we will investigate and use the powers we have, to bring offenders to justice. No one has the right to break the law.
“Devon and Cornwall Police Rural Affairs Team is working with neighbourhood policing teams to monitor hunt activity and, where proportionate, Community Protection Warnings are being issued to manage the behaviour of hunt groups.
“Failure to comply with the conditions set out in the warning could result in further action being taken, including a stricter Community Protection Notice or prosecution.
“Anyone who has witnessed illegal hunting activity or associated antisocial behaviour (such as trespass, harassment or hounds out of control) is encouraged to report information via the Force website or by calling 101. If an incident is happening now, always call 999.”
Dartmoor National Park Authority shared a statement on hunting: “There is zero tolerance for wildlife crime in the National Park. Dartmoor National Park Authority are actively engaged with Devon and Cornwall Police through the Dartmoor Rural Crime Initiative and with other statutory bodies such as Natural England to ensure that those who commit a wildlife crime are prosecuted.
“Dartmoor National Park Authority does support legal activity on our land (just over one per cent of the National Park) and through our rangers and the general public ask that any illegal activity is reported to Devon and Cornwall Police.”
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