The Fox Hunting Bill

[Hunter]

Now...that IS a leading question which I'm sure you would not expect me to answer!

One could almost say - a foxy question indeed!

Have a great weekend

[Dominic]

Sophie,

I was reading your post on the fox hunting bill, and ive noticed the classic city person's view.

In what way, is fox hunting wrong??? Lets look at the facts:

1) there are 4 ways of hunting foxes: hounds/gas/guns/bear traps. Bear traps and guns wont kill the fox straight away, and it would probably take many days for it do die if caught in a bear trap OR getting shot by a gun. For me, that is much more cruel. Gas destroys the environment, so it is not employed any further. SO using hounds is the best way. For a start it is more efficiant, and when people hunt foxes they go by a code. Such rules include that foxes should no longer be chased if it goes down its hole. Also the fairness of fox hunting is also relevent, as the fox has a chance of escape.

2) People say that the hounds and horses are bred and kept in obsurd conditions. I very STRONGLY disagree. How can an animal perform at its best if treated badly? also we're talking about landsman and farmers who look after the animals, and they know how to look after one. The farmers and landsmen love animals and nature because they are so close to them.

3) Foxes destroy livestock, ruin crops and have been frequently known to attack small children and babies. SURELY that speaks for itself? If a fox draged YOUR child out of its crib, you would be the first person to attack the fox now wouldnt you??? and im sure you would have no hesitation in killing it

4) WHAT is the moral difference between swating a fly or killing a fox???


I wait your reply with eagerness

All the best, agus tog go bog é
Dominic

[paddy]

Here here! what dominic said is fact
My grandparents were Irish, ex fox hunters. Im all against the ban. Clearly people dont know anything about fox hunting, so therefore they should keep their mouths shut and stop beliving false pretences made by liberals and socialists alike

people have goten way to soft

tiocfaidh ar lá
Paddy

[Hunter]

Welcome gentlemen!

May you continue to support the hunt and as you do...

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.


May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.


May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.


May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

[Hunter]

Critical acclaim from Archer - welcome!

I see there is to be a new challenge to the Lords over the Commons use of the Parliament Act.  It could be interesting and has implications for the reform of the Lords since the debate will really be about the relative roles and powers of the judiciary and Parliament.  The lines of demarcation have become increasingly blurred, especially since the Human Rights Act gave the higher courts a greater role in interpreting legislation.  Fortunately, the judiciary are becoming increasingly self confident in its rulings and comment and hopefully will continue to do so!  Parliament remains legally sovereign and our ministers are very keen to assert this principle to enable them to resist the activism of the judicary.

Blairs boys keeping all for themselves again??

Bottom line - I think we won't win - not worth an each way, but to all supporters - don't be daunted!

Any thoughts out there??

[Hunter]

Remember, remember, the 5th of November!!

Let's all give Blair the bird!

Cold frosty mornings, the sun shining through the mist....

D'ye ken John Peel, with his coat so gay?
D'ye ken John Peel at the break of day?
D'ye ken John Peel when he's far far away
With his hounds and his horns in the morning?

For the sound of his horn brought me from me bed,
And the cry of his hounds, which he oft times led;
Peel's "View Halloo", would awaken the dead,
Or the fox from his lair in the morning.

Yes I ken John Peel and Ruby too,
Ranter and Ringwood, Bellman and True,
From a find to a check, from a check to a view,
From a view to a death in the morning.

Then here's to John Peel from my heart and soul,
Let's drink to his health, let's finish the bowl,
We'll follow John Peel through fair and foul,
If we want a good hunt in the morning.

[Hunter]

Some sites to make the blood flow warmly...

http://www.hunting-directory.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Welcome

check out the quotes of the season and the hated Ballard!

God Bless Liam!

[Hunter]

Good morning all!   

I read this today on Liam's site and I hope there is no objection to my posting it here as a tribute to an articulate description of a new hunter's experiences.  You can actually sense the atmosphere and bathe in the pleasure of tradition.  Even smell the bacon crisping up!  The link is below if you'd like to join their great site.

http://www.hunting-directory.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Welcome

At last! A free weekend and a chance to get out for the first time this season with my local hunt!
 
As a "newbie" I know most of you have already been out loads of times...
 
...but if there are any visitors to this forum curious at to what it is all about - these are a few of my first impressions...
 
I was up at 5.30am this morning + out for the first time this season with the Mendip Farmers (following on foot, not on a horse yet!) over on the hills near Wells.
 
Well, it was certainly not easy (after a busy working week) getting out of a warm bed + into a cold landie in the pitch dark to face pouring rain...
 
...especially when you are nearly late and lost in a maze of narrow Somerset lanes far beyond the reach of normal road-maps or sign-posts...
 
Still we had about 15 to 20 out mounted and I guess about 30 of us foot followers (a significant number of whom were "mummy" or "daddy" to the various Tracys or Carolines mounted on the sorts of horses you just don't get given in riding centres!  The children looked impossibly cute, the ladies beautiful and the men distinguished: all looked immaculately turned-out in crisp "rat-catcher" tweeds; the mud and rain and the fact that this was "only" Autumn hunting made no difference in the honour due to the occasion and the respect due to hunt staff (who work harder and get up earlier than any of us, after all!)
 
The foul weather made scenting the trail very poor at the start - which allowed us foot-following "infantry" to stand under the trees and watch while hounds raced enthusiastically past...  and then raced back... and then crossed diagonally... followed at various intervals by the "cavalry" - the young and keen popping over an adjacent hunt-jump at every available opportunity; while the older and wiser trotted round via the gate.
 
Then an immaculately clean cattle trailer arrived, and formidably competent farmers' wives materialised from the seemingly abandoned depths of 4X4's to cart portable stoves and fresh bread rolls and huge kettles inside...
 
...a table was erected and soon the sweet smell of frying breakfast was joined by the whistle of boiling water as tea was brewed and coffee prepared...
 
As the hunt had by now departed into the miasma of a bleary dawn, it seemed only right and proper to give our attention to the replenishment of our strength, so that, should the need present iteslf, we might be ready to forsake the cover of the trailer and spring into action on the trail of the hounds.
 
In fact, of course, many of the party found themselves perfectly willing to survey our (by now somewhat sodden) Whipper-in trotting past in the rain seeking news of his hounds, without too great a twinge of guilt at being unable to supply him with any pertinent information on the subject...
 
Eventually some of the hardier souls (amongst whom I can proudly count my humble self) sallied forth to prowl the edge of fields and thrust our way through trackless bramble-patches and under shadowy woods in search of the action.  As is usual in such cases, we were rewarded with only occasional glimpses of hounds on the other side of the valley, and the evocative notes of a distant hunting horn.  Still, I discovered that one of my companions owns land locally and is a keen deer-stalker... both of which facts met with my whole-hearted approval!
 
By the time we had scaled barbed-wire fences, climbed ivy-clad walls and jumped water-filled ditches (...oh, and in my case, managed to loose a good pair of gloves: Grrr!), the sun had come out, the scent had gone, and we stumbled onto the huntsman and his pack as they were heading for home down a country lane.
 
Curiously, this less than successful morning was counted more than satisfactory by us all: we were up, we were out, we were hunting; and if the luck of the draw fell against us on this occasion, there would always be another day...
 
Driving home (with my mind turning to weekend chores and shopping and the like) the fields were bathed in glorious sunshine, and I knew "I wouldn't have missed it for the world" - or rather, that if I had missed it, I should have missed "the world" - the sights and sounds and smells of England, the taste of dawn rain, and the feeling of being part of something magical and living, ancient and grand, with a merry kindness and a quiet heart.  There is in hunting more than just good company and exercise in the open-air.  Of course you can't put it into words; but you can come along and experience its wonder for yourself.  In hunting today I found myself repaid for forsaking sleep and central heating and a warm bed by taking part in an activity that is somehow connected to the strength that lies deep beneath the russet carpet of falling leaves and waits to see another Spring.
 
Hunt On!

[Hunter]

Ah...the 5th of November is upon us.  Especially memorable today for the events 400 years ago that involved many good people from this part of the world.

Business as usual!

Hunt on!

[keri]

Hi my name is keri and i am definatley against this ban its so unfair if this sport is band why wont they ban FISHING and other cruel sports just coz sum people actually hav fun and enjoy it other people have to ruin it !! this sport has been in mine and many familys for years 

[Hunter]

Well said Keri!

Lets hope that Blair's boys don't start to ban other civilised pursuits such as shooting and fishing.

[keri]

Does'nt it just make you angry    so do u hunt alot??

[lyniain]

 you and i both know its only a matter of time before they start to attack fishing both coarse and game

[Hunter]

Yes Keri - I like to hunt, but of course it's illegal now!

Of course there are ways and means to get around it and there is still some good shooting!

[Oxford]

Sophie,

I was reading your post on the fox hunting bill, and ive noticed the classic city person's view.

In what way, is fox hunting wrong??? Lets look at the facts:

1) there are 4 ways of hunting foxes: hounds/gas/guns/bear traps. Bear traps and guns wont kill the fox straight away, and it would probably take many days for it do die if caught in a bear trap OR getting shot by a gun. For me, that is much more cruel. Gas destroys the environment, so it is not employed any further. SO using hounds is the best way. For a start it is more efficiant, and when people hunt foxes they go by a code. Such rules include that foxes should no longer be chased if it goes down its hole. Also the fairness of fox hunting is also relevent, as the fox has a chance of escape.

2) People say that the hounds and horses are bred and kept in obsurd conditions. I very STRONGLY disagree. How can an animal perform at its best if treated badly? also we're talking about landsman and farmers who look after the animals, and they know how to look after one. The farmers and landsmen love animals and nature because they are so close to them.

3) Foxes destroy livestock, ruin crops and have been frequently known to attack small children and babies. SURELY that speaks for itself? If a fox draged YOUR child out of its crib, you would be the first person to attack the fox now wouldnt you??? and im sure you would have no hesitation in killing it

4) WHAT is the moral difference between swating a fly or killing a fox???


I wait your reply with eagerness

All the best, agus tog go bog é
Dominic

1 - After a long process of investiagtion the hunting enquiry found that where needed shooting would in most cases be more humane than hunting with hounds. Note that I say in most cases as the fox population is largely self monitoring. Only around 2.5% of the population were killed by hunts, an amount that would have no real effect on the number of foxes.

2. I think that's reasonably fair

3. Do you have a touch of hysteria? Any evidence of these child kidnappings? Fox predation upon livestock is very small and in many cases could be stopped by simply security measures. I accept that in some areas foxes do prey upon lambs but this appears to be vastly exagerrated.

4. Well that's a trickier one. And it's down to the individual. But if it's Ok to hunt a fox why not hang a dog or burn a cat - what level of cruelty does hunting a fox mean you're capable of?