24th February 2017, Bicester with Whaddon Chase, Home Farm Poundon.
We don’t often get to this hunt but as the Bicester Boys came out with us at the Ledbury Hunt last week we thought that we would return the favour. Normally the Hunt Monitors get out into this area – give ’em a like and a share on their page!
The hunt drew first over the live railway line north of Poundon and seemed to want to get away from us. On the Poundon to Stratton Audley road we heard hounds speaking and some escaped sheep munching on winter wheat.
Thinking that hounds may have been marking to ground, we went inland and spotted one of the terriermen on his phone, spade in hand… he ran away and jumped on the quad to escape when he spotted us.
Smelling fox in an area along the hedge he had been in, we investigated and found a water filled ditch with bright red lumps floating on the surface. The immediate area was flattened with hoof prints, hounds prints and boot marks nearby. We entered the water to examine the lumps which turned out to be blood clots, what looked like trachea and lung and the tell-tale red and white fur caught up in the brambles. Drops of blood were also found on the bank opposite. Fencemenders (including our old ‘pal’ Danny Burton) were fixing fences in the next field, which the hunt had damaged during the chase. Bicester Boy Tom arrived late in the day to try and have a go… wonder if he’d gone to the Ledbury this morning to see us?
Thames Valley Police attended the scene very quickly and we would like to thank them for their professionalism. Whilst looking at the carnage, they told us that the hunt had informed them it was an accidental kill. We reviewed the footage and there is a lot of encouragement going on from the huntsman… perhaps he should ensure he’s not chasing live foxes before doing so in future?!
The hunt continued north of Stratton Audley and stayed out until it was dark. A loose hound was found on the road by one of us and returned to the hunt (without so much as a monotone ‘cheers’). We’re aware of another fox being chased during the day and who managed to successfully get away with some help… but that’s another story!
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Other sabs attended the Ledbury Hunt from midday onwards (so if dear Tom, the Bicester Boy, was a-visiting, he’d had left to come see us just before their arrival) and spent the afternoon in Hasfield, Ashleworth and Maisemore with them.
Off to the Kimblewick Hunt tomorrow with our mates in the Independent Hunt Monitors (update: we started the day chasing quad bikes through fields before the hunt had even finished gathering at the meet)