Saturday 22nd September 2018, North Cotswold Hunt, Wormington. North Cotswold badger cull zone and btb hotspot and yes they did go through Ryefield farm which has had several bTB breakdowns.

Well, at last we got to meet new huntsman and master Ollie Dale. As hounds rioted on deer and hare thank goodness his KH was on the ball and stopped the pack by the B4632. Apart from that they drew blank from what we could see. Pack up by 10am

And back we go into the woods and fields looking for peanuts and things protecting badgers from the government sponsored massacre…

Please continue to support us

Huntsman and terrier man pack up horses at Norton Court Farm after an evening hunting meet between Boddington and the A38 this afternoon. A couple of us took a break from sett-checking in the cull zones to join them after a tip-off.

Hounds were regularly out of control in usual Cotswold Vale Farmers’ style, near the main roads during rush hour.

One of our sabs entered the meet after pack up to inform the farmer about a young calf we were worried about in a nearby field – we might be in opposition over hunting but when an animal’s welfare is at stake we’ll alert them to it (contrary to what many hunters will tell you about us wishing harm on animals).

Support us if you can. We’re off back out to join the rest of the group in the cull zones. Support us if you can

David Barton – cull company director and NFU poster boy – has been filmed baiting cages on his land near Daglingworth. The film was taken a few days ago after a badger was filmed approaching the cage the night before. Tonight we are told that those cages were set to trap and kill badgers at dusk… apparently they are now not fit for that purpose.

Mr. Barton was in the media concerning btb in his beef herd see hereWhilst we sympathise with him (but more so with the animals who are killed, bovine and badger alike) we do not need to eat meat or dairy. We urge him to consider a more compassionate livelihood. It is clear he cares for his herd (until they go to the abbatoir) but that is no excuse to kill badgers.

Various new and old cull zones are about to start killing again under the government sponsored cull. The more people on the ground checking, the less they will kill so please contact your nearest group.

Last night shooters were chased away from setts in Gloucs zone one by Newent Badger Alliance and West Gloucestershire sabs. That zone is in week 12 of killing badgers now and we have several other zones about to commence.

Due to work done by ourselves and Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch the BBC have reported on our data collected over the last season…

BBC report

The Independent

Day 29 of the cull. A sett targeted by the cull and heavily trapped and repeatedly blocked by the landowner has just been checked by 3c and Cambridge hunt saboteurs. It has now been totally destroyed. Breeze blocks, wire and metal forced down the entrances. All the trees removed.

We do not think that the badgers survived. And this is in a cull zone in it’s 6th year…

Day 17 of the cull in zone 1, Gloucs. Setts checked around zones and shooters found in the Bromsberrow area by west Gloucestershire sabs. One ran away, this other one was found near a sett and sped off. They came back and hid in a field only to be spotted by us again and then all the teddies got thrown about as can be seen.

Of course this is an extended cull and these people like shooting anything else that moves as well. It might be that he was out to shoot foxes/badgers/rabbits or anyone else he found. We don’t know. he was stopped though.

Helpfully Mrs Stallard announced her presence in the back. The Stallards are signed up for the cull and strange, malevolent things happen to setts on their land. For example in March one nearby sett was found on fire, sabs had to put it out and the fire brigade attended the next day as it was still hot. In August 2015 the same sett was dug out by badger diggers. Call us cynical… BUT!

Anyway this morning we are told that Gloucestershire Badger Office recieved a very angry phone call from the driver saying he wasn’t killing badgers, that the man with the torch had better not be there (or else the torch would be put somewhere it shouldn’t be), that woman with the camera had better not be there, and the people walking about had better not be there or he would call the police. And no one had better have recorded his reg plate etc etc adinfinitum. Anyway, 141 is a good thing to dial prior to ringing someone you wish to be anonymous from…..never mind, it’s all a learning curve

Day 12 of Gloucestershire zone one supplementary cull started with this find. Note it is shut, not baited and it disappeared… they are certainly a bit jumpy in these parts. Badger protectors are still out keeping a watchful eye.

Sadly with the cull rolling out everywhere we can not let our guard down anywhere in high risk areas. Please contact the group nearest you and ask how you can help.

Farmer in West Gloucestershire confirms that the cull has indeed started…