*** Heythrop Hunt caught ‘holding up’ during cubhunting meet for first time in several seasons ***

Since being taken to court (and 2 of their members being scapegoatedand forced to take the blame for illegal hunting) several years ago, the Heythrop Hunt have been much more skittish. Employing people to stalk monitors and sabs, the second anyone anti-hunt is spotted in an area, the hunt tend to move on swiftly. Our locations and actions are reported constantly during hunt meets, the hunt moving on when they can and the stalkers trying to cover up any illegal hunting when it’s happening in front of us.

We got inland early in Eyford Park on Monday morning and were able to catch the hunt using ‘holding up’ tactics, including spreading out around a covert and making noise to scare any foxes back into the covert and toward the hounds. The video shows a small part of what was going on and footage from other cameras, which is being given to the police, shows that holloas and shouts of ‘Tally Ho Back’ and ‘Gone Away’ were used throughout the morning’s meet. These shouts indicate sightings of foxes to the huntsman, as does the phrase “there’s one coming towards you now!” although that is not quite the correct hunting terminology.

Being within a cull zone, we also had the opportunity to check badger setts in the area and look for signs of cull activity and other wildlife persecution, such as the blocking of setts, etc. An injured pigeon was also found and taken to local wildlife rescue Vale Wildlife Hospital & Rehabilitation Centre for treatment.

With Covid rules set to change again in the coming days we will see what happens regarding hunting. In the meantime it is business as usual.