As the season winds down the CVFH are having their closing meet today. In amongst this lot is a hound called Dutch man. Dutch man has decimated several hot dogs and sausage rolls with one tray expertly overturned and the pack gobbling up the contents. We were out yesterday and on Saturday with other groups. Reports to follow. Not long now till the season is completely finished in this part of the world….
Mussell’s End Farm, Sandhurst, Gloucestershire cull zone. And so the final meet of the season for the Cottie Vale, and Simon French is off to pastures new. This was an area that was busy during the badger cull but hey ho why not unleash a load of hounds all over the place… and a few horses as well. Ben Hughes (terrierman and cage trapper) was doing well out of the cull but today the lads didn’t seem to be up to much except discussing politics, deer were put up and one little roe deer swam across a pond when he was frightened by hounds. A fox did get hunted from a covert near the river and circled back, they did come back with the pack but abandoned hunting him when they saw sabs with cameras. Long day finishing at 16.50.
In other news we were also out on Saturday with Welsh Borders sabs with the CVFH at Coombe Hill, also in the Gloucestershire cull zone. Nothing exciting to report from the day. On Monday we went to Dorset with Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch to join our good freinds Dorset Against Blood Sports, monitors and some Dorset hunt sabs at Witchampton where there was a joint meet between the Portman and the Beaufort… also a cull zone… with lots and lots of horses and quads. Charlie Framton (who was Portman based but is now master and huntsman of the Heythrop) was also out and had lost his horse.
Lots of fox hunting happens in the various cull zones, research as to if and how this could spread tb is urgently needed. It is bizarre that someone vaccinating badgers has to disinfect themselves and all equipment whilst hunts do not have to do the same even when they visit the same area.