* Brace of foxes hunted blatantly by North Cotswold Hunt *
* Badger sett blocked *
* Multiple reports of other hunts in area *
* Abusive messages throughout day on phone*
* Cirencester Illegal Huntwatch’s tyres let down*
It is very hard knowing that whilst you are with one hunt, others are just a few miles away also hunting foxes:
The Croome and West Warwickshire are reported to have hunted a fox through a garden in Norton near Evesham today (we’re in contact with locals who witnessed and retorted them).
Worcestershire Hunt were at Inkberrow, being covertly monitored by anti-hunt locals who were in touch with us.
The Heythrop were at the Slaughters (under the watchful eye of independent monitors)
The Cotswold Vale Farmers Hunt were at Norton near Tewkesbury and so on… more sabs and monitored needed! We’re also in contact with someone who witnessed a kill on land another hunt were not permitted on – this has been reportedto the police and we are getting an update soon from the person who told us.
As for what we were up to (other than taking phone calls)…
The NCH were found at Springhill near Broadway and a blocked sett was soon found and dealt with. Fox cubs were seen playing here in the summer. A brace means 2 foxes – this time of year they are pairing up and can often be seen running very close to one another – before long 2 were seen trying to get away from the hounds.
The pack were away from the foxes and hunting towards Bourne’s Folly.
Cirencester Illegal Huntwatch were out as well and we were all on the road south of Springhill, a notorious hotspot for hunting. Ollie Dale put his hounds into thick brambles. Foot sabs were accompanied by stalkers who made noise and played loud music to stop any foxes breaking covert in front of the cameras. One fox did cross and we tried to get into position to rate the pack and as we did a second fox ran alongside the pack to follow their mate to safety.
You can see a couple of hounds opening their mouths on the photo.
Ollie Dale encouraged them to continue hunting into Kildane’s Bottom. They were later rated back from following a scent but we have no way of knowing what happened to the two being hunted in the meantime as they covered a lot of land at speed. It is heartbreaking to think that a hunted brace try to look after one another when being hunted and stay together.
A third fox escaped through some hunt supporters.
They went on to the quarry, Toad Corner and Slatepits before finishing in the pitch black.
Please continue to support us with information we will get to as many hunts as we can or at least check afterwards for blocked setts, etc.
Donations help to get us to meets and keep the car on the road: paypal.me/threecountiessabs
We are also very happy to advise over the phone if a hunt is nearby and we cannot attend. 3C