We’re publishing a basic hunt log for this season as an idea of what a typical season looks like for us. Not everything is here – our season logs are far more detailed and there are days when we’ve had tip-offs that we’re unable to get to or have found out laser that a hunt met on a certain day.
Cubhunting meets sabbed: 28
Hunt meets (main season) sabbed: 95
Days we’ve been out but hunt no show / can’t find hunt: 36
After a summer spent surveying for badger setts in the three counties, we headed into the last days of August and the beginning of cubhunting and the badger cull simultaneously! Sabs were out every day and every night during the culls, the last day of which was the 19th October.
Monday 29th August: Ledbury Hunt first cubbing meet of the season (from the kennels)
Monday 29th August: Start of the Gloucestershire badger cull for the year
Friday 2nd September: Kennel-watch the Ledbury but no show (they hunted the Monmouthshire country for a little while as the Monmouthshire hounds had kennel-cough)
Monday 5th September: Ledbury Hunt in Castlemorton
Monday 5th September: North Cotswold Hunt in Stanton
Tuesday 6th September: late tip-off re: the Croome in Madresfield – could not find them, so sett-checked and went back into the Glos cull zone
Wednesday 7th September: North Cotswold Hunt in Wormington – sabs assaulted, camera and glasses broken
Saturday 10th September: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Aston Crews
Saturday 10th September: Cotswold Hunt evening cubbing meet near Cheltenham – blatant holding-up and kill
Wednesday 14th September: late tip-off re: Ledbury Hunt near Upton – we arrived and checked setts whilst looking for them
Wednesday 14th September: Ross Harriers evening meet near Aston Crews
Thursday 15th September: late tip-off re: Cotswold Hunt at Great Witcombe
Thursday 15th September: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Flaxley
Friday 16th September: Ledbury Hunt near Longdon – found them as terriermen ran away from a blocked and dug-out badger sett
Saturday 17th September: late tip-off re: Ross Harriers which we headed to, then found the Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt at The Leigh
Saturday 17th September: other 3C sabs on way over to the CVFH then got a tip-off about the Cotswold Hunt in Miserden Park
Saturday 17th September: whilst sabbing the CVFH with Bristol Sabs, 3C spotted the Ledbury Hunt across the river and we split from Bristol to cover both hunts
Tuesday 20th September: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Newent
Tuesday 20th September: late tip-off re: Cotswold Hunt – CIHW attended
Saturday 24th September: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Huntley
Monday 26th September: late tip-off re: North Cotswold Hunt in Mickleton – setts checked
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we attended late tip-offs for 4 different hunts and checked setts
Saturday 1st October: Cotswold Hunt near Hawling – sabs disrupted a chase and the hunt packed up
Saturday 1st October: Ross Harriers in Orcop – when other sab groups arrived, 3C and North Shrops split to go to the CVFH in Apperley which we had a tip-off for
Tuesday 4th October: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Aston Crews
Wednesday 5th October: Ross Harriers no show
Saturday 8th October: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Tewkesbury – sab assaulted and camera broken
Saturday 8th October: sabs went straight from the CVFH cubbing meet to the opening meet of the Ross Harriers at 11am near Aston Crews with chases disrupted, sabs spat at and a hound untangle from wire by sabs and huntsman
Monday 10th October: Ledbury Hunt near Redmarley
Tuesday 11th October: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Huntley
Saturday 15th October: no show on the CVFH, so sabs attended the Cotswold Hunt meet near Cheltenham where hunt were found blatantly holding up and sabs were assaulted when a chase was disrupted
Saturday 15th October: while stopping to help an injured pigeon, sabs spotted and sabbed the Dummer Beagles near Swell Wold in the afternoon
Tuesday 18th and Friday 21st October: no shows for hunts after tip-offs
Saturday 22nd October: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Huntley
Monday 24th October: North Cotswold Hunt near Honeybourne – sabs stopped a dig-out and terriermen abandoned their terrier in the otherwise blocked sett
Tuesday 25th October: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Huntley
Thursday 27th October: Call from locals that Heythrop Hunt had blocked setts in Woodstock
Friday 28th October: no show at the Ledbury Hunt
Saturday 29th October: opening meet of the Croome near Peopleton
Tuesday 1st November: opening meet of the Cotswold vale Farmers’ Hunt in Apperley
Tuesday 1st November: opening meet of the Heythrop Hunt in Broadwell
Thursday 3rd November: opening meet of the Bicester Hunt
Friday 4th November: opening meet of the Ledbury Hunt in Corse
Saturday 5th November: Ross Harriers and Leadon Vale Bassets joint meet in Garway
Saturday 5th November: opening meet of the Beaufort Hunt in Badminton – sabs caught terriermen and supporters at an artificial earth as the hunt began and were assaulted later in the day
Monday 7th November: Ledbury Hunt in Dymock
Wednesday 9th November: Ross Harriers
Thursday 10th November: Ledbury Hunt in Upton
Saturday 12th November: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt in Sandhurst
Saturday 12th November: Cotswold Hunt in Withington
Monday 14th November: Ledbury near Redmarley – hunt out until after dark
Tuesday 15th November: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Norton – one sab pushed around by ‘the Bicester Boys’ and chases disrupted
Friday 18th November: Ledbury near Hartpury
Saturday 19th November: Heythrop and North Cotswold Hunts both meeting near Stow – many setts checked all day and unblocked when found tampered with – death threat made to one sab by Heythrop terrierman Gary Morgan
Saturday 19th November: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Flaxley
Monday 21st November: Ledbury in Castlemorton
Tuesday 22nd November: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Newent
Friday 25th November: Ledbury in Pendock – badger cage found in a wood with blocked setts
Saturday 26th November: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt in Apperley
Monday 28th November: Vale of the White Horse in Cirencester Park
Tuesday 29th November: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Longhope – hounds rioted on deer and several hounds ended up out of control on the A40
Friday 2nd December: Ledbury in Tirley – no show due to weather and changed to the Saturday
Saturday 3rd December: Cotswold Hunt followed by the Heythrop Hunt
Saturday 3rd December: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Newent
Sunday 4th December: sett-surveying and training day from Cirencester
Monday 5th December: Ledbury Hunt no show at Preston Cross due to the frost
Thursday 8th December: Cotswold Hunt in the Gretton area, North Cots badger culling area – blocked setts found and unblocked and hounds marked to ground in another – Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch also present
Friday 9th December: Ledbury Hunt in Pendock – hounds marked to ground and a fox escaped after a 30 minute chase
Saturday 10th December: Cotswold Hunt near Turkdean – several blocked setts unblocked
Saturday 10th December: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Aston Crews – sab assaulted
Sunday 11th December: sett-surveying and training day from Malvern
Monday 12th December: Ledbury Hunt near Redmarley
Tuesday 13th December: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt – no show due to huntsman having an injury
Friday 16th December: Ledbury Hunt near Hartpury – previously targeted setts blocked again
Saturday 17th December: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt near Tibberton, hounds hunted by Ledbury huntsman Mark due to CVFH huntsman still recovering from a fall – Mark’s son damaged a local bee hive
Monday 19th December: Ledbury Hunt near Trumpet
Tuesday 20th December: Cotswold Vale expected in Norton, but no show, so we headed to the Croome and West Warwickshire at The Lenches
Friday 23rd December: Ledbury in Eldersfield
Saturday 24th December: Cotswold Vale in Sandhurst
Monday 26th December: Cotswold Vale in Newent – terriermen caught at a badger sett which was also targeted during the cull
Monday 26th December: Heythrop Hunt in Chipping Norton – blocked setts, holloas and slashed tyres
Wednesday 28th December: Ledbury on Castlemorton Common – Bristol Sabs assaulted, 3C Sabs intimidated when they stopped a dig-out of an active badger sett
Wednesday 28th December: North Cotswold near Mickleton – several setts blocked in early hours (unblocked prior to hunt meet by sabs) and sabs assaulted on 2 separate occasions throughout the day – once as hunt tried to prevent them finding 3 artificial earth in a wood
Friday 30th December: Ledbury due to meet near Upton, but no show due to weather
Saturday 31st December: Cotswold Vale and Ross Harriers no show (weather?)
Monday 2nd January 2017: Ledbury near Putley
Monday 2nd January 2017: Heythrop and North Cotswold both meeting near Chipping Campden, blocked setts found stuff both meets
Tuesday 3rd January: Cotswold Vale and Heythrop cancellations due to weather
Friday 6th January: Ledbury near Hartpury, setts blocked around hunting area
Saturday 7th January: Cotswold Vale in Bromsash
Monday 9th January: Ledbury in Redmarley
Wednesday 11th January: North Cotswold at Pebworth
Friday 13th January: dropped by Ledbury Hunt kennels to find the roads were far to bad to drive!
Saturday 14th January: Cotswold in Turkdean – terriermen seen in areas where sabs found blocked setts and were then caught standing on another sett. Chases disrupted. Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch also present
Monday 16th January: Ledbury in the Malverns – a fox was chased in front of Malvern Hills Conservators who made the hunt call the hounds off
Tuesday 17th January: Heythrop near Chipping Norton – several blocked setts found
Wednesday 18th January: checking setts after North Cotswold meet by Hailes Abbey, many blocked
Friday 20th January: Ledbury in Welland – blocked setts and hunted foxes…
Saturday 21st January: Cotswold Vale in Sandhurst
Monday 23rd January: Ledbury near Much Marcle
Thursday 26th January: checking setts near Evesham after North Cotswold meet yesterday – blocked and dug-out sett found with fox remains scattered around on top
Saturday 28th January: Cotswold Vale near Tewkesbury – sabs blocked in on a road for around 30 minutes at the end of the day
Monday 30th January: Ledbury meet at the kennels – 2 setts targeted on several previous occasions blocked again in the early hours
Tuesday 31st January: Cotswold Vale spotted near Newent – we also revived a call that the Heythrop Hunt had killed a fox in a garden
Thursday 2nd February: tip-off that South Herefordshire plan to hunt today, but no show
Friday 3rd February: Ledbury in Ashleworth – previously targeted setts blocked again and a dig-out site (approx. 2 weeks old) found near an artificial earth
Saturday 4th February: Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt at Westonbirt School with Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch – several foxes chased and sabs stopped hounds repeatedly
Saturday 4th February: a 3C sab was invited to run lines for the Three Counties Bloodhounds at Caradoc – most foxhunters who came along bemused, with some swerving / spitting at sabs
Monday 6th February: Ledbury in Dymock
Tuesday 7th February: Ledbury huntsman’s court case in Cheltenham
Friday 10th February: Ledbury in Longdon – several blocked setts found
Saturday 11th February: Ledbury in Hartpury
Saturday 11th February: Cotswold at Salperton / Heythrop also nearby so setts checked alongside Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch
Monday 13th February: Ledbury supposed to be in Upton Bishop but no show
Wednesday 15th February: Ledbury children’s meet from Eastnor Castle
Friday 17th February: Ledbury joint meet with the Warwickshire Hunt (whose huntsman, Will Goffe, is a former Ledbury huntsman. Several foxes were chased throughout the day
Saturday 18th February: Golden Valley Hunt in Michaelchurch Escley – odd day with the hunt showing that they’re really incompetent…
Monday 20th February: Ledbury Hunt around Kynaston
Tuesday 21st February: CVFH around Upton Bishop
* Friday 23rd February: Bicester and Whaddon Chase in Poundon – fox killed in a hedgerow with terriermen trying to hide the evidence
* Saturday 25th February: Kimblewick Hunt at Kingston Blount – 3C supporting independent Hunt Monitors
Monday 27th February: Ledbury Hunt met in Colwall and spent much of the day around Castlemorton Common
Thursday 2nd March: Cotswold Hunt lined up to have a meet in Ham, near Cheltenham but no show – local told us huntsman had been drunk almost constantly for 2 weeks with the whipper-in stepping in (but too risky so close to Cheltenham)
Friday 3rd March: Ledbury Hunt meeting in Buckbury
Saturday 4th March: Out looking for the Croome and West Warwickshire after a tip-off that hounds had been spotted
Monday 6th March: Ledbury Hunt in Bromesberrow with blocked setts and hunted foxes throughout the day
Tuesday 7th March: Sabs out looking for the Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt after a tip-off but not found
Tuesday 7th March: Sabs found the Croome and West Warwickshire near the Lenches
Tuesday 7th March: Tip-off received re: the Heythrop Hunt near Turkdean with blocked setts found during the meet
Wednesday 8th March: Dummer Beagles near to Cold Aston (hunting the same area that the Heythrop were in yesterday)
Thursday 9th March: Heythrop spotted east of the Fosse Way but not found by sabs after tip-off came in – setts will be checked soon
Friday 10th March: Ledbury Hunt in Pendock – closing meet for the season! Blocked setts, no surprise there, found throughout the day
Saturday 11th March: Cotswold Hunt out in the Turkdean area (the same area that the Heythrop were in on Tuesday and the Dummer Beagles on Wednesday with many of the same setts blocked as found blocked by the Heythrop). Terriermen and supporters standing atop an active sett (one found blocked on numerous occasions previously) to discourage any foxes from coming near and escaping from hounds
Saturday 11th March: Sabs out with the Croome and West Warwickshire in Peopleton
Saturday 11th March: Sabs also attending a Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt meet
Monday 13th March: Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt, Trull area. Sett-blocking seems to have been abandoned for the end of the season as all setts were untampered with, but foxes were hunted during the day
Wednesday 15th March: Heythrop Hunt, closing meet of the season near to Swell Wold. Quad bikes already out before 5:30am and blocking setts. Several were unblocked by sabs prior to the meet, others found throughout the day and after the hunt had packed up (9 in total found all with many blocked entrances). A fox jumped a dry stone wall and ran straight past the legs of a sab closely followed by the full pack of hounds
Saturday 18th March: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt no show at Aston Crews due to a death in the Master’s family
Saturday 18th March: Sabs went to support Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch at the Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt
Tuesday 21st March: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt in the Forest of Dean – pack rioted, split, ran away, chased deer, got chased by wild ponies and disrupted boar
Wednesday 22nd March: Vale of the White Horse (VWH) not found despite tip-off so sett-checking conducted instead
Saturday 25th March: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt around Apperley and Norton but scent was poor so was an uneventful day
Monday 27th March: Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt joint meetwith the Portman Hunt in Dorset, supporting local sabs
Tuesday 28th March: Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt meet near Sandhurst for their closing meet of the season
Wednesday 29th March: Called out to the Vale of the White Horse (VWH) in Cirencester Park – at one point an exhausted fox collapsed in front of sabs but made it into a wood and was not caught by the hounds
Thursday 30th March: Tip-off that the VWH would be back out again for a second day in a row but kennel-watching showed no activity from the hunt
Saturday 1st April: VWH back out in the Coates area and hunted through rape fields, chasing a number of foxes and rioting on deer throughout the day
Wednesday 5th April: VWH spotted back at Cirencester Park so sabs attended alongside Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch (with CIHW stopping a dig-out from taking place)
Saturday 8th April: VWH at Cirencester Park again and tip-off that the Cotswold were hunting around Miserden