Bristol Hunt Saboteurs

*Badger cull to be extended in Wiltshire*

We’re hearing that the badger cull is to be extended by at least a week in the Wiltshire zones, one of which we have been working in for the last six weeks, as it is likely that the cullers have failed to hit their minimum targets.

Over the past six weeks we’ve seen many breaches of the cullers own guidelines, signs of illegal badger persecution and terrible bio-security and farming practices in TB hot spots, all bringing into question the cull and its humanness, effectiveness and safety.

Now is the time to step up our efforts – we’ll be doing our utmost to protect badgers in the zone until the cull is over.

If you can help out in Wiltshire, either by joining a ‘Wounded Badger Patrol’ or in any other way, please contact Wiltshire Against the Badger Cull – https://www.facebook.com/WiltsABC/

For more information check Stop the Cull – https://www.facebook.com/stop.the.cull

(Picture below – three badgers piled up and left after being shot in cage traps in Wiltshire this autumn)

** TWO HUNTS – SABBED! **

Saturday was an absolute result for hunted wildlife! Our first port of call was to an early morning cubbing meet of the ‘Ledbury South’ near Saint Margarets, Herefordshire.

We got to work trying to find the hunt and their location was soon given away by their dickhead terrier-boys. Thanks, lads!

As soon as the hunt were in our sights it was game over. Sabs got to work and immediately took control of the hounds, rendering the hunt useless. This first act of sabotage set the tone for the rest of the morning.

We split into two groups which meant we were completely on top of the hunt. Every time they attempted to hunt foxes, we stepped in and took control of the hounds using horns, voice calls and our trusty gizmo (a pre-recorded track of hounds in ‘cry’ played through a megaphone).

Both foxes and hares were aided to safety by sabs and it all became a bit comical towards the end of the morning as the hounds spent more time with us than the hunt.

Absolutely blinding result, especially given the context – the ‘Ledbury South’ are essentially the former riders and masters of the dissolved South Herefordshire Hunt (who are currently at the centre of a police investigation after being caught on camera feeding live fox cubs to hounds at their kennels last year) following the hounds and huntsman of the equally distasteful Ledbury Hunt.

Next up we were off to our second hunt of the day, the Severn Vale Beagles, after a spotting car kennel-watched them and followed on to their meet in North Nibley, nr. Dursley, Gloucestershire.

When sabs arrived shortly after 1pm, we found the hunt already out and setting up to ‘draw’ a field in an attempt to put up and chase hare. As soon as our cameras were on them they were on the phone and legging it – a sign of wrong doing if there ever was one!

We kept eyes on them as they did a little circuit, mopping up their followers on the way back to the meet. As our second vehicle arrived, they were boxing up the beagles and quickly scarpered!

A long and tiring day for us but a good ‘un.

** Support our work for the price of a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/A37126JE **

FOX SAVED AND WINDOW SMASHED AT ROSS HARRIERS OPENING MEET

A welcome break from the 5am starts for cubbing today as we went to the Ross Harriers opening meet of the season, at Warren Farm, Lea, Herefordshire.

They left at around 11.30 with us following. We monitored their movements as they went from field to field trying to put up a hare to chase (most Harrier packs hunt both hare and fox), with little luck.

The day seemed pretty disjointed for them, obviously with limited areas they were allowed to hunt and a keenness to get away from us whenever we caught up with them.

Sabs were with the hunt as they were drawing a kale field, perfectly positioned to see a rather plump fox fleeing past.

As supporters were seen alerting the whipper-in as to the foxes whereabouts and a couple of hounds showed an interest in following its line, sabs were straight into action spraying citronella after it and ‘rating’ the hounds back (telling them not to follow).

We let the huntsman know that the fox had fled and he made the sensible decision to gather up the hounds and move away from the area.

We were following on in our vehicle when we drove past the bulk of hunt followers, some of who threw stones at us. A few bounced off the vehicle but one smashed the sunroof, showering glass on those inside.

Thankfully nobody was hurt and after a bit of a hold up clearing away the broken glass we were back in pursuit of the hunt.

We watched them drawing a few more fields around the meet, before catching up with the huntsman who was on foot and gathering up the hounds, before heading back to box up.

Throughout the day a number of hunt followers were seen displaying all the lowest levels of maturity, with a mounted follower swinging his riding crop at sabs when he went past and a group of drunken car followers threatening us with violence from the off, drink driving, blocking roads and then squaring up to and threatening members of the public who asked them to move!

We have to ask the Ross Harriers whether this is the kind of behaviour that they want to be associated with? They are surely by now well aware that we will expose any violence and vandalism aimed at us, that it is not a deterrent and in fact only makes us more determined and them more of a focus.

Until next time…

On Saturday 16th September, acting on a tip-off, we headed over the bridge to sab a meet of ‘The Ledbury South’. The hunt consists of riders and staff from The South Herefordshire Hunt (who are currently at the centre of a police investigation for feeding fox cubs straight to the hounds inside their kennels) and members of The Ledbury Hunt.

The hunt moved off at 7am from their meet in Orcop with one group of sabs watching every move they made. You would think this lot would be hunting within the law but this was the most blatant illegal hunting of fox cubs we have seen in years.

Today between Bristol & Bath sabs we filled out two landies and headed to Gloucestershire to visit our old chums from The Cotswold Vale Farmers Hunt.

There’s a new huntsman in town so we thought it only fair to introduce ourselves and set the tone for the rest of his season. Gary, if you think you’re going to have an easy ride, you can think again.

We took Gary and co by surprise as they left their meet in Aston Crews at 6.30am. We outnumbered the sorry excuse for a hunt so split into two teams and monitored every move they made. There was clearly a plan to lose us but between both teams of sabs and two vehicles it wasn’t long before we were back with the hunt in our sights.

At one point, hounds went into full cry (on the scent of a fox) so sabs intervened and with the use of the hunting horn, took control of the pack and crushed any attempt at killing. We held the hounds for a considerable amount of time whilst Gary, clearly pissed off attempted to gather them back up.

Another attempt to hunt was again swamped by sabs and it turned out to be the hunts last attempt for the day. They trotted off home so we left the area safe in the knowledge that local wildlife (including the fox we saw making an escape from the hunt) are safe for another day.

On Saturday, a few of us joined up with a collection of sabs from Bath, Severn Vale and South Wales today, after receiving a local tip off that the rather illusive Three Counties Mink Hounds would be hunting around Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire, near to the Welsh border.

We arrived to find a number of followers positioned on a bridge over Escley Brook, awaiting the hunt’s arrival from further upstream, but they didn’t get that far… as soon as sabs made their presence known, the hunt threw the towel in. The usual laughable excuses were bandied about, ranging from “we’re just out fishing” to “we’re following a pre-laid trail.”

After a bit of standing around trying to hatch a plan, the hounds were boxed up and the hound van was outta there. Odd behaviour if there was nothing illegal going on!

We watched as hunt staff and supporters waited around looking rather fed up, before most of them drifted off. Sabs remained in the area ready to go back into action if they tried to sneak back, until we received word from a spotters vehicle that they had picked up the hound van way to the east, heading back to the hunt kennels in Kinnersley, Worcestershire.

Knowing that their attempts at killing wildlife were ruined for the day, it was job done and we were heading for home! Three Counties Mink Hounds, we’ll be seeing you again…

T oday we ha d a mega Summer  a way day with Severn Vale Hunt Saboteurs & Beds and Bucks sabs, trekking up to south Derbyshire to back up locals who had intel that the Dove Valley Mink Hounds would be hunting in the Sudbury area, along the river Dove.

Before we entered the field the hunt were being covertly monitored, filmed illegally hunting with hounds in cry and hun t staff encouraging the pack to hunt on.

Foot sabs went in on the opposite side of the river and quicker than you could say ‘we’ve caught you illegally hunting,’ the hunt was thrown into complete disarray, hunters were legging it in all directions and the hound van, with hounds hastily boxed up, was speeding off down the farm track out of there.

Sadly we didn’t have an official Guinness World Records timer present but we’re pretty sure this is the quickest a hu nt has ever packed up and bolted upon seeing sabs.

Folk kept tabs on the movements of the hound van and supporters and we’re pretty confident they didn’t venture out again. Result!

*Mink hunting is the secretive Summer pass time for those who would usually be out hunting fox and hare. Most of the packs that hunt mink today previously hunted otter (and in some cases still do), until a massive population decline and public outcry resulted in that practice becoming illegal in the late 70s. They often use the argument that they are some how supporting conservation efforts by controlling the population of an ‘invasive species’, but in reality their actions cause great harm to the fragile habitats of river dwelling creatures, such as otter and water vole. Put simply, yet more lies from the blood sports lobby to try and justify their actions.*

Please help us continue our vital work – for the price of a cup of coffee!! ko-fi.com/A37126JE

\

** MULTIPLE FOXES SAVED AT MEET OF THE COTSWOLD VALE FARMERS HUNT **

A very good day with the Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt today, in and around Sandhurst, Gloucestershire with our mates from South Wales Hunt Saboteurs & Bath.

Splitting into two groups at the start of the day meant we were continually tag teaming, being able to get ahead of the hunt at every move they made.

Along with South Wales Hunt Sabs and Three Counties Hunt Sabs we returned to the Ledbury Hunt today, for one of their few Saturday meets of the season.

Unlike the last time we visited back in December, when the hunt’s terriermen attacked sabs who stopped them digging out a fox from a badger sett, the day passed without incident.

They left their meet, Tweenhills Farm in Hartpury, Glos, at 12.30.

Despite the huntsman trying his usual trick of trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and sabs (including riding along the busy A417 with hounds all over the shop), between our different vehicles and teams of foot sabs we ensured that the hunt were kept under tabs all day.

A couple of furry friends were seen fleeing from where the hunt were at different points in the day, having their scent covered by liberal amounts of ‘Odeur de Sabbin.’ Hounds were heard picking up a couple of times, but never for long.

The hunt returned to the meet and boxed up at about 4pm.

YESTERDAY, we paid an overdue visit to The Curre & Llangibby Hunt with our friends from South Wales Hunt Saboteurs & Bath Hunt Saboteurs.

We arrived late at the meet but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the hunt had left and thought their murderous activities would go unnoticed; sadly for them, we were soon close on their tails.

We worked relentlessly to keep the hunt in our sights. The first half of the day saw the huntsman on foot attempting to work his hounds through thick coverts with us making sure he didn’t get up to any mischief. Despite the fact they would maintain that they were simply trail hunting, trails cannot be effectively laid through thick covert. And whilst they were following ‘trails’ and we were following them, a helicopter was following us as the hunt felt they needed protecting and at the taxpayers expense no less (a pricey sum of more than £1000 an hour to be in the air).