Just back from a whirlwind tour of the East Midlands, where we joined around 50 other sabs from the Northern and Midlands groups to successfully stop a days hunting of not one, but TWO mink hunts!
The 22 elusive minkhound packs hunt the country’s rivers and waterways during the summer months, offering a fourth season for many in the hunting community to fulfill their bloodlust. They tend to be very secretive and it is rare for a pack to get sabbed, let alone two in a single day!
Hunt sabs at the kennels of the Dove Valley Minkhounds in Coleorton, Leicestershire. (Pic taken from Manchester Hunt Sabs)
First off we descended on the kennels of the Dove Valley Minkhounds in Coleorton, Leicestershire. We waited and watched as hunters scratched their heads and police officers and confused hunt support turned up. After a while we decided to leave some sabs to keep an eye on them and go in pursuit of the second pack of the day. We were pleased to hear that the hunt did not leave the kennels at all due to the sab presence!
An hour and a half down the road we arrived at the meet of the Northamptonshire Minkhounds, who were hunting the River Kym near Kimbolton on the Northamptonshire/Cambridgeshire border. Sabs entered the field from a number of angles and the hunters immediately ran back to the meet to pack up! When they left and we received word that they were heading home for good, we set off knowing that our job was done!
Northamptonshire Minkhounds packing up at their Kimbolton meet following the arrival of hunt sabs
This follows on from last weekend’s successes, when the Devon-based Culmstock Minkhounds had their first two meets of the season ruined by sabs. Hunters will be hunted…