Bristol Hunt Saboteurs

Today we joined up with a number of other groups from around the area to pay a visit to the South Herefordshire Hunt, who met at the Black Swan in Much Dewchurch.

After leaving the meet (their last of the season we believe) they headed in the direction of the Mynde, disappearing into the Mynde Wood where they stayed for most of the day. This was quite difficult for us, with minimal vehicular access and a large wooded, hilly area for the hunt to hide themselves in and run around. Despite this we did our best to keep on them and our pressence definitely meant that the huntsman spent a lot of time running around the place and not staying where he wanted to hunt. At one point our sabs saw a small fox fleeing in a field next to where the huntsman and hounds were. We sprayed the area with citronella and despite the huntsman taking the hounds up the same line as the fox, they failed to pick up on its scent. We pushed the hunt on and soon after sabs came across hounds in cry in Penstone Wood. Sabs from another group were on hand to make sure the fox that they were persuing got away, by calling hounds away with some voice calls. This signalled the end of the hunting day for the South Hereford, with the huntsman gathering up his hounds and trotting off with us in tow. We were pleased to see that they were heading back to their kennels in Wormelow to pack up at around half 4, but not before riding (with full pack of hounds) through a field full of distressed ewes and their lambs along the way. You would think that the huntsman would have taken a different route, considering only last season this pack attacked a flock of sheep. Yet more innocent victims of this vile ‘sport’. It wouldn’t be the end of the season without some stupid, childish behaviour from hunt supporters. A group of masked-up idiots made themselves known by driving around and attempting to shout ‘insults’ before one of them punched a female sab in the face and they all scarpered. The sab went to A&E and the police were informed. Pretty typical behaviour from this bunch but nothing that’s going to deter us. A long overdue visit to the South Herefordshire from us. We’ll make sure we don’t leave it so long next time

A great day sabbing at the Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt today, who were attempting to hunt around Sandhurst, just north of Gloucester. We teamed up with pals from Three Counties Hunt Sabs, Southampton & South Wales with our forces split over four vehicles.

Upon leaving the meet the hunt were soon on to a fox, with sabs already present jumping into action and splitting the pack with horn calls. We quickly arrived and our foot sabs were straight into the field in pursuit, forcing them to move off and setting the tone for the rest of the day.

Great deployment of our vehicles meant that they then stuck to hunting a small area next to the River Severn, with various groups of sabs having eyes on them and us popping out in front of them when they least expected it. Hounds went into cry shortly after as we were following them up a track but our presence meant that the huntsman had no choice but to call them off and take the pack away from the area the fox was seen fleeing.

After more riding, stopping in farm yards (no doubt to try and formulate a plan) and about turns, the hunt headed back to the meet at around 2.30. Around half of the visibly pissed off field decided to call it a day and the huntsman, hounds and very few of the die-hards left the meet to try and get at least a bit of hunting done. But alas, we were there to make sure that it wasn’t to be!

With most foot sabs now in one group we stuck to the hunt like glue. Hounds were sneakily put onto the line of another fox by the huntsman, car sabs rushed ahead to cut them off and others put horn and voice calls to good use and called the majority of the pack back to us. Another fox away to safety with the huntsman left trying to get his hounds back together and considering his next move.

They then headed to Sandhurst Hill with us in tow. Hounds were again in cry, this time with the huntsman encouraging them on. It didn’t last long however and sabs soon used horn calls once again to bring the pack to us. This seemed to do the trick, after gathering the hounds the CV were soon heading back to the meet with us following, this time for good.

Great communication, navigation and tag teaming ensured that we were always one step ahead of the hunt, second guessing their every move and leaving them with very few options of where to go. We had constant visual on them, with foot sabs always very close by and intervening when necessary. Two foxes helped away, hounds getting to know us and our calls a bit better, new sabs introducing a few pairs of fresh legs and a rather crap day hunting for the Cotswold Vale Farmers’ Hunt. And some glorious sunshine! A solid days sabbing.

Good day out with our pals from South Wales Hunt Saboteurs for another visit to The Cotswold Vale Farmers Hunt who met at Apperley, Gloucestershire.

From the off, sabs in the field or our patrolling vehicles had the hunt firmly in their sights. Anytime the hunt knew they had sab company, they would take off in an attempt to lose us but failed each time.

The hunts first real attempt at hunting was stamped out by sabs who were positioned well to ‘rate’ the hounds and move the hunt on.

Out in action today with South Wales Hunt Saboteurs paying a visit to the Cotswold Vale Farmers Hunt who left their meet just after midday with two groups of sabs in tow.

Foot sabs were deployed not far from the meet and stuck to the huntmonitoring their activities. Hounds were ‘rated’ by sabs and pushed back to the huntsman at every opportunity. As the hunt made a bit of distance between themselves and foot sabs, hounds went into full cry and a fox was spotted exiting a covert with hounds not far behind. It managed to get away to safety when hounds lost its scent. 

Sabs covered the path of the fox with citronella spray and split into two groups as the hunt entered a large covert. One group rated the hounds inside the covert whilst the other stayed on the outside to look for escaping foxes. Hounds were seen exiting the covert where the earlier fox had been spotted but they failed to find it’s scent due to the spray on the ground. 

Realising sabs had the area covered, the huntsman gathered up the hounds and took off. We stuck to him like glue and at this point we were joined by a few sabs from Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs who joined us in following the hunt straight back to their meet. After two-and-a-half hours the CVFH were done. Lovely.

Day 3 of the Severn Vale hare hunting festival and the 10th anniversary of the Hunting Act.

Sabs were further north today and so paid a visit to the Dummer Beagles who unusually had a very early start at 8am, a joint meet and the first of two hunts.

Day two of the Severn Vale hare hunting festival saw the sabbing of the De Burgh and North Essex Harehounds, a basset pack. Once sabs were spotted, the hunt legged it from the field and rushed into a barn where hares are known to frequent apparently, and there they stayed for 4 hours until finally giving up.

So it was onto the local Severn Vale Beagles, the host hunt of the festival, who decided to give it another go after yesterday’s poor show. Bolstered by a bunch of young thugs from the Royal Agricultural College (who recently attacked sabs) & the Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt (the meet was at their kennels in the Badminton Estate), the hunt was forced to run between a couple of fields not really achieving anything. The frustrated supporters blocked footpaths and got aggressive assaulting one female sab and knocking her to the ground (see photo). The police turned up and leaped into action to protect our hunted wildlife and prevent any violence by searching one sab and then arresting him for a spray and whip, both of which had not been used. He was released later, we are unsure if he was charged.

Today over fifty sabs attended the opening meet of the Severn Vale Hare hunting festival, originally thought to be a single day event but thanks to Kay Thompson, hunt photographer, who posted about her attendance on her Twitter feed (doh), we realised it is a six day event.

Sabs turned up to realise that this sport, so vaunted by the Countryside Alliance, as growing from strength to strength could only muster less than twenty people. There were over fifty sabs so they were outnumbered two to one. The hunt present was the Wiltshire and Infantry Beagles, and being of a military mind-set like nothing better than to stand firm in the face of adversity and calling on the Churchill/Dunkirk spirit they girded their loins, jumped in their cars and ran away.

Sabs followed and one female hunter tried to block the highway and was politely shuffled off to the side so our vehicles could follow. There then followed a lot of driving around until the hunt went to ground in a Police divisional HQ to hand themselves in (we think). By then we had diverted most of the sabs to the Vale of White Horse Fox Hunt to ruin the end of their day.

Now we know we are in for five more days of hunting we have much organizing to do but will be able to keep our numbers up, the call is out and more sabs will be driving down tonight.  We are confident that this week’s festival is effectively over.

More tomorrow if the hunters dare to show their faces.

Hunt Saboteurs Association press release

 

 

Hunt Saboteurs Association Press Release

Video of incident here

No charges have been brought against huntsman Mark Doggrell for riding down and seriously injuring a hunt saboteur in August last year. The attack happened during an evening cubbing meet of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt. This was also a pony club meet, where the hunt take out youngsters aged from 7 to 14.

Dorset sabs were keen to intervene on this particular meet to prevent children from witnessing some of the most disturbing scenes when young hounds can be seen tearing fox cubs to pieces as they are trained and selected (the young hounds who show no interest in killing are disposed of). It’s believed by many people that this bloody indoctrination is something the hunts are very keen on, to keep hunting going for generations to come.

Two members of Dorset hunt saboteurs were watching the hunt when Doggrell rode at them from behind, throwing the female saboteur up in the air with the force of the blow.  An ambulance was immediately called but was delayed from reaching the casualty by the hunt blocking the road. An air ambulance also attended the scene. The injured saboteur was taken to hospital suffering from seven broken ribs, a collapsed lung and trauma to her shoulder. She remained in hospital for two weeks. The hunt then callously carried on hunting before returning to their kennels for a BBQ.

Mark Doggrell was arrested and investigated for causing grevious bodily harm but now, 5 months later, the CPS have decided not to bring any charges, citing insufficient evidence. Whilst on bail for this attack he was also charged with assault for breaking a fellow hunters nose at their hunt ball.

Lee Moon, spokesperson for the Hunt saboteurs Association, stated: “We are disappointed, but not surprised, that no charges have been brought against Mark Doggrell. Historically the police and criminal justice system have allowed acts of violence on hunt saboteurs to go unpunished whilst the saboteurs themselves are prosecuted seemingly at the whim of the hunts.

Two hunt saboteurs, Mike Hill and Tom Worby, have been killed by hunts and another, Steve Christmas, was seriously injured and spent months in hospital. None of these cases ever came to trial. Hunt saboteurs are routinely arrested and charged with a variety of offenses where no evidence is available other than the word of pro-hunters.

We would like to know why this hunt specifically, and the hunting fraternity as a whole, don’t speak out against such acts of violence and we’d also like to know why hasn’t Mark Doggrell been sacked? Please contact the CPS and ask them to justify their decision so that we can finally see a measure of justice being dished out to the violent hunters.”

Please contact the CPS and the Attorney General as a matter of urgency and tell them you think the decision not to press charges needs to be reviewed.

CPS; victimliason.southwest@cps.gsi.gov.uk
Attorney General; correspondence@attorneygeneral.gsi.gov.uk

The Attorney General can also be reached via twitter @AGO_UK

Please read the official press release here: www.huntsabs.org.uk

Video to accompany press release: