Today, with a landy fully laden with sabs we decided to go and see what Evil Shirley was up to and the long and short of it is …. still chasing foxes.
Leaving the meet around 11am Evil took the hounds to Pigeon House Farm and cast the hounds repeatedly in the various hedgerows and fields. The line of a fox was picked up and this eventually took the hounds in the direction of the sewage works, a foot team was in the area and were able to ensure the hounds left empty mouthed ! Evil gathered his hounds, crossed the road and went down Scotchey Lane and in the direction of Old Acres Farm. From here they headed south, eventually ending up at Hayes Coppice where sabs were waiting for them and had carried out some work to make the foxes in this area safer. Sabs had a quick chat with a farmer who was out checking on his cows, he said he did not want them running around. We often wonder just how many of the farmers realise just how much the hunt disturb their livestock …. we suspect most of them just don’t care and allowing the hunt to chase any foxes around their land takes precedence over their livestock’s welfare ??
Foot sabs were soon approached by one of the Portman riders who was rather upset that we were hanging around Hayes Coppice and was desperately trying to get us to move on. Little did he know that this area has already been made safe and there was little chance of the hounds picking up on the somewhat pungent smell of any unsuspecting foxes residing in this copse. Our eye in the sky team decided to have a check from above and make sure that all was well as foot sabs left the area. It is safe to say that the hunt were rather upset by being watched from above and after a few choice words Evil gathered the hounds and finally left this area. As foot sabs were making their way back to the Landy a lone hound was running down the road in the opposite direction from the hunt and we estimate had been alone for at least ten minutes. The hound headed across the field and towards Hayes Farm where we hope the riders that were boxing up would have made it safe …. well from the roads anyway !!
The hunt had earlier exited at Hayes Farm and headed south along the road towards Hayters Farm causing, as per usual, total and utter chaos on the road. We caught back up with them at Toogoods Farm and the hounds were searching hedgerows in the area. Next on their murdering spree agenda was Ashley Plantation, and the hunt support were eagerly gathered on Quarry Hill hoping for some bloody action. A foot team went in the the footpath on Quarry Hill and the terrier boys were waiting on the northern edge of Ashley Plantation where the footpath runs along. There were plenty of hunt support up on Great Down Lane which was just a field away eagerly waiting for a kill. The foot team continued past the terrier boys and waited at the boundary of the next field with a sab filming from standing on the stile allowing him a great view of the field and hounds around the top edge of Ashley Plantation. Suddenly a fox broke through the hedge, right beside the sabs, and fled for its life towards Great Down Lane and we caught this on camcorder and go pro. Foot sabs sprang into action and gave the area a good soaking before making their way up to Great North Road for a pick up – fox saved !
From Ashley Plantation the hunt headed towards Ashley Farm and picked up on a line of another fox north of the farm which made its escape through a field beside the driveway of Ashley Farm. Monitors were there and having seen the fox cross then witnessed the hounds picking up on this foxes scent and told Evil his hounds were on the line of a fox and he pulled them off. We arrived just in time to soak the area with citronella making this fox safe much to the utter dismay of hunt support – another fox saved !!
After a rather desperate attempt to pick up on a fox on their way back to the meet with riders and quads all over the show, sadly, for Evil and his supporters this wasn’t to be and they were seen safely back to the hound van !
Today we worked with various other monitors including Wildlife Witness, we all worked really well together making it a very successful day !