Hit report 6/11/21After a tip off from one of the hunt riders who blurted out last week that they’d be in Mostyn this week, we headed for Tre-Mostn and Mostyn estate. We arrived in Tre-Mostyn at 10am as some of the scoundrels were arriving with their horseboxes. Three police cars were already parked up in the village and a police van and the rural crime teams 4×4 were also in the area. Were the police actually going to do something about illegal hunting? We’ve got to say there has been a massive improvement on policing the hunt this last 12 months or so. There’s also been talks of a more proactive role for the rural crime team who’ve said they’ll follow the smokescreen sorry “trail layers” and watch them lay the trails, unfortunately after seeing the rural crime team at the meet first thing in the morning we didn’t see them again all day and neither did we see the riders they put the green bibs on with the words “Line layers” on them, no sign of them all day! The hunt met at Wern Farm where “farm rides” is situated.
As Pat was selling raffle tickets, first prize a foxes tail and second prize a date with Wilby, we were joined by the police van, who asked us if this is private property, heaven knows how they missed the big green public footpath sign they drove passed. We explained the laws on trespass and how it’s a civil matter and we do have the right to trespass if we suspect a crime is taking place, pointing out to the police that the hunt had terrier men at the meet. The police asked what a terrier man is before agreeing to search the quad! Ten out of ten to the police officers as this is the first time we’ve seen this happen despite fox hunting being illegal for near 17 years. Unfortunately this is where police operations on hunting come undone, you see the police had already told the hunt they’d be out and monitoring the hunt. So surprise surprise today was the first time ever the terrier men hadn’t brought out their terriers or even their spades which they usually claim are for fixing fences. The terrier men told the police they never bring terriers in the box on their quads despite the bedding for the terriers still being in the box, the terrier men explained their role is cutting down branches that are obstructing footpaths etc, something we later comically witnessed as a terrier man cut down a low hanging branch off a tree once all the riders had already passed through that area.With Pats raffle now complete raising a grand total of £8.50 and a I.O.U towards the hunts upkeep the hunt set off via the footpath with hunt thugs trying to obstruct sabs, an offence in itself. It was clear from the off that the police presence had an affect on how the hunt would behave today. The huntsman lead with the hounds along footpaths and bridleways with gield riders closely following behind in single file. All seemed well apart from worrying some cattle as the huntsman attempted his first draw but drew a blank. The hunt then headed onto a road near Trelogan isaf farm and carried on up the lane with all still together and resembling nothing we’ve ever seen by this hunt in the eleven years we’ve been watching them. The huntsman then allowed the hounds into a farm yard to search around some hay bails but again drew a blank. We have previously witnessed actual trail hunts in Cheshire, after the amazing anti hunt groups that operate in that areas relentless pressure had forced the hunts into actually trying to follow trails, but this didn’t resemble that. When hounds do follow an actual trail they make a sound as they follow the scent similar but not quite the same as to when they are following a fox. Now this didn’t happen it was clear to us no trails had been laid, we were there an hour before the hunt had set off and no “trail layers” had been this way, or even been seen today.As the hunt headed up the lane to join another road there was a bit of a stand off with the bin men as riders had blocked the road, the hunt then headed up in to a large woodland known as Ffriddoedd still on a footpath with the huntsman in the lead.
What was also noticeable today was the hunt hadn’t brought out their full pack of hounds with quite a few younger hounds out with them today. As the hunt made their way through the woods in single file along the narrow footpath the huntsman somehow managed to lose his hounds. Now being out of view of the police the huntsman couldn’t resist the urge to try a bit of fox hunting, as the hounds picked up on a scent no attempt was made by huntsman Medcalf to call the hounds back. Sabs who had got blocked on the footpath by riders now exited the woodland into a field to run ahead of the hunt and cut them off, the hounds still on a foxes scent then lost it. As we continued on public footpaths we bumped into members of the public walking the paths who were disgusted as to what was going on, one couple telling us they are local and didn’t realise this way going on. The hunt then crossed the road and headed to Coed Uchaf, another area full of footpaths and a popular walk for people exercising their dogs. The police van from earlier was now parked up on the top road this was first time we’d seen it in 2 hours. In Coed Uchaf the confusion continues as the riders rode in circles not knowing where they are going and heading down dead ends, one rider even telling us they’d seen a lot of us today and we’ll be getting dizzy going in circles. Medcalf was getting annoyed we’ll to be honest they all had faces on them all day but now the huntsman was muttering under his breath about the riders behind to close to him. The hunt finally found the way out of Coed Uchaf and headed down towards Bryn Coch Farm, whilst the huntsman was trying to draw woodlands and the riders still looking confused as to what they are meant to do doing, we witnessed something horrible, the whipper-in furious that his horse didn’t make a jump then called the horse a C### and hit the horse in the head with the hard handle of his whip, we could hear the impact from half way across the field, check out our video. The hunt headed back towards the road, one hound almost getting run over and the huntsman rode back into Mostyn estate via Pennsylvania Lodge before appearing to blow for home at around 2.30pm.
We drove around to where the hound van was parked but the huntsman hadn’t appeared, so we headed back to where we’d last seen him and found him hunting a coppice, some of the hounds had picked up on a scent and the huntsman was doubling on his horn to encourage the hounds to hunt on, we caught up with then next to a hole it would seem the fox may have gone down as it had hound prints all over it. On being rumbled the huntsman gathered his hounds and headed to Plas Ucha Bach farm where some of the horseboxes were parked, it wouldn’t be a hunt day out without Wilby getting told off by Medcalf “STAY ON YOUR HORSE FOR BLOODY ONCE” the huntsman shouted, you could almost feel sorry for Wilby if he wasn’t an animal abuser. The police van was now on the road outside Plas Ucha Bach but the hounds had now picked up on another scent, with the hounds starting to speak and running towards to hedge hunted on by the huntsman right next to the police…. they didn’t even get out their vehicle. The hunt then went into the road causing a traffic build up, one lady winding down the car window to let the hunters know her views, well done to her! The hunt had now crossed the road and into a wooded area near the village. A sab had pointed out to the officers in the police van that he believed the fox had gone that way but didn’t even get a reply, the hounds had spooked the sheep before entering the woods and going into cry, the huntsman seemed to panic and blew his horn but the hounds weren’t that responsive, that’s part of the problem when you bring out a pack that’s not trained to hunt because you know the police would be watching….. when he finally rounded up his hounds he headed back to the van at around 3.30pmMassive thanks to everyone who helped us reach our target to buy a new sab vehicle, we’ve kept that fundraising link open whilst we search for a suitable vehicle. We’ll post the link in the comments.
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