It’s hard to believe that it was only the 23rd of September that we published an article with updates of what had happened during the hunting season so far, when so much has happened since then. Below we take a look at what has happened in the last few weeks of September.
Plymouth and West Devon Hunt Sabs announced that the Dartmoor Hunt have been issued with a Community Protection Warning (CPW). This follows on from continual complaints about anti-social behaviour, out of control hounds and trespass by the hunt.
In January 2026 the HSA released a compilation video of the hunt, comprising of two separate incidents filmed by sabs and a third filmed by a member of the public. The incidents included terrier men preparing to dig out a fox, hounds tearing a fox apart and finally the horrifying site of hounds chasing a fox and killing it in front of a member of the public. Let’s hope this CPW is actually enforced as it should be, and the hunt is held to account for their despicable actions.
The Warwickshire Hunt, who were previously issued a Community Protection Notice (CPN), only to have it controversially removed by Warwickshire Police, are continuing to terrorise local residents. On Thursday the 24th of September West Midlands Hunt sabs released a video of hounds rampaging across land they have consistently been told they’re not allowed on. The landowner, who filmed the incident, can be heard shouting “oh god” and she is clearly in distress.
With mink hunts becoming more and more elusive as their numbers dwindle and they try to conceal their illegal activity it was welcome news that Suffolk and Essex Hunt Sabs reported that they’d caught the Eastern Counties Mink Hunt on the 26th of September, thanks to a tip off.
Not long after arriving at the scene a mink was shot by a member of the hunt who then proceeded to try and stuff the dead animal in his hat in an attempt to try and prevent sabs from seeing it. Support were unhappy at this turn of events as they exclaimed sabs had ruined their “entertainment” because they hadn’t witnessed the mink being killed.
The last week of September saw the opening meet of the Quantock Staghounds Autumn stag hunting season. The hunt met with less than 20 riders, hidden away on Fire Beacon Hill.
Unfortunately, a stag was selected and killed, but not before he was forced to endure being hunted down into Paradise Combe. Mendip Hunt Sabs reported that the hunt has begun behaving in an unusual manner, trying their best to conceal their sadistic activity. Quad riders confirmed the kill but tried to use the excuse that the stag, who had only that day been forced to participate in a drawn-out chase, was killed because he was lame.
Even more disturbing reports have emerged from the south west as on the 26th of September the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, not content with killing one, killed two majestic stags. Both stags were forced to endure a chase and we can only imagine the terror and pain they suffered. There have also been reports that some hunt followers were appalled at this behaviour, complaining that such magnificent animals were targeted.
On the 30th of September, while sabbing the Beaufort Hunt with Bristol Hunt Sabs, Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch came across another illegal hunt operating in the area, the RAC Beagles. The student run pack are from the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester and like all beagle packs, profess to be hunting rabbits.
As we’ve seen recently with the conviction of Phillip Kennedy, the Stowe School Games Coach, these packs are a way to indoctrinate youngsters into the organised crime world that is hunting. The Stowe Beagles pack housed at the aforementioned school, have come under the spotlight recently when the HSA released the footage that led to Phillip’s conviction and took a deep dive into the world of school beagle packs.
On the 26th of September Nottingham Hunt Sabs reported of a sickening incident involving one of the South Notts Hunt hounds.
As hounds were encouraged to hunt in scrub right next to a road, some spilled out into the traffic. The result was that one hound was hit by a car and dragged beneath it until the driver could stop. As is always the case in these incidents members of the public are affected and the driver of the vehicle was understandably horrified. The hound ran off in agony and was unable to be located, with the hunt admitting that they were unable to find the hound as they were packing up.
Unfortunately, the fate of this hound is unknown, but later in the day the hunt went onto parade their hounds at the Southwell Ploughing Match and Show, no doubt keeping the earlier incident under wraps.
As well as all of this happening in the field, the HSA have been busy reporting on the battles taking place off the field.
Three members of the Mendip Farmers Hunt have pleaded not guilty to hunting a wild mammal with dogs, following on from an incident that took place on the 26th of January 2026. The hunt was caught on a drone operated by Mendip Hunt Sabs chasing and killing a fox just behind the kennels in Priddy, Somerset. They are due to face trial on the 15th of September 2027.
A case that did go to trial in September this year and resulted in a conviction was that of the Eggesford Hunt huntsman Jason Marles. Once again drone footage was key in securing this conviction and it was thanks to the work of Devon County Hunt Sabs that Marles was made to answer for his crime.
This particular incident took place on Boxing Day 2025, as a fox was bolted from rubble, pursued by hounds and then miraculously escaped. Marles pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay £785.
Amidst all of the above, sab groups all over the country continue to report on foxes running for their lives from hunts, as cub hunting season continues to bring terror to the countryside.
The fox pictured above was one of many that has been witnessed fleeing the bin bag Beaufort Hunt this season. Their blatant fox hunting continues, despite them being embroiled in an illegal hunting case, demonstrating their arrogance and disdain for the law.
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