On the day that hunters gather around the country to promote the smokescreen of ‘trail hunting’, the HSA has been passed a ground-breaking, year-long investigation into a single artificial earth used by the Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (Wynnstay) Hunt.
The brave vixen.While the seasons and the beauty of nature change throughout the investigation, one thing remains constant – repeated, violent assaults on the foxes and badgers who use the Wynnstay’s purpose-built artificial earth.
In March 2024, investigators installed cameras on a known artificial earth in Wynnstay country. It wasn’t long before hunt terrierman and serial sett-sniffer Ryan Brennan and whipper-in Hartley Crouch visit to do some coppicing to create a favourable habitat to harbour foxes.
Crouch returns a month later, this time with hunt lackey and terrierman Ali Johnson. Johnson stands “on point” whilst Crouch puts his terrier into the earth in an attempt to flush out any foxes. Crouch uses a terrier locator device – visible as a small red box in the video – to follow his terrier below ground. Their intentions are not clear, but it appears Crouch is testing out his terrier.
Crouch sniffs the artificial earth to detect the presence of foxes.A few days later, investigators find piles of dead chickens in the wood that Brennan and Crouch had been in, which is a mere 20 metres from one of the artificial earth entrances. This was to be the first of four occasions where investigators found carcass dumps: a clear attempt to encourage the resident foxes to remain in the area in order that they may be hunted.
As we move into the winter and the start of the hunting season things start to intensify. Crouch and Brennan are at it again. This time they are seen driving off-road to dump game birds for the foxes to feed upon. They can be seen in a vehicle associated with the Wynnstay Hunt and they inspect the earth. Also, two people are seen near the earth with working dogs associated with badger baiting.
Crouch on his way to dump game birds in a hunt vehicle.In January 2025 – with the foxhunting season now in full swing – huntsman Bailey and whipper-in Crouch draw hounds through the wood and a fox that frequents the earth is seen fleeing in advance of the hounds. Fortunately, the hounds fail to pick up on this fox.
It is not until mid-2025 when investigators next see someone visit the artificial earth. This time it is in the dead of night by a suspicious male with two dogs again associated with badger baiting. This is an extremely worrying development as the year-long footage shows the earth to be frequented by badgers as well as foxes.
The artificial earth is frequented by badgers…
…and badger baiters.The resident fox – despite being constantly harassed at the earth and later hunted by the Wynnstay – survives multiple attempts on her life.
She is later found dead on the busy A road nearby.
This investigation is the heart-breaking story of just one artificial earth, at one hunt over one year. It is a story that is repeated in countless remote woodlands up and down the country, as fox hunts continue to rear foxes to be hunted by their hounds.
Fox hunting continues – trail hunting is a lie.
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