The HSA is today releasing a compilation video that demonstrates an irrefutable pattern of illegal fox hunting by the Dartmoor Hunt. The video comprises two separate incidents filmed by local hunt sabs and a third filmed by a member of the public whose New Year’s Eve walk was ruined by the horrifying spectacle of a fox being ripped to pieces
In the first piece of footage, from March 2025, Plymouth & West Devon Saboteurs Hunt Sabs arrive as the masked-up terrier crew of the Dartmoor Hunt are preparing to dig out a fox that has been run to ground in a remote, shallow declivity. Preparations are well underway as sabs arrive on the scene: the terrier crew have already staked out several cruel purse nets – which are designed to tighten around the animal that is trapped in them – over entrances to the foxes’ underground refuge. Additionally, shovels, digging T-bars and a terrier have been brought from the quad bike.
With sab cameras trained on them, the terrier crew have no choice but to abandon their illegal dig-out, remove their nets and retreat.
Sabs were then rewarded with the inspirational sight of the fox fleeing up the valley!
In the second piece of footage, Devon County Sabs filmed the Dartmoor Hunt hounds tearing a fox apart in if full view of the hunt staff and dozens of hunt riders. In order to remove the evidence of their criminality, a rider dismounts and removes the foxes and stuffs it into their jacket, though they leave blood, fur and even a length of intestine strewn across the ground.
In the final piece of footage, a brave member of the public – who wishes to remain anonymous – captured mobile phone footage of the Dartmoor Hunt hounds chasing and killing a fox as they desperately sought refuge in some rocky ground. A member of the hunt can then be seen running over to where the hounds are still ripping apart the fox’s body, as other members of the hunt look on. In what appears to be well-practiced routine, he removes his red huntsman’s coat and wraps the fox’s body in it and takes it to a waiting quad bike.
The person who captured the footage commented,
“Whilst out for a walk on New Year’s Eve, I had the misfortune to get caught up in a fox hunt. I watched Dartmoor Hunt chase a fox with a pack of hounds for over an hour. They were not following a laid scent, and they did not stumble upon the fox. They were actively seeking out and encouraging their hounds to chase a live fox.
I continued my walk up West Glaze Brook and the hounds happened to chase the fox directly towards me, finally catching up with it around 10 metres of my position, it tried to go to ground but the hounds caught it and ripped it to pieces in front of me.
The huntsmen and a field of riders watched on as the dogs had their fill, a huntsman told the dogs to leave the carcass, but it was an empty gesture.
They asked me to stop filming.
A huntsman retrieved the carcass, wrapping it in his red jacket, and taking it to a waiting quad bike amongst the onlooking riders. Having satisfied their blood lust, the field moved on over the hill towards Piles Copse. This is the reality of “trail hunting” they continue to hunt as they always have, with no regard for law.”
A local hunt sab who was present at the first two incidents added,
“It’s striking for a hunt that is so elusive and operates in remote areas that these three separate incidents have been witnessed on the few occasions people have been present to see them. None of these incidents can be dismissed as isolated one-offs. There’s clearly a pattern of hounds chasing and killing foxes, hunt staff trying to cover up the evidence, and the active involvement of terriermen gives the lie to the idea that this is so-called ‘trail-hunting’.”
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