© 2025 Hunt Saboteurs Association
Yesterday morning, Mendip and North Dorset Hunt Sabs tried to stop the Quantock Stag Hounds from killing a magnificent stag at the start of the new hunting season.
The stag was chased from the lowlands of Weacombe up onto the hills, crossing the steep slopes of several combes with hunt and hounds in pitiless pursuit.
The stag became visibly tired and disoriented near Den’s Combe, panting as he walked backwards and forwards through gorse, not knowing where to go to escape. Leering hunt followers who lined the hills relayed the stag’s location as he collapsed with exhaustion, unable to continue any further.
Sabs bravely ran towards the gunman to try to intervene as he approached the stag but could not get close enough before the shot rang out. The stag was then stabbed in the neck, sending a torrent of blood pouring onto the gorse. Then, as the stag’s body was dragged onto a quad bike, shame-faced hunters tried unsuccessfully to block the view of sab cameras.
The Quantock Stag Hounds claim that this outrage – which will be repeated week-in, week-out until April – is legal because it constitutes ‘research and observation’ under the terms of a loophole in the Hunting Act. This ludicrous claim is just one reason that the Labour government must immediately strengthen the Hunting Act. Until that time, hunt sabs will stop the cruelty and killing whenever they can.
Please support Mendip Hunt Sabs by donating:
www.ko-fi.com/MendipHuntSabs or www.PayPal.me/MendipHuntSabs.
and North Dorset Sabs at www.paypal.com.
Thank you.
We are the only organisation that works directly in the field to save wildlife through direct action.