HSA News

In just 24 hours the North Cotswold Hunt will be presenting itself as shining example of a ‘trail hunting’ pack as it hosts of one of seven gatherings across the country for National Trail Hunting Day – an event dubbed Farcical Friday by the HSA.

How the Atherstone Hunt became history and how West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs made it happen.

On the 24th of September 2025 the Atherstone Hunt was officially consigned to the history books, almost six years after they disbanded and ceased hunting. A hard-fought campaign by West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs that spanned over six years, saw a demise in hunt support and due to a persistent sab presence, the hunt ultimately had no other option than to concede defeat.

Yesterday,  Monday 28th September, HSA representatives attended the Labour Party conference in Liverpool (well, we were outside actually, as it’s very expensive to set up inside and we don’t want to misuse our supporter’s donations!), to show MPs and Labour Party attendees the depth of feeling around strengthening the Hunting Act.

The season so far.

The stag hunting season has only been underway for just over a month and already stags in the Southwest of England have been subjected to abhorrent levels of cruelty and pain by the stag hound packs, who, for over twenty years have hidden behind loopholes such as ‘Research & Observation’.

Since the Devon & Somerset Staghounds official opening meet on the 30th August multiple stags have been terrorised and killed. A common tactic by stag hunt supporters is to use their vehicles to block roads, preventing stags from seeking respite or escaping, and the 30th August was no different, as followers prevented a group of stags from crossing the B2332 in Ashcombe and again at Simonsbath. Despite fifty car followers being present, it was clear that support for this barbaric hunt is dwindling with a noticeable decrease in both riders and car followers for their opening meet. Thankfully on this day a combination of poor weather, sab pressure and another stag from the herd creating a diversion, meant that the hunts chosen stag escaped on this occasion.

On Saturday (6th September) hunt sabs shut down the Three Counties Mink Hounds in Warwickshire.

Sabs from the Nottingham, Severn Vale, Three Counties and West Midlands groups mobilised after receiving intel that the hunt would be meeting at Whitehouse Farm, Aston Cantlow in Warwickshire – the home of former hunt master, Mark Allen.

The hunt was stopped in their tracks less than half an hour after they started, moving south along the River Alne.

Our annual campaign to disrupt the high-profile ‘Glorious 12th’ – the opening day of the gamebird shooting season – every August targeting the grouse moors