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Dumb and Dummer: West Mids Hunt Sabs film illegal hare hunting

When West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs arrived at a Dummer Beagles meet in Great Wolford, Warwickshire, they launched their drone to assist the foot team in locating the hunt.

However, not realising the drone was above them, the Dummer Beagles carried on hunting with huntsman Stephen Duckmanton casting the beagles out across a field in the hope of finding the scent of a hare. It wasn’t long before a hare was put up. In the footage A hare waits until the last second before quickly putting a field between itself and the chasing pack of beagles.

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Grouse moors in England – let’s take them back!

The HSA fights on many fronts and, while we have been focussing on hunt opening meets in recent weeks, we don’t forget the injustices taking place elsewhere. With this in mind, moorland campaigner and author Bob Berzins considers the parlous state of Britain’s uplands – and how we got here. 

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Sett-sniffing Wynnstay Terrierman Convicted of Badger Offences!

On Monday 11th November, Ryan Brennan – terrierman at the Wrexham-based Sir Watkins Williams-Wynn (aka Wynnstay) Hunt – pleaded guilty to interfering with a badger sett. The offences, which took place in January of this year, were captured in a covert surveillance operation.

Kidderminster Magistrates Court branded Brennan’s offences as “serious” and handed him a 10-week prison sentence (suspended for 12 months), a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. Brennan must also complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months.

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Wynners and losers: Leading Fox Hunt caught out again

Another week, and yet another video showing the Wynnstay Hunt engaged in illegal fox hunting. This latest covert footage shows the previously convicted hunt preventing a fox going to ground in a badger sett and scaring her back towards their pack of hounds.

The video, taken on 5 th November near Wrexham, features the hunt’s employed terrierman Ryan Brennan – currently under investigation for causing a dog to enter a badger sett – and Alistair Johnson, a regular lackey for the Wynnstay.

The badger sett is on a public footpath in woodland known to be frequented by foxes. Normally, the hunt block up this particular badger sett with spades – a practice they have been found guilty of in the past.

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Dwindling support, rising convictions and illegal hunting: a new sab group in Somerset gets stuck in

Somerset Hunt Sabs report…

A bit of backstory: Wednesday 8th January 2020 – just before Covid brought the country to a halt – a village hall on the Quantocks hosted an open meeting to discuss the fate of the struggling West Somerset Vale Hunt. The decision was made to merge with the Weston & Banwell Harriers “for preservation of hunting in this area”.

Fast-forward to September 2022 and Steve Burton is trotted out as the new huntsman for the merged and catchily-titled Weston & Banwell Harriers/West Somerset Vale (WBHWSV). But this year a group of dedicated locals has also entered the scene. Most of us had spent a decade opposing the badger cull and we are now determined to confront illegal foxhunting too.

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“Hunting Will Be Judged on the Standards It Upholds”

With most fox hunts having held their opening meets last Saturday, the HSA is today releasing further footage showing the cruel and illegal practice of ‘bolting’ taken by one of the hunters themselves.

As the video opens, a gang of hunters are using a spade, and perhaps terriers, to dislodge a fox from his underground refuge. As soon as the terrified fox bolts downhill, he is pursued by a large pack of baying fell hounds. Hunt supporters – eager to get a view of the fox’s suffering – can be seen scattered across the distant fellside.

While we do not know the fate of this fox, this form of bolting is designed to keep the hounds ‘in blood’ by all but guaranteeing a kill.

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Paul Watson – ‘Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied!’

The Hunt Saboteurs Association is once again urging its supporters to take action in support of Captain Paul Watson. Paul’s detention was extended by a further three weeks by a Danish court on October 23rd , putting his next hearing back until November 13th.

Captain Paul Watson will need very little introduction to supporters of the Hunt Saboteurs Association. Indeed, there has always been a close affinity between hunt sabs and Sea Shepherd/CPWF (Captain Paul Watson Foundation), with many sabs having crewed on Sea Shepherd/CPWF vessels over the years.

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Bolted and Hunted: The Truth Behind Trail Hunting

With many hunts having their opening meets last Saturday and the remainder due to meet this coming November 2 nd , the HSA is today releasing the second of three videos – filmed by hunters – showing the cruel and illegal practice of ‘bolting.’

The video opens with a group of hunters and hounds gathered on a distant hillside. At least one hunt terrierman can be seen banging a stick or spade on the ground – a common technique for frightening a fox into bolting from their underground refuge.

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Gone for a Burton: Yet Another Huntsman Found Guilty!

Yesterday, Monday 28th October, Neil Burton the huntsman for the Burton Hunt returned to Lincoln Magistrates Court charged under section 1 of the Hunting Act 2004.

The charges related to an incident that occurred on Riseholme Lane, very close to the hunts’ kennels on January 27 th 2024, where Lincoln Hunt Sabs observed and filmed Neil intentionally encourage his hounds to hunt a fox.

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Seavington hunt kill a fox

Notorious Fox Hunt Kills At Opening Meet

Two Counties Hunt Sabs have captured horrifying footage of a fox kill at the opening meet of the notorious Devon-based Seavington Hunt.

While sabs were too far away to directly intervene, they managed to film the hunted fox being brought down by the lead hounds in full view of huntsman Duncan Cinnamond. Far from intervening to stop this crime, Cinnamond blows three short, sharp blasts on his horn to encourage the remaining hounds to join the attack.

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