“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.

In a recent blog marking the anniversary of the Hunting Act, Tim Bonner, CEO of the pro-bloodsports Countryside Alliance stated that:

“Hunting is now staring death in the face and will be judged on the standards it upholds.”

For once, we agree with Tim. This disgusting video tells us a great deal about the ‘standards’ kept by hunters when they think they are safe in their own company. It is further compelling evidence that the government must act immediately on its commitment to ban the smokescreen of trail hunting.

The Hunt Saboteurs Association is grateful to the sources who provided this video and others we have recently shared. We are aware that similar content is in constant circulation on sick hunting WhatsApp groups and urge anyone in possession of such material to send it to us. The HSA receives intelligence from within hunting on a daily basis and we guarantee 100% confidentiality to all sources – no matter what side of the hunting fence you sit on.

Please send any footage to info@huntsabs.org.uk or for larger files, consider the secure file transfer site Wetransfer.

Thank you for supporting the Hunt Saboteurs Association.