Illegal Mink Hunt Sent Packing

Gabrielle’s Manor near Edenbridge has long been a place of interest for Hunt Saboteurs. It is a meet for the Old Surrey and Burstow and it used to
be a major pheasant shooting estate. It is now home to a fishery and there were rumours of duck shooting and mink hunts on the site.

A team from Croydon sabs decided to have a gentle stroll through the grounds yesterday, Saturday 22nd August. Whilst enjoying watching a large number of horses and foals grazing in a field, the vigilant sabs spotted a group of people and dogs on a nearby riverbank.

The sabs crossed the field and reached the river downstream from the group. They were immediately approached by a man carrying a mink hunting staff. With their suspicions now fully aroused, the sabs approached the main group and saw the hounds on the opposite bank. As the sabs crossed the river, the huntsman decided his day was up and turned back towards his hound van with the sabs in pursuit. One elderly hunter thought it would be a good idea to push one of the sabs, at which point the sabs phoned the police.

The hounds were quickly boxed up and driven away with the sabs trying to follow on foot. As the sabs reached the road, the police arrived and
stopped the main convoy of hunt vehicles. All of the hunters present had their details taken by the police, who also informed the wildlife officers in all three adjacent counties that illegal hunting might be taking place.