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Mink hunting has its roots in the ancient summer bloodsport of otter hunting. In 1978, the otter was granted protected legal status, despite the best efforts of the hunting lobby.
Several otterhound packs folded, but the others suddenly claimed they would start hunting the American mink. This species has become well established on Britain’s waterways since escaping from ramshackle fur farms in the 1930s and ‘40s.
Initially, the move to mink hunting was simply a tactic to preserve otter hunt infrastructure but the idea caught on, and several new packs were established from scratch. By the 1980s there were about 18 of these hunts operating on Britain’s waterways.
Of course, this improbable overnight conversion to hunting mink foreshadowed the ridiculous claim that hundreds of fox and hare hunts suddenly converted to ‘trail hunting’ following the Hunting Act 2004.
The hounds are taken on foot to a river or stream and encouraged to search the undergrowth for the scent of a mink. When the hounds find a scent, they pursue the mink across land and water. If the mink seeks refuge in a burrow, it will be dug out or bolted by terriers and forced to run on; if it climbs a tree, it will be dislodged by the hunters – some hunters openly carry an extendable pole for this very purpose!
Many so-called mink hunts also target otters. In fact, the riverbank hunters have their own slang for the two different animals – mink are known as ‘the black’, otters are ‘the ‘brown’. In 2019, sabs filmed the Devon-based Culmstock Mink Hounds rousing an otter and were attacked when they bravely intervened to save the animal. The now defunct Eastern Counties Mink Hounds also targeted otters, with even some of their own supporters objecting to this practice. Beavers are also well established on some waterways and recent national reintroduction plans for this mammal provide yet another compelling reason to finally get rid of the riverside hunters.
Regardless of the quarry, this form of hunting is a cruel, sordid business that causes huge damage to sensitive riparian environments.
Hunting mink or otters with hounds is of course illegal, but this doesn’t stop them. As with all forms of hunting, the hunters come up with truly ridiculous excuses to provide a smokescreen for their activities. Mink hunting’s so-called governing body, the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) is currently trying to promote the laughable idea that mink hunts simply conduct “riverbank surveys” on our waterways. Yea,
right!
But that’s not all…when sabs caught members of the now-defunct Northamptonshire Minkhounds systematically beating an area of riverbank undergrowth, they explained that they had turned out with a pack of hounds to “deal with thistles”. On another occasion, the huntsman of the Three Counties Mink Hunt claimed he was hunting “rabbits” as he waded waist-deep through a swollen river, while the terrier man of the Northern Counties Minkhounds told sabs he was only carrying a massive spade in case he “needed the toilet.” You really couldn’t make it up.
Mink hunts are among the most secretive of all hunts. As the season get underway, we are appealing for information on these illegal groups – where and when they will be meeting, personnel involved etc. No piece of information is too small to be of interest and we treat all sources with 100% confidentiality.
Please contact our tip-off line on 07443 148 426 – thank you!
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