Seconds From Death: Sabs Save Fox at Illegal Cub Hunt

On Wednesday 2nd October 2024, with Mendip and Somerset Sabs attended a meet of the Weston & Banwell Harriers with West Somerset Vale Hunt near East Huntspill.

After hunting a maize field, the hunt moved on to a patch of brambles and scrub next to Straight Drove and Cripps River. Whilst members of Somerset Sabs filmed from the ground, the Mendip drone unit launched the drone to observe the hunt from above.

What sabs witnessed was unequivocally illegal fox cub hunting, and completely blows any pretence of the charade of trail hunting out of the water.

For over 15 minutes, members of the hunt surrounded the brambles and scrub as hounds were sent in. A fox was seen trying to escape several times, running in and out of cover as hounds gave chase. Members of the hunt, including the huntsman, clearly saw and reacted to the fox several times, yet none tried to stop the hounds at any point. In classic cubbing style, a foot follower ran towards the fox – in cub hunting, this is done to turn the fox back towards the hounds.

The fox was terrifyingly close to the hounds on multiple occasions as the hunt watched on. As the fox made a final attempt to escape, in full view of the huntsman and field riders, the fox was grabbed and bowled over by one of the hounds as others closed in. Somehow – miraculously – the fox managed to break free and ran through a hedge into the next field. Hounds followed the fox’s line through the hedge, and still the huntsman did not try to stop them.

The fox ran past a member of Somerset Sabs on Straight Drove, who managed to temporarily stop the hounds from following using voice commands. No attempt was made by any of the hunt to stop the hounds before this point. Hounds picked up on the fox’s line further along the drove, but we believe the fox managed to escape to ground in nearby badger holes and the pack were eventually gathered and taken away.

This episode of illegal fox hunting is not an isolated incident. Mendip sabs have seen the WBHWSV hunt kill foxes several times, most recently in January when we recovered the remains of a fox after witnessing their hounds tear it to pieces. Hunts in Somerset and across the country continue to flout the ban and hunt foxes now just as they did before it became illegal twenty years ago.

A Mendip Hunt Saboteurs Spokesperson added:

“Although the fox escaped at the time, we do not know the extent of any injuries they suffered from any bite wounds or the effect of stress and shock from the chase. What this footage shows is that foxes continue to suffer in relentless pursuits as hunts arrogantly flout the ban twenty years on. The law is clearly not fit for purpose.”

Please support the brave hunt saboteurs who obtained this footage:

https://www.facebook.com/mendiphuntsabs
https://www.facebook.com/SomersetSabs