The season so far.
The stag hunting season has only been underway for just over a month and already stags in the Southwest of England have been subjected to abhorrent levels of cruelty and pain by the stag hound packs, who, for over twenty years have hidden behind loopholes such as ‘Research & Observation’.
Since the Devon & Somerset Staghounds official opening meet on the 30th August multiple stags have been terrorised and killed. A common tactic by stag hunt supporters is to use their vehicles to block roads, preventing stags from seeking respite or escaping, and the 30th August was no different, as followers prevented a group of stags from crossing the B2332 in Ashcombe and again at Simonsbath. Despite fifty car followers being present, it was clear that support for this barbaric hunt is dwindling with a noticeable decrease in both riders and car followers for their opening meet. Thankfully on this day a combination of poor weather, sab pressure and another stag from the herd creating a diversion, meant that the hunts chosen stag escaped on this occasion.
Prior to this, during their early Autumn stag hunting on the 26th August, a sickening and barbaric kill took place. After meeting at Woolhanger, they chased a stag who was brought to bay around Prayway Head. It was at this point that hounds were encouraged to attack the terrified stag, biting and tearing at his flesh as he desperately fought to survive, kicking hounds away. For over ten minutes the fight continued in the water as the hounds dragged the traumatised stag down over and over again. It has been reported that the attack was so savage and barbaric that even hunt supporters were distressed at what they witnessed. After the hunt had subjected this stag to terror and pain for their amusement, they finally ended his nightmare by killing him.
They continued their reign of terror when, on the 11th September, another stag was killed after the hunt had met on National Trust land at Comer’s Gate, Winsford Hill. The hunt’s chosen stag was hounded each time he sought solace in dense vegetation and was finally pushed towards Kemps where he was killed before being carted away to be carved up.
On the 13th September after losing the stags they had initially intended to torture, the hunt turned their sights to a terrified stag whose antlers were still in the growth phase, covered by a soft hairy skin called velvet. Hounds were set on the large herd he belonged to causing fear and distress. In a desperate attempt to escape, this stag ran down to the Exmoor Foxhounds kennels, where their hounds tried to get to him over a wall. As he attempted to conceal himself in the undergrowth the gunman entered but in one final break for freedom the stag fled, being subjected to a further chase before being brought to bay in Simonsbath where he was killed.
It was, thankfully, a very different story on the 16th and 20th of September as sabs report of no kills on these days. A combination of outstanding sab work, inclement weather and no doubt the building pressure on this hunt, means that their support is dwindling and the stags chosen to be tormented on these days, escaped.
Unfortunately, it’s not only the Devon & Somerset Staghounds who have been even more depraved than usual. On the 18th August, the Quantock Staghounds subjected a stag with one antler to unimaginable terror as they chased him relentlessly for over five hours. The Hunting Act 2004 states that only two hounds can be used at any one time when hunting deer. However, on this occasion sabs from Mendip Hunt Sabs and North Dorset Hunt Sabs, witnessed at least three hounds running around Sheppard’s Combe. The targeted stag was terrified, exhausted and excessively panting but thanks to greatly co-ordinated teamwork between sabs, monitors from Wildlife Guardian and locals, this stag managed to evade a violent death, however there is no way of knowing what long-term effects this kind of chase will have had on the stag.
Sadly, the chosen stag that was hunted on the 4th September wasn’t able to escape the Quantock Staghounds. After forcing him to endure a terrifying chase they recklessly shot him in the head, shattering his skull and leaving one of his antlers hanging on by a thread. Even in the stags’ final moments these depraved hunters inflicted even more terror and pain.
It was a different story on the 8th September where the disintegrating numbers of supporters could be heard saying it was like “watching paint dry.” Thankfully on this occasion the hunted stag managed to evade their bloodthirsty grasps as he had run over Beacon Hill towards Forestry England Deer Park and National Trust Weacombe Combe. A feeble attempt at relocating him failed but their mindless bloodlust saw them subjecting their horses to hail and lightning, before they decided to call it a day at 2:30pm.
Since the Hunting Act 2004 was introduced, stag hound packs have been claiming that what they are doing is for ‘Research and Observation ‘or to dispatch a sick or injured stag, sometimes citing bovine TB as an excuse. There are so many flaws to these exemptions, such as the fact that a sick or injured stag could not run for five hours whilst being chased by hounds, why do they continue to carve up the stag and distribute his organs if he has bTB and where is all of the data they are supposedly collecting for their research and observation? All questions that dispel the lies they are dressing their cruelty up in.
It is clear that support for these stag hound packs is disintegrating as sabs continue to expose their bloodlust, field riders and car supporter numbers are dwindling. Already this season there have been abhorrent levels of cruelty inflicted upon stags and unless a full ban is enforced then this cruelty will continue.
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