fox hunting

[the biker]

 Can anyone tell me what they get out of this cruel sport?

[Philtaz]

They get a chance to show their opulence and wealth whilst reminding the underclasses of their status.  I'd like to see a fox hunter chased to exhaustion and then cower in fear before being ripped to pieces by 30 baying dogs, but hope springs eternal.

As for the argument that it is the only way to keep fox numbers down that is a complete lie.

It's a predominantly rural area where I live yet I've still to hear about the untold damage, destruction and carnage caused by foxes.  It just doesn't happen, it's a myth created by fox hunters in order to continue to ride rough shod of the feelings of the general public. 

[kazza]

I'm an animal lover and training to become a vet nurse and i also fox hunt. my horse truly loves galloping across usually forbidden paddocks and believe me im not rich!i live in Victoria Australia and last year we lost nearly half of our lambs to foxes because they were eating them as the ewes were giving birth so maybe if you took off your rose coloured glasses you'd see the truth not just what you want to see.the majority of the foxes caught are old or sick anyway and id rather have a fox killed swiftly by a dog than suffering after being poisoned or not being shot cleanly.

[andy hughes]

The pleasure of hunting is a social day out, the thrill of a chase, and the occasioanl (very occasional) satisfaction of a verminous animal killed. Why fox hunt supporters are so mealy-mouthed with all this guff about containing the fox population is a mystery. The hunters enjoy the hunt, it's as simple as that, and the prospect of a kill is incidental, and in relative terms, quite rare. In fact, if the purpose of a hunt is to kill a fox, it is woefully ineficcient, but it's not the kill, it's the chase that is the purpose.

[FP]

Well said Philtaz and AndyHughes. 

I just must add that I have no respect whatsoever for anybody that takes places in or watches this evil 'sport?'

 

If they want to keep the 'country traditions' then let's bring back all the old traditions and practices from the dark ages!  Perhaps a few of the hunt people could then enjoy being put in stocks and having rotten tomatoes thrown at them, or participating in witch hunts!

 

 

 

 

[archbishop]

No comment.

[FP]

Sorry Archbishop!

[RogerK]

'Opulence and wealth' tends to vary from hunt to hunt. In areas such as Berkshire there will probably be a majority of fairly wealthy folk out hunting. In areas like Devon and Cornwall and remote parts of Wales you'll see all sorts taking part. Where I live in Cornwall I know of a fisherman, a hospital cleaner, a hospital receptionist, a classroom assistant, a checkout assistant and several agrucultural labourers who all take part alongside the more stereotypical solicitors, farmers etc. There's no social boundaries they just all enjoy the opportunity to ride their horses over areas of land otherwise out of bounds to them. The only people who really care about the destruction of a fox at the end of it are the huntsman and his staff. You could hire a horse for the day and go out with a local hunt for the same price as going to see your favourite premiership team play away (you'd probably see a lot less violence as well!)As for the cruelty side of it - I'll let the experts decide, most of the vets in our local practices hunt!

[Drewhound]

They do it because they enjoy it. Their stupidity is shown by the way they expect everyone to believe they have a significant impact on the fox population

This stupidity is a matched by the stupidity of anyone who thinks most hunt members are rich, in fact the majority aren't, most hunt followers go on foot

[bernardo]

They get torn to bits.

[Philtaz]

There appear to be several differences of opinion on this one.

kazza, I can't say I've ever heard of a fox being killed "swiftly" by a dog or pack of dogs, unless you consider being dismembered swift.

As for those who say hunters aren't rich maybe so, but that appears to be only the followers.  From what I've seen the hunters on horses all turn up from the city in their BMW's, Mercs and 4 x 4's(which NEVER go off road) and swap their business suits for their pinks. Can anyone tell me the social status or wealth of the goons who ran into the chamber of the House Of Commons?  Rich, spoilt little brats who've never worked in their lives, just been given a substantial allowance by mummy and daddy.

Where I work the only people involved in hunting are the Surgeons and Anaesthetists.  None of the Nursing/Auxilliary staff are involved whatsoever.

As for the argument that only the huntsmen are interested in the kill then why do many go through the bizarre and medieval ritual of 'blooding' youngsters and first timers?

It's all about social status, nothing to do with reducing the fox population.

[FP]

A am actually a country dweller who lives bang in the middle of a hunt area and I can vouch 100 percent  that Philtaz is right. . 

 

They all come up from the towns at the invite of the local landed gentry and have no respect for the countryside at all.    A lot of the followers are local farming folk who, I hate to say, still touch their cap to the landowners.  It is usually only the ones with money that actually hunt.

 

As as for wanting to keep it going so that people don't lose their jobs - think of the amount of occupations that have been lost over the centuries as we have progressed. I am sorry, but those that make their living out of cruelty to animals do not have my sympathy.   They know it's a lost cause.

 

[Drewhound]

!I am sorry, but those that make their living out of cruelty to animals do not have my sympathy."

They don't have mine either Fakeplastic but the fact is hunt followers do just that, they follow the hunt but on foot not on horseback. To say they are all farmers is not true, if you live in the countryside and see a hunt you will know that.

 If someone wants a petty moan about rich people do it, using hunting as a reason is just as vacuous as hunnters using population control as a reason. I'd have more sympathy with how some of you think if you'd stop eating animals that are kept in disgusting conditions, the fact that most people do eat battery farmed chickens etc is proof enough for me of the total hypocrisy of a lot people. No, I don't hunt, never have and never will but I'm NOT a hypocrite as some peolpe are

[FP]

Drewhound.  I actually think farming battery reared chickens is more evil  than hunting foxes.  The farms around us in Norfolk seem to have all gone in for huge chicken sheds, to up their already tremendous profits.  I actually do not eat battery reared chickens and only buy organic free range eggs.  I buy outdoor reared pork as well.  So I am not a hyprocrite.

 

Most people who follow the hunt on foot around here are the ones that can't afford to be a member of the hunt.  For the most part they are the farm workers on the estate which hosts the hunt.  Having lived and worked in this very rural area for a quarter of a century this is an accurate observation.

If hunting were a sport of the poor I would still abhor it!  I can assure you that, in my case, it is not an issue regarding whether hunt people or rich or poor.  I find it barbaric.

 

 

[RogerK]

Well, my previous answer was based on the hunts I have attended, not particularly as a follower - just because my wife had kept horses for 20 years and wanted to try a season's hunting so I tagged along. There a plenty of poor people who keep horses (most of them are poor because they keep horses!) and for 15 quid they can ride along with our local hunt. The rich folk and social climbers are the ones who tend to be involved at the management and organisational side of things. Most of your average plebs follow on behind and see very little of the action other than the excitement of a fast cross-country ride. You wont find many of the plebs being 'blooded' - I think that must be saved for the potential BMW drivers of the future. Other than that everyone is welcomed and assisted. I can't help feeling its no different in other sports - they are run by the wealthy and committees full of social climbers etc. Look at football matches with their boxes, boxing with the ringside seats, racing with the members enclosure.... all good working class persuits with rich people at the top. Perhaps its different where you live?

[Drewhound]

Fakeplastic, I appreciate your point of view, I used your quote to show I agreed with what you say in that quote, not to target you in any further remarks I made.

 

It is obvious that several other people who have answered here are more interested in having a bash at the wealthy and are just using hunting as an excuse, that's why I made the comparison with pro hunters using culling as an excuse, one bad excuse does not make a second viable imo.

 

L ike you I never eat battery farmed products but it's clear from sales that the majority do, that's where so much hypocrisy comes in. The majority have a choice and make it knowing it causes terrible hardship to the animals, that I find reprehensible and hypocritic if they also condemn hunting, ie it's an easy target that costs them nothing

 

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[FP]

Drewhound.  Agree entirely with your comments.

[archbishop]

I agree with Fakeplastic and Drewhound and  Andy Hughes. It's the hypocrisy I can't stand either but I also agree with Roger K about "normal" hunt folk.

 

[Drewhound]

archbishop, what hasn't been mentoned is that in many areas hunts are suffering from being unwelcome on more and more land. It varies from area to area of course but in many cases farmers allow the hunts on their land for purely social reasons. It is a dwindling sport anyway

I've lived in Berkshire and Cornwall and the difference in riders is obvious but the followers are the same, just ordinary people like us. I think I can make a guess at which hunt RogerK was talking about (Cury or possibly the Western) but there's no collusion, we've both simply seen for ourselves.

What I do find interesting is how fast the fox becomes the bad guy when he introduces dog mange into an urban area, the gloves come off quickly then, suddenly he's as welcome as a rat.