Hunting news update - Three fox hunters charged and more
Labour has finally begun its consultation on banning ‘trail hunting’, almost a year after it initially announced it. Protect the Wild has published guidance for people submitting their answers.
While the consultation is going on, the government has been busy going back on their other animal welfare policies. Labour is set to backpedal on its manifesto commitment to end imports of foie gras and also won’t stop fur imports.
Meanwhile, it’s been business as usual for hunt groups around the UK. The fox hunting ‘season’ has now ended, but that doesn’t mean a break for wildlife. The handful of remaining UK mink hunts are gearing up to terrorise our waterways once again, while the three operational staghound packs have been killing at an alarming rate.
Three members of the Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers Hunt have been charged with illegal hunting. The move by Avon & Somerset Police Rural Crime Team comes after Somerset Sabs caught them on camera chasing a fox at Chilton Trinity near Bridgwater last November.
Also in this update, a couple of bits of good news:
A vegan hiking group happened across a hunt, and sabbed it.
A new hunt sab group has been set up in Oxfordshire.
Three hunters charged
Ross Cordery, Wayne Greggory and James Parish of the Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers Hunt have been charged with hunting a wild mammal with dogs - an offence under the Hunting Act 2004. The action by Avon & Somerset Police Rural Crime Team comes after Somerset Hunt Saboteurs‘ drone caught the hunt chasing a fox at Chilton Trinity on 26 November last year.
The three will have their first appearance in Taunton Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
A ‘miracle’ that the fox survived
Somerset Sabs described what happened on 26 November on their Facebook page:
“we watched Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers Huntsman ‘Wingnut’ hunt his hounds around scrub then encourage hounds onto the line of the fox. By some miracle the fox made a huge leap across a ditch and evaded the hounds. But they were seconds behind and no one called them off.”
The sabs told Protect the Wild:
“After watching them blatantly hunt all season it’s a relief to see them finally being held accountable. Hoping for more convictions to follow.”
According to Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall:
“Caught on camera, chasing a fox, and now finally facing charges, this is exactly what hunt groups are still doing across the country. The law is being ignored, and wildlife is paying the price. If this government is serious about animal welfare, it must strengthen the Hunting Act and end these loopholes once and for all, we’re glad to see the public consultation is now live and we urge people to respond.”
As the government’s consultation on banning ‘trail hunting’ takes place, hunters are still up to their old tricks. Our wildlife’s first line of defence against them is - as always - the UK’s sabs and monitors.
Why not join your local sab group?
Check out Protect the Wild’s Page on ‘Foxes and the Law’.
If you’re able to support Somerset Hunt Sabs’ efforts please use this link.
And don’t forget to fill out the government consultation on ‘trail hunting’. You can refer to Protect the Wild’s advice here.
As the consultation goes on, hunts are still killing
The Devon and Somerset Staghounds (DSSH), Tiverton Staghounds, Quantock Staghounds and the Beaufort Hunt have all killed again during March and April 2026.
On 6 March, Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs‘ (WHS) eye-in-the-sky caught Gloucestershire’s Beaufort Hunt killing a fox. As the Hunt searched hedgerows close to Commonwood Farm in Wiltshire, the drone captured images of the kill. Huntsman Will Bryer picked up the mangled body and handed her to a female rider who “unceremoniously” placed her in a bin-bag.]
Police confiscate wildlife defenders’ equipment
Wiltshire Police officers, rather than deal with the obvious wildlife crimes that were being committed, looked the other way as members of the Hunt pursued another fox. WHS wrote on their Substack page:
“Enter PC Plum W79, he really didn’t know his arse from his elbow when it comes to drones, but he sure knew how to make a phone call and picked his moment during the next fox chase - in which a fox had been flushed from New Covert, and was in the process of being chased hell for leather by a terrier-man (or whatever the masked thugs with terriers want to be called) as the hounds were being encouraged to ‘hunt for it’, to well…decide that the ‘powers that be’ demand the drone be seized.”
Officers seized the equipment and evidence from the sabs. However, after a week-long pressure campaign the force was thankfully forced to return it. WHS have made a complaint to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) about the incident. A spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association said:
“Once again, prolific fox killers, the Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt, seem able to avoid police scrutiny even as wildlife crime is unfolding. This hunt, repeatedly filmed hunting and killing foxes this season alone, has been the subject of numerous police investigations. While police drag their heels, sabs are in the fields and skies doing their best to prevent wildlife crime and provide evidence to the often lackadaisical officers who attend. We will continue until a proper ban is in place and until it is properly enforced by those paid to uphold the law.”
We recently called out the Beaufort Hunt as one of the UK’s worst hunts, in terms of the number of animals chased and killed and frequency of attacks on sabs, monitors and other members of the public. In 2022, Protect the Wild and the Hunt Investigation Team filmed the Beaufort, who are - incidentally - King Charles and Camilla’s old hunting crew, shooting their hunting hounds in the head after they were no longer deemed of use to them.
Stag hunts on the rampage
It’s stag hunting ‘season’ again, and England’s three remaining stag hunts have been on a killing spree over the past month.
Stag hunts often avail themselves of the ‘Research and Observation’ exemption in the Hunting Act 2004. In reality, no research has ever been published, and this is yet another smokescreen for illegal hunting.
Stag hunts have been caught killing or chasing stags on several occasions over the last month:
On 2 March, sabs from North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs (NDHS) and Mendip Hunt Saboteurs (MHS) were able to SCUPPER the Quantock Staghounds’ attempts to make a kill near Crowscombe Park Gate in Somerset.
On 5 March, a stag miraculously OUTRAN the hounds and horses of the DSSH to safety near Winsford in Somerset.
On 7 March, DSSH chased and killed a stag near Cheriton in Somerset.
On 9 March a stag was killed by Quantock Staghounds near Hurley Farm in Crowcombe, Somerset.
On 12 March a young stag - known as a pricket - managed to ESCAPE the DSSH. NDHS wrote: “What possible excuse could they have for chasing this fit up-and-coming stag? And in storm conditions too. Certainly nothing lawful. Stag hunting for sport, not an exemption in sight.”
On 14 March, NDHS reported that DSSH and their quadbikes hunted and killed a stag near Molland in Devon. This wildlife crime took place as officers from both Avon & Somerset Constabulary and Devon & Cornwall police watched idly.
Mendip Hunt Sabs reported that Quantock Staghounds killed a stag near the A39 on 16 March. They wrote on their Facebook page: “Eventually hitting [a] fence by the A39, the stag reached his limit and could not jump or run to escape. Our sab interrupted the hunt as they were about to shoot him, but instead of letting him go, they heartlessly chased him away just far enough from our sab that they could discharge the weapon. Seconds later, the stag was killed just a few feet from our sab.”
On 19 March, Quantock Staghounds killed an exhausted stag after meeting close to Taunton Vale & Banwell Harriers kennels in Huish Champflower in Somerset.
On 21 March Devon and Somerset Staghounds and Tiverton Staghounds chased a stag to exhaustion and killed him near Winsford on Exmoor.
Quantock Staghounds and Tiverton Staghounds killed a stag on 23 March after meeting at Firebeacon Hill near Crowcombe in Somerset. They hunted him across the land of Forestry England and the National Trust, both of which have banned hunting on their land.
On 31 March NDHS sadly reported that DSSH had misused an exemption in the Hunting Act which enables mammals to be hunted for the purpose of ‘rescue’ to ‘relieve suffering’. Horrifyingly, the hunt used this loophole in the law to hunt a disabled stag for over an hour before killing him.
On 1 April South Wessex Hunt Saboteurs together with members of several other groups witnessed DSSH chasing and killing another stag in Exmoor National Park.
On 2 April, NDHS reported that a member of the Quantock Staghounds, who was wearing a mask and motorcycle helmet, assaulted a sab who was trying to monitor the hunt chasing a stag, in breach of the Hunting Act.
On 4 April DSSH met at Cussicombe Post. Five sab groups turned out in an attempt to stop them from killing. Sadly they weren’t able to stop the Hunt from chasing a stag from Somerset’s Barton Wood and pursuing him over a period of more than three hours. He was finally killed near the river at Leworthy.
NDHS posted a shocking video on their Facebook page.
After the killing, DSSH prepared to carve up the murdered stag. However, their efforts were foiled by sabs who made clear that they weren’t willing to allow this further desecration to happen.
On 7 April, MHS reported that the Quantock Staghounds’ riders rode their horses at a stag. They wrote: “As the stag was chased out of Little Quantock Combe, the riders shouted at and rode at him to try to turn him and stop him from crossing the Macmillan Way towards Forestry England-owned Rams Combe. Incredibly, the stag held his nerve and continued past the screaming riders towards safer ground. There are no Hunting Act exemptions that permit a howling group of riders to charge at a hunted stag on their horses. Yet the stag hunts continue to flaunt various exemptions to absurdly claim that their behaviour is legal.”
End the cruelty!
We need a real ban in order to end this cruelty once and for all. Please remember to take the time to fill out the government consultation.
Check out Protect the Wild’s pages on how to pressure the National Trust and Forestry England, to persuade them to enforce their own policies banning stag hunting and ‘trail’ hunting on their lands.
Read Protect the Wild’s page on ‘Assaults and the law’.
Support Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs.
Donate to South Wessex Hunt Saboteurs.
Click here to support Mendip Hunt Saboteurs.
Make a donation to help North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs keep the pressure up on the Southwest’s remaining Staghound packs.
Read the Hunt Saboteurs Association’s new piece of undercover research on stag hunting.
Hunts gear up to terrorise mink
Minks are hunted from March all the way through to September, coinciding with their breeding season. Hunts often leave young mink - known as kits - motherless and sure to perish. The UK’s mink hunts are the successor to the banned otter hunts, which were disbanded after that species was declared endangered. After the 1978 ban on hunting otters, several otter hunts began hunting mink, whose river habitats are similar to those of otters. Mink live in rabbit burrows, tree roots and brush along waterways. They established themselves in the UK in the 1950s after being released from fur farms. Minks are covered by the Hunting Act, and hunting them with dogs is illegal.
Mink hunts operate by thrashing through vegetation along waterways, accompanied by dogs. They try to masquerade as ‘just doing surveys’ - but the telescopic poles they carry to knock minks out of trees are sure signs that they are intent on killing.
Support your local sabs and monitors to put an end to this cruel bloodsport once and for all. Make sure you tip off your local sabs or monitors if you see mink hunting going on in your area.
Read our explainer on mink hunting.
Check out our report from 2024, and this one from last ‘season’.
Make a donation to Northants Hunt Saboteurs.
Support your local sabs and monitors to put an end to this cruel bloodsport once and for all.
Check out our report from 2024, and this one from last ‘season’.
Make a donation to Northants Hunt Saboteurs.
New sab group set up in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire Hunt Saboteurs (OHS) is a new group that has just sabbed its first season. OHS was set up to “support the furry inhabitants of the area”. Protect the Wild caught up with them to ask them how the new group is going.
We asked OHS what motivated them to start a new group in Oxfordshire. They said:
“There are around two hundred active fox hunts in the UK, and that’s not counting all the beagle packs, stag hunts, and other forms of organised hunting across the country. Of those, at least ten are known to hunt in Oxfordshire. The Hunt Saboteurs Association works tirelessly to bring these cruel, barbaric practices to an end, and hold accountable those who break the law, slaughter wildlife, cause havoc across the countryside and are a danger on public roads. But while many counties have their own dedicated sab group, despite the prevalence of fox hunting in our area, Oxfordshire [did] not have one. And while there are some fantastic, hardworking groups that do their best to protect our wildlife, like the Three Counties and the Cotswolds Hunt Sabs, they’re covering a lot of ground, taking on many different hunts. Effectively, there’s a line of activists protecting our wildlife, but the line is stretched thin, with other groups forced to over-extend themselves. For a long time, we’ve seen a gap in the line… A gap we felt an obligation to fill.”
OHS was initiated by a “small group of activists tired of letting these thugs on horseback get away with breaking the law and killing helpless creatures.”
We couldn’t “sit back and do nothing”
OHS told Protect the Wild:
“Some of us were experienced sabs from other groups who recognised the need for an Oxfordshire group. Others were concerned members of the local community who never wanted to don the sab flag and dedicate their free time to traipsing across the countryside chasing fox hunters, but could not in good conscience sit back and do nothing. We work closely with a network of other animal rights groups, doing our bit to make the local area a safer place for animals.”
We asked OHS how their work had been going so far. They told us:
“We’re a small group, but growing already after just one hunting season! And while it’s difficult to find people willing to risk their safety to be bullied and ridiculed by members of the local hunts and their supporters, we’ve found that an overwhelming number of people are eager for the hunters to be held accountable, and are out there, rooting for us, encouraging us, supporting in other ways, and even sending in tip-offs about illegal hunting in the area.”
The group is looking for new comrades to join them in whatever capacity they can. According to OHS:
“[The] new group offers locals a chance to do something to help protect the furry inhabitants of the area. Their involvement doesn’t have to be on the front lines: some of our volunteers help with fundraising or organisational work. Some help with our social media presence or public outreach. Some join our network to share information about illegal hunting happening in their area. If you’re looking for ways to protect animals, please get in touch, and help us to show the hunters in the area, whether they’re with the Heythrop, Kimblewick, Warwickshire, Vale of the White Horse, Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase, Old Berks, Grafton, or any of the other hunts that have crossed our borders that there are consequences for animal abuse, and let the world know that such cruelty has no place in civilised society.”
Vegan hiking group sabs hunt
Members of Newcastle Hunt Saboteurs (NHS) were out rambling with the Vegan Hikers Club in Devon, close to Bellever Forest on Dartmoor, when they happened across a hunting hound straying across their path. Their sabbing instincts soon kicked in.
They soon realised that they had stumbled across the South Devon Hunt and set out to confront them. The Hunt didn’t know what had hit them as they were faced by over 30 vegan hikers. NHS wrote:
“It appeared they did not know what to do in the face of such strong opposition, hunting for only about ten minutes with the hounds briefly ‘in cry’ before gathering them up after they spilled onto Forestry Commission land; land the hunt are explicitly banned from.”
The hikers - including the sabs - soon came across members of South Devon Hunt Saboteurs who were more than happy for the extra numbers. Unsure what to do, the Hunt soon packed up and went home. NHS continued:
“After this embarrassing display, the hunt returned to the meet [point] and packed away with several hours of daylight still left.”
Protect the Wild spoke to Norb, one of the hunt saboteurs present on the day. He said:
“Whilst hiking I often experience the dark side of our countryside - the sounds of a shoot nearby, deadly traps, and even dead sheep in fields. It was only a matter of time before I stumbled upon a hunt too. Instead of letting it ruin our enjoyment of the day, it was a great opportunity to protect wildlife and introduce a group of animal lovers to the world of hunt sabotage.”
Vegan hikers get stuck in - image courtesy of Newcastle Hunt Sabs.
It’s heartwarming to see another hunt sent packing through people power! Support South Devon Hunt Saboteurs by clicking here and Newcastle Hunt Saboteurs by clicking here.
Help get Newcastle Hunt Saboteurs vehicle back on the road before the next fox hunting ‘season’.
Thanks again to all the wildlife defenders who have allowed us use their footage and pictures. Sabs and monitors often put themselves at significant personal risk to get these images. We appreciate and admire all of the groups and individuals working to end the cruelty of hunting.
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Thank you to all of the wild life heroes 🙏 and to Rob who is a hero in all that he does for our precious wildlife.
Thank you tom for update and all helping end this evil sadistic killing of innocent wildlife for entitled monsters and bullies greed power
Use your scottish botes varefully 🏴💯🦊🦊🦊🦌🦡🐇💯🆘✍🏻🏴💪🏻💪🏻