Trail hunting (fox hunting)
"Trail" hunting is the great lie that fox hunting hides behind. Despite the Hunting Act of 2004, fox hunting has continued unabated thanks in no small part due to the charade that is "trail" hunting
What should trail hunting involve? (according to the countryside alliance)
- A trail can pre-laid prior to the hunt setting off, or a nominated member of the hunt can travel ahead of the hounds with a soaked rag.
- The trail is often in the same areas that hunts actively hunted foxes prior to the bad, thereby increasing the likelihood of an "accidental kill"
- The huntsman is not informed of the path of the trail, this is to as closely mimic pre-ban hunting as the hounds are cast out to search for the "trail", again increasing the likelihood of an encounter with a fox or other wildlife.
What is the reality of trail hunting?
- Given the number of active hunts across the country there should be records of thousands of litres of artificial fox urine being imported to the UK (no UK companies currently manufacture such a product); there are no records of this and hunts are unwilling to provide documentation
- Hunts have been documented on busy roads, active rail lines and on private land where they are not permitted to be - if they are indeed following a trail why would they have laid it in such places
- The hunting act has been in place for well over a decade, if they are indeed following artificial scents why have they not trained their hounds to follow a scent that doesn't so closely mimic that of the fox?
- The "trail layer" has often been witnessed (as part of the charade) behind the hounds which would be somewhat counter intuitive
- Why the secrecy and hostility to those from outside hunting circles that wish to monitor their activity? if a trail is being laid and there are no ulterior motives surely there would be no need to keep independent witnesses away
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