[Image credit: @thegreatunwashed_]
Similar to September, October has been an intense month. Fox hunts continued to relentlessly hunt fox cubs as well as the government sanctioned culling of badgers.
For some, action against the badger cull didn’t stop. Underground Badger Syndicate and The Great Unwashed have both been successful in finding and dealing with cages, though have each stated the exhaustion of the search and the reality of what the wildlife is up against. In one post, UBS put it bluntly by saying that there is so much ‘death and destruction’ and that setts ‘targeted for years are starting to fade’. Likewise, TGU referred to the ongoing situation as ‘bleak’ and asks the question on many minds; ‘when the fuck will it end’?
Well, it would appear the answer is not with the new Labour government, as Natural England, a public body connected to the UK Governments’ Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (who are responsible for the cull) finally published the redacted licenses that detail the minimum and maximum quotas for each zone and confirmed a new zone was authorised in Cumbria. Adding them together, over 10,000 could be murdered.
It must be said though that it is widely believed that the cull has given a green light for the illegal persecution of badgers and culling in itself is very loosely regulated – the true extent of badger suffering and murder can only be speculated but could be much worse.
Despite this, action continued to be taken (and will continue in the supplementary zones) throughout October. In addition to the above mentioned, Liverpool Hunt Saboteurs, Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs, Derbyshire Against the Cull and Cornwall Against The Badger Culls have noticeably been the most active and seen to be sending free shooters away and removing bait points. Derbyshire Against the Cull is uploaded an appreciation post which thanked their supporters for messages of support and confirmed how important this helped to keep them going. Messages such as this, whether it is aimed at a badger group, hunt sabotage group or a lone individual taking action can make a huge difference is strongly encouraged by us.
A standard cull license is 6 weeks long which would normally finish in mid-October, though many often get extensions. This was the case this year with a number of zones being granted extra time to kill, later confirmed to have been finished by the end of October.
The hunting of fox cubs, for the purpose of training new hounds and dispersing foxes ahead of the main hunting season, has been ongoing since the start of September. It is a relentless period where fox hunts go out up to 5 times a week, giving little chance for young wildlife. It is by far the most controversial part of hunting and is a PR-nightmare for the image of ‘trail hunting’ that they attempt to portray. Because of this, the presence of saboteurs can be enough to spoil their efforts, as seen by Kent Hunt who decided to not attend their own meet after they were apprehended by Kent Hunt Saboteurs. Similarly, the West Sussex Hunt Saboteurs forced the Chiddingford Leconfield & Cowdray Hunt to pack up and leave 45 minutes after unboxing the hounds, which they claim may be their quickest sab.
Some groups have also been able to shut down multiple hunts in a single day. Northants Hunt Saboteurs, after packing up the notorious Cottesmore Hunt, then received a tip off and proceeded to also pack up the Pipewell Foot Beagles. In a hit report, they concluded ‘this is what we are set out to do’.
Not all interactions with a hunt can be successful though. It is worth remembering that the odds are often against hunted and skill of saboteurs can sometimes only assist them so much. Despite their efforts, a fox was killed at the opening meet of the Seavington Hunt, who were clearly worried that they had been caught on camera after they attempted to conceal and dispose of the body. In the published video, it is clear that hunt staff, rather than celebrate their intended result, panic. Saboteurs cannot stop all kills, but can certainly make the huntsman’s (and all who are participating) experience as terrible as possible and not letting them have a good time.
Other opening meets (the first hunt of the main season) for other hunts across the country took place at the end of October, some of which were during the week rather than a Saturday – showing a clear attempt to avoid saboteurs during a significant day for them. Again, saboteurs can’t always be present but this is a clear example of how sabotage has altered their movements. Having an opening meet on a week day does in fact have an effect on their attendance of supporters, which is a factor in their income stream. And like many other campaigns, if you keep hitting their pocket, things start to change and can result in them crumbling altogether.
One specific hunt who’ve had a terrible time is the Eastern Counties Mink Hounds. While most mink and otter hunting packs have finished for the year, this particular hunt felt they’d try one last meet. Also unlike others, they seemingly only go out once a month which makes them an appropriate target for a campaign. It is believed that they have only been able to hunt without the presence of saboteurs once this year, and every time they’ve had company they have had no choice but to give up. On this occasion, South of Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs, along with Suffolk and Essex Hunt Saboteurs, arrived to wish the hunts master an unhappy birthday after they were caught shoulder-deep in water, hunting. A stand-off ensued, with a heated confrontation, but this is seen as a reflection of the success of stopping them multiple times throughout the season. And sure enough, they were forced to give up once again.
Any information about wildlife killing fundraisers, hunting, the location of traps, tools and infrastructure used to kill and anything dodgy or suspicious relating to the interference or ill-treatment of wildlife should be reported to your local hunt sabotage group. Unsure of your local group? Contact the Hunt Saboteurs Association’s tip-off line at 07443148426 or via social media. The smallest bit of information could make the biggest different to wildlife life.
NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD
