Bristol Hunt Sabs were out in the countryside yesterday with several other Sab groups with one goal: finding the Devon and Cornwall Mink Hounds and shutting them down.
We split into several groups and finally got the word that the scum had been found. As we turned up, hounds were already being boxed up and the hunters were told quite simply: ‘fuck off home’.
Two hunt vehicles were followed to make sure they didn’t unbox and hunt elsewhere but they ended up in a pub garden with their day ruined.
Sabs kept up a solid presence and found no other attempts at hunting.
TWO MINK HUNTS SHUT DOWN WITHIN HOURS
ust back from a whirlwind tour of the East Midlands, where we joined around 50 other sabs from the Northern and Midlands groups to successfully stop a days hunting of not one, but TWO mink hunts!
The 22 elusive minkhound packs hunt the country’s rivers and waterways during the summer months, offering a fourth season for many in the hunting community to fulfill their bloodlust. They tend to be very secretive and it is rare for a pack to get sabbed, let alone two in a single day!
First off we descended on the kennels of the Dove Valley Minkhounds in Coleorton, Leicestershire. We waited and watched as hunters scratched their heads and police officers and confused hunt support turned up. After a while we decided to leave some sabs to keep an eye on them and go in pursuit of the second pack of the day. We were pleased to hear that the hunt did not leave the kennels at all due to the sab presence!
An hour and a half down the road we arrived at the meet of the Northamptonshire Minkhounds, who were hunting the River Kym near Kimbolton on the Northamptonshire/Cambridgeshire border. Sabs entered the field from a number of angles and the hunters immediately ran back to the meet to pack up! When they left and we received word that they were heading home for good, we set off knowing that our job was done!
Hunt sabs at the kennels of the Dove Valley Minkhounds in Coleorton, Leicestershire. (Pic taken from Manchester Hunt Sabs)
Northamptonshire Minkhounds packing up at their Kimbolton meet following the arrival of hunt sabs
This follows on from last weekend’s successes, when the Devon-based Culmstock Minkhounds had their first two meets of the season ruined by sabs. Hunters will be hunted…
BACK IN ACTION STOPPING MINK HUNTS
Hunt saboteurs have been in action twice this bank holiday weekend against the Devon-based Culmstock Mink Hounds.
On Saturday 3rd May 50 sabs descended on their meet on the River Yarty near Chard and brought hunting to an immediate halt. A convoy of sab vehicles spent the rest of the day pursuing the hunt’s hound van through the Devonshire countryside. The pursuit eventually ended in Honiton where four police cars blocked off the High Street to allow the hound van to return to kennels.
Today, Monday 5th May, 10 saboteurs attended the hunt’s kennels at Cullompton while a further 40 patrolled their anticipated meet at the Culm Valley Inn. The hunt did not venture beyond the kennels and no hunting took place.
The hunt saboteurs used a drone (unmanned aircraft) to track, and monitor, the hunt. Members of the hunt were so concerned by the presence of the drone that they threw stones at it to try and make it crash.
HSA Press Officer Lee Moon commented, “This weekend the hunters have become the hunted.The Culmstock Mink Hounds have had a disastrous start to their season and,with sab groups up and down the country making similar plans, it promises to be a long hot summer for the minkhunts.”
ROSS HARRIERS TURN TO VIOLENCE AS HARES SAVED
A return visit to the charming Ross Harriers today, who were hunting just outside of Much Marcle. Their huntsman, Lee Peters, burst a few blood vessels upon our arrival looking angry even by his standards.
After lots of personal threats and some dicking around by some of the followers, he moved off with us close behind. Hares were put up all over the place with him encouraging his hounds on, with complete disregard of the law.
Sabs found themselves in a perfect position when hounds went into cry, only seconds behind a hare. With the use of citronella sprays and whips, sabs ensured that the hare got away to safety. This only added to the frustration of Peters who tried riding sabs down as a response.
Catching up with the hunt again we witnessed the hounds actively chasing a hare with only a few feet between them. We were too far away to intervene but luckily the hare managed to slip away from the hounds. A truly horrifying moment.
As we approached the hunt they were surrounding our vehicles on a road. At this point one of the tyres got slashed on our land rover and then the Harriers spearheaded by Peters launched an all out attack on sabs from both the vehicles and in the field. One female Sab is currently in hospital with head injuries and multiple others came away with battered and bruised.
Just goes to show that when a hunt have a hard time trying to kill animals they turn their aggression elsewhere. It doesn’t bother us, as we get to go home in the safe knowledge that no animals were killed by The Ross Harriers.