A Very Inconvenient Truth

I cannot say I am surprised by the actions of these so called hunters, their whole view is that they are the 'elite' who are above the law and can do exactly what they want to whom they like. What I am interested to know is, if the boot were on the other foot and their children were being bullied, houses vandalised etc, it would be all over the news and The Countryside Alliance and its politicians would revel in the 'poor us' limelight it would create. It is about time they suffered for their actions and were dealt with by the same laws that we all live by. Money, status and power give you the right to 'walk' all over or should I say 'tresspass and vandalise' all over everyone elses rights? They need to be stopped and laws need to be tightened!! I feel so sorry for this person and his family but we need to keep saying 'NO' and have the back up from police with tighter laws with no loopholes or get out of jail free cards!

Hunting is barbaric and MUST be banned...how anyone can call it SPORT is beyond me.

They gang together, so should we. Heartbreaking to hear what this family went through, I can easily imagine myself in exactly the same position. People should not have to feel alone in this when they make a stand. There are 1000s of antihunt supporters, there needs to be a support network maybe that phone number as printed above is the starting point.They know people like this family are vunerable especially with children involved. If they thought each attack with be met with swift retribution, maybe they will think again, they just bullies after all.Nasty spineless bullies. If the family involved are reading this, I for one are very proud of what you did.

Has any of this been reported to the police or the local press? People that have been harassed by these bully boys should take some photos and send them with the story to the local press and the police. Even if they don't do anything about it, it's publicity of what this is scum is like.

These are very serious allegations;trespass,criminal damage,vandalism,intimidation.The instances of vandalism,and criminal damage are easy to prove,so no doubt the Police have been informed?There will also be school reports of the reasons the daughter was moved from her school,as responsible parents they would surely inform the school of their daughters intimidation and the reasons for leaving.I'm sure the education authorities would be very interested also. Events such as these are a newspapers dream,and would make the local papers if not the local news if reported.Has LACS reported this outrage to the media?

Amy, dear Amy; that was a baptism of fire for you for sure. That poor family!! My heart goes out to them but I am sure that you have now given them your excellent tips about how to make their land safe from these evil, arrogant and monstrous hunters. Why hasn't this been all over the media? It should have been taken up by the local television and radio stations, the local paper and all the national ones too; but, of course, they are all owned by or have major advertisers who are hunters or their supporters.

I would love to meet up with these 'hunters', and let them try to bully me. They would find out that not every one is easily intimidated and have families to threaten. Unfortunately, these yobs will only respond to the sort of treatment they dish out. Give them a good kicking and then they'll see they are not above anyone, rather below everyone, in the sewers

This just goes to show what scum hunt people are and I would also like to say well done to the brave family. We do need to support these people somehow, they are going through hell because of their compassion for our fellow creatures.

If there is any good news in this situation, it is that these people are obviously desperate. They are not getting the Hunting Act repealed as they expected, they can no longer hide the inevitable results of a "trail" leading into fox haunts and a contrived fox hunt or their artificial earths and more of them are getting convicted - so they have to step up the violence towards outsiders who dare speak up! Very primitive and all the more reason for enforcing the Hunting Act.

where they cannot convert with their ignorant beliefs they become bullies...grrhh

Mabye it hasnt been in the media or reported to the police because it didnt happen? " A caller", no area given, no timescale etc. For LACS a very convenient "truth".

If this story TRUE why is there no mention of location, or Hunt name to name and shame? Also why are there no links to local media articles corroborating this story? Animal rights groups should be very careful about levelling such accusations at hunters as tactics such as: shouting; swearing and vandalised property are staple tactics for such groups. A certain group have even stooped to the level of grave robbing!

Horse and Hound, the Countryman's Weekly and other field sport journals/mags have a lot to answer for by promoting violence and bullying attitudes amongst their readers, not only towards wild animals and birds whom they like to pack hound to their deaths for sport or take aim at with their guns, but towards any one who dares to raise any kind of objection to their club land killing game pursuits. Fortunately, we don't live in an area where there are any blood Hunts for our non-hunting horsey family to be intimidated by. But even if there was one, that Hunt and its followers would not find themselves in any sort of way congenial friends of ours.

When the arguments about whether hunting with dogs should be banned, I read in the local paper that hunt supporters were to perform 'street theatre' in town, .( a demonstration of how badly done by they were ?) taking a day off I travelled in to watch. When I arrived there was already a solitary anti -hunt friend standing there with a placard. . I was surprised but happy to see him as he was convalescing from a traumatic operation. The hunts actors took a huge area in the aloted place with a lot of people and the inevitable horse and cart and dogs.As it was a week day most of the anti -hunt supporters were not free to attend. As I approached the scene one of the performers strode over to our placard holder and she tried to wrestle it from his grasp, with the help of his inner compassion and mental visions of wild animals being ripped apart by dogs, he was able to stand like an Oak Tree, his attacker called to the hunt mob for support, but they were unable to do what they would have done in the field as groups of normal country folk were gathering by now as well as more hunt protesters. The police staion was within shouting distance but it was quite a while before one strolled over. All went quiet and the day I think was won by compassion as the hunters skuttled away, finding it difficult to gather their masses of equipment fast enough

This is normal behaviour for the twisted kind of psychopaths who get their rocks off slaughtering animals. And I do include the royals in this category.

Ps. I see your Hunt Map is a real sucess with no entries on the 12th of December after the hunting season has been running for nearly 4 months. Keep up the good work.

No one condones violence, bullying or intimidation from either side of the hunting debate surely and so I'm disappointed by Martin Jolly's post. It seems to me Martin its animal rights activists like you that lose the League the moral high ground. Unfortunately Martin is not the only animal rights activist that shows an I've zealous enthusiasm. A local farmer to me has been hounded by a small group of animal rights extremists over te past three years after shooting a fox (the leagues preferred method of fox control) after it had systematically destroyed his free range hens and killed his daughters pet rabbits. Despite making every effort to desuade the fox from coming close to the farm buildings the farmer was eventually forced into shooting the fox. The upshot is that he has had his property vandalised and threatening and offensive slogans sprayed across his buildings. It appears that frustrated thugs are in evidence on both sides of the great divide!

Does the league keep a register of the offending hunt and hunters? The Animal Legal Defence Fund in the States keeps a register of abusers known as Justin's law. As Amy's horrific example illustrates only too well, those who abuse non-human animals frequently abuse humans and may be involved in other violent criminal acts. A register might allow the forces of law and order to keep a closer eye on these thugs? What does anyone else think?

Well (non)sense no entries on the hunt map shows the ban you want repealing is doing the job it was brought in for, or do you know different ?

PS. (non)sense, AKA spitfireking on "shootinguk", as I have asked before why don't you use your real name ? something to hide ? You have shown you can not have any sort of rational debate and do not talk any sense whatsoever. As for the hunting season starting nearly 4 months ago, which type of hunting are you talking about ?

I'm not sure the league having a register would hold much gravitas Penny as it would be open to abuse. Of course anyone reading about this obscure but of legalism would see it has little to do with abuse and is more to do with dog breed ownership. The Police however does hold a register of law breakers from both sides and maybe it is this that we should look more closely at because it contains names from both sides of the argument and is solely based on legal guilt and not supposition. It is unacceptable that violence should occur from both sides of the argument. It seemed strange to me that the hunt 'supporters' are labelled thugs and yet similar acts from animal welfare groups is deemed acceptable to te cause and completely ignored by the League or the purportaters labelled as a 'rebel fringe faction'.

Willow (moderator on "shootinguk"), AKA connormeadgundogs on facebook. No, no one condones violence, bullying or intimidation from either side. But I am continually disappointed by posts left on your website. I have read on a few posts the swear words used against any one who comes on your forums that do not agree with your sport, they may have letters missed out so as not to use the full expletive but we get the gist. There are many disrespectful name calling posts left on your website and very patronising comments too. So Willow AKA Connor yes this comes from both sides but you as a moderator on this website allow these to be left on these threads, this does not do yourself or your pastime any favours does it ! I suppose you will clean up your act up now will you ?

If no one condoned violence ....against animals.... there would be need for the League Against Cruel Sport.

Sheryl, I fail to see why being a moderator on another forum site is a restriction from having a personal view on animal welfare or the hunting debate for that matter. Neither is being a gundog trainer a bar to having a view point, even if it's contrary to your own. I refuse to get drawn into a tit for tat match it serves no constructive purpose. Just like you I have no influence on what others say or do. Do you have an influence on Steve Taylor any more than I have an influence on other posters who carefully blank out potentially offensive remarks? No of course you don't! Personally I welcome informed adult debate and dislike personal abuse and ignorant diatribes. I have always maintained that within the hunting debate there is wrong on both sides perpetrated by zealous bigots. The only way forward is for a more holistic approach. I understand and value your views and opinions, they have a influence on the way I form my view. After thirty five years supporting various animal charities, both financially and in time, I see a worrying move towards a radicalism that is both ill informed and damaging to the continued existence of a balanced and conserved Ecco system. In my mind the LACS and others have shown in the past that blinkered reasoning has an adverse effect on nature as a whole, one has only to lookmat the raptor debate and the latest figures from the Song Bird Trust to see the damage of one sided management. Both sides seem to me to be well capable of re-engineering the narrative to suit their own argument, none of which has a positive effect on animal welfare. Any fool can take a look at the criminal justice figures to see what is really happening out there in the real world, how many convictions have been brought against huntsmen affiliated to a register hunt via the hunting acts? A handful at most, the remainder being for poaching. Yes, I suspect that hunters lash out, I can not condone this but having viewed first hand the damage to farm property where hunting and shooting is allowed from animal rights protestors, whether affiliated or non affiliated to groups or movements, it's little wonder. I wonder what the results might be if the boot were on the other foot, because I can remember the mayhem of the pre hunting act days when teams of professional protestors were brought in to disrupt legal activities. Would we see a return to this thuggery if the hunting acts were repelled. Let's wait and see how the story plays out over te impending badger cull before making judgement.

Sheryl, I have never been on a forum called shooting uk. You obviously have me confused with someone else. Most hunts started trail hunting in September, that is what I am reffering to. Does the hunt map not have three catagories to post under? Hunt seen, suspicious activity and hunt "havoc"? If no one has even bothered to post in the hunt seen bit it can hardly be called a success. Just because I do not agree with most of what you say doesnt make me irrational, it just means I have a different opinion, as far as I know that hasnt been banned (yet). The lacs often use these ambiguous stories and "anecdotal evidence" and there is no way of knowing how much truth there is in them. The league learnt a long time ago that if you throw enough s**t some of it will stick.

Willow, this is not "tit for tat" I was Merely pointing out the disgraceful comments left on your forum, you as a moderator can have the name calling taken off the site but obviously you do not care that members are using these expletives and leaving bigoted remarks. You left a comment on how disappointed you are on a post above, well I'm saying get your own house in order first "Willow". Yes both sides can and do re-engineer the narrative to suit their own argument, your friend Eddie has done this a few times and has contradicted his arguments time after time on here, he reckons shooting is not a sport and states he does not call it such, but there for all to see on the forum of your website he says "our sport" He and others like him do not do your cause any favours at all. As you suspect hunters do lash out "willow" and they can be the most rude obnoxious people around as I have witnessed first hand, I do not condone anyone on either side damaging anything through their beliefs but hunting and shooting parties also have been known to damage farm property too "Willow" let alone leaving lead shot strewn all over the place. I am against any sort of cruelty to animals and find the cruelty shown to animals in the name of sport is horrendous, that is why I am here to give a voice that animals do not have. I will debate and argue with you "Willow" on the fact that animals are hunted, shot, used and abused all in the name of sport ! I will agree with you on conservation and management where there is a need for this. But I for one am sick to the back teeth of hunters coming out with every excuse under the sun to justify their abhorrently cruel torture of animals for their fun. There is plenty of "thuggery" on both sides "Willow" pre and post hunting act, if it were repealed I'm sure both sides will have that element causing trouble. It brings out strong feelings having an urge to rip animals apart and also on the other side of the coin it brings out strong feelings of not wanting animals ripped apart all in the name of sport ! You go shooting "Willow" tell me do you agree with the big commercial shoots ?

Sheryl Does that mean that you and hopefully LACS will be insisting on this website that their members or activists behave within the law?

Matthew - It goes for both sides of the argument does it not ? I find that a silly question, I do not condone unlawful behaviour neither does The league. I think you need to look at the unlawful behaviour of the pro's Matthew before coming on here stating that, why don't you go and spout this question on the CA website too i'm sure you will get a great response !

So getting the moral hig ground is not in your plan then. If the CA are allowed to get away with it that makes it ok for you? Not the best arguement that you have ever used.

What on earth are you ranting on about now Matthew ? I do not use any violence or destroy any property ? I am a law abiding citizen and I find the pen more mightier than the sword. Oh and I was just wondering, did you leave the same comment as you did on here for the CA ? I think not. You really bore me to tears Matthew.