Traditional hunt meets near Peterborough cancelled following Tier 4 Covid restrictions

Karen Silcock, Joint Secretary Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt said the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day meets at Stilton and Wansford would not take place this year.

She said: “We have decided not to hold our traditional Festive Season meets on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day at their usual locations.

“Since this decision was made, Peterborough (where the Fitzwilliam (Milton) hounds are kennelled), has been placed under Tier 4 restrictions.

“The Hunt has, of course, suspended hunting activities whilst these Tier 4 restrictions are in place and will resume only once these are lifted.”

This means the two largest hunt meetings in the Peterborough area, usually attended by upwards of 400 people, will now not take place for the first time for many years.

The news of the cancellation comes just days after Peterborough City Council announced that it would, if necessary, enforce its decision made earlier this month to ban trail-hunting across council-owned land.

On December 9, Cllr Ansar Ali spoke to members of Peterborough City Council, Full Council, about the activity of so-called ‘trail-hunting’ across council-owned land, saying that he felt it should be prevented from taking place.

Cllr Ali said that: “…trail-hunting had been invented after the statutory ban on hunting with dogs in 2004 had come into force, and was just an excuse by the hunt to claim that the chasing of a wild animal could result in its ‘accidental’ death.”

Following his statement, Cllr Ali tabled a motion that was agreed by majority (For 30, Against 26, Abstain 1).

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council echoed the motion from Cllr Ali, saying: “Peterborough City Council notes that Fox hunting, Deer hunting and Hare hunting with Dogs is illegal under the terms of the Hunting Act 2004, except where an exemption applies.

“Most registered hunts claim to now be ‘trail-hunting’, an activity invented after the ban which allows hunts to claim that any chase of a wild mammal is an accident rather than intentional.

“This Council resolves to do everything within its legal powers to prevent trail hunting, exempt hunting, hound exercise and hunt meets on its land.”

The Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt, whose origins and kennel records can be traced back to 1740s, said: “We consider the Hunting Act 2004 to be an ill-thought-out piece of legislation that is harmful to the hunted species, the environments in which they live and the rural economies that surround them.

“However, we are law-abiding people and whilst it remains in force, the Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt will continue to hunt within the law, providing activities for our Hunt Followers and services to farmers and landowners.

“In parallel with this, we remain active in seeking repeal of this law.

“The infrastructure of the Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt requires a significant income each year to maintain it, and our supporters make a valued contribution to this.

“The hounds and the horses all require feed and veterinary expenses and equipment to be purchased.

“They also require housing, which must be maintained, and staff to look after them, who also have to be paid and housed.

“These bills are paid for by the followers and supporters, both in the form of subscriptions to the Hunt and by supporting fundraising events run by the Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt Supporters’ Club.

“Very importantly, there are also a significant number of local trades-people who rely upon the Fitzwilliam (Milton) Hunt and its followers for some or all of their winter income.”

To clarify the issue: trail hunting is still legal in the United Kingdom and involves the laying of a trail for hounds to follow using urine, body parts and carcasses from animals such as foxes (though not exclusively).

Activists, such as the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) fear that trail-hunting is being used as a ‘smokescreen’ to get around the law.

LACS say: “Prior to 2005, there were two types of hunting: The first was the ‘traditional’ hunting that involved the chasing and killing of animals. This was banned by the Hunting Act (2004) in England and Wales, and the Protection of Wild Mammals Act (2002) in Scotland.

“The second type of hunting is known as ‘drag Hunting’, a legitimate sport created in the 1800s that was not intended to mimic animal hunting, but instead is a sport using foxhounds to search for a non-animal scent laid by a drag, pulled on a string, and crucially without the pursuit or killing of any wild animals.

“Once the chasing and killing of animals was banned, the hunt members who were no longer able to do this, could’ve converted to the more traditional pastime of drag hunting, as most hunts use the same types of hounds.

“But they chose not to, and instead invented the activity we now call ‘trail-hunting’.

“While trail-hunting purports to mimic traditional hunting by following an animal-based scent trail (using fox urine, according to the hunters), that’s been laid in areas where foxes or hares are likely to be, crucially, those laying the trail are not meant to tell those controlling the hounds where the scent has been laid.

“However, with trail-hunting those controlling the hounds always know where the trail is laid, which is why in traditional drag hunting, ‘accidents’ when live animals are chased are very rare, while in trail hunting, they are more common. This means that if the hounds end up following a live animal scent the hunt can claim they didn’t know the difference between the laid scent, and a live animal scent.

“In drag hunting, the trail doesn’t contain animal-based scent, and is never laid in areas likely to have foxes.”
The Master of Fox Hounds Association, has said: “The aim of trail-hunting is to simulate traditional hunting as practised before the Hunting Act came into force.
“When trail-hunting, the huntsman sets off with the intention of finding and encouraging the hounds to hunt the laid trails using their noses.
“When the hounds find the scent and start to follow it, they will use their voices to produce a sound which is called ‘speaking’.
“This indicates to the huntsman and followers that the hounds have found a trail and are following it.
“It is highly likely that foxes, deer, hares, rabbits, birds and other forms of wildlife associated with the countryside, will be seen throughout the day.
“If the hounds pick up the scent of a live quarry, the huntsman and other members of hunt staff stop the hounds as soon as they are made aware that the hounds are no longer following a trail that has been laid.”

However, in an exposé aired on ITV in November 2020, figures within the Master of Fox Hounds Association, were filmed, allegedly admitting that ‘trail-hunting However, in an exposé aired on ITV in November 2020, figures within the Master of Fox Hounds Association, were filmed, allegedly admitting that ‘trail-hunting could be: ‘…just a smokescreen’.

Police are now investigating the matter.

In the meantime, Peterborough City Council has confirmed that irrespective of the cancellation of the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day meets, it will do all that is necessary in future to enforce the decision made at Full Council.