The Eggesford were out at Riddlecombe again on Saturday. This seems to be one of their favourite places to persecute wildlife and DCHS sabs were out with them once again.
The hunt started the day south of Riddlecombe, with two foxes spotted instantly as sabs entered the field. Sabs covered the scent and rated back the hounds that were we in pursuit not far behind.
At this time of year foxes are often paired, with the vixen either being heavily pregnant or nursing her new cubs. The dog fox helps raise his cubs and feed his family. If one of the parents is killed, the lives of the cubs are also at risk, making this time of the hunting year especially devastating for foxes. Thankfully this family got away.
The hunt then travelled south to Hollocombe Moor where more foxes were seen and sabs were able to intervene and prevent hounds getting on the line. Jason then then headed north back to Churchwater bridge via Northcott wood where hounds were heard making noise that sadly could have indicated a kill. A team of sabs arrived just as the hunt were leaving so unfortunately we can’t be sure what happened. Sabs kept watch over a nearby badger sett which showed signs of having been recently disturbed while others followed the hunt towards their favourite hunting grounds in Ash Wood and Eggesford forest.
All throughout the day support were blocking roads with horses and quads, driving recklessly and threatening sabs. The treatment of the horses was especially bad. School teacher Jessica Trerise forced her clearly upset horse to block our sab vehicles on the road, and a younger rider was seen frequently kicking and whacking her very stressed looking horse with a whip. Hysterical disgraced jockey Paul John was also out forcing his very distressed horse to block a road. As always he took it upon himself to shout at sabs about private land, this time while they were on a public road! He seems determined to embarrass himself each and every time we encounter him.
During the afternoon the hunt covered a lot of ground, hiding from sabs in valleys and forests and finished the day near Bridge Reeve.
As always, sabs met a number of supportive locals. One local land owner was looking to confront the hunt who had lamed her horse the last time they were in the area. With almost every field in the area having at least a dozen young lambs, we also wonder if the hunt had permission to be in the area. Last week sabs sadly witnessed a possibly pregnant sheep collapse and die after the Eggesford hounds had run full cry through her field in pursuit of a fox earlier that day. Foxes are often blamed for taking lambs this time of year, but we hear very little from hunt support about the damage that a pack of 30 hounds and a dozen riders do while rampaging through the countryside.