We were out with the wildlife crime gang known as the Eggesford Hunt yesterday between Morchard Bishop and Black Dog.
Our first encounter came between Langland and Lewdon Farm as Eggesford drew the wood at Weir Down, quickly picking up scent with hounds making a commotion in a large bramble patch which we sadly believe was them killing a fox.
Sabs had no time to stay and look for a body as two foxes then quickly broke away heading in different directions. Huntsman Jason Marles gathered his pack from the brambles in pursuit of a young vixen. Tragically, the hounds caught up to her before sabs could intervene with Marles blowing the kill in front of sabs and support.
Warning: Distressing footage
Our video shows just what a lie the myth of ‘a quick nip to the back of the neck’ is, with a trail of blood and flesh leading sabs to the body. The poor vixen had been bitten and ripped apart by the pack while still alive. This hunt kills in full view of their riders and their support; the only reason to ride with Eggesford is to see our wildlife tortured, and blood spilled.
Sabs had little time to grieve as the hunt moved east, towards Hele Lane Bridge and Washford wood. Sabs kept tabs on the hunt and rated hounds off several lines of scent in the valley between Mill Barton and Millbarn Cross. While teams of sabs kept an eye on the hunt the quad followers tried out some new intimidation tactics, with hunt follower Chris Wills licking the windows of our vehicle! Any member of the hunt is cordially invited to lick mud off our land rover any time they like…
The hunt looped around at Stourton Barton and headed back to the valley between Higher Brownstone and the creatively named farm, Wood. A fox was seen breaking near Cann’s Mill Bridge heading south with sabs on hand to cover its scent and rate hounds.
Huntsman Marles gathered his hounds and attempted to put them back on this line when hounds ran in cry towards a badger sett we know well as Eggesford were found digging it out two seasons ago which resulted in Eggesford terrier man Nathan Bowes receiving a caution from the police. With sabs on hand to prevent a dig out Marles decided to blow for home after telling us he’d had ‘a great day’.
Please watch our video to see what his ‘great day’ involved.
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