This Saturday our tip-off line was ringing off the hook with opening meets. We were on our way to the Eggesford Opening Meet at Crooke Burnell but at the entrance to the farm track we were waved down by a member of the hunt who told us where the Torrington were meeting. As Torrington killed several foxes in front of us last week, we changed plans and went to catch up with them.
Torrington met at Oak Farm a minute north of Uppacott nature reserve near Tawstock. Sabs’ first encounter with huntsman saw hounds in cry near Charlacott Cross by Collabear and a fox bursting from a hedge in front of hounds. Quick action by sabs covering the line with citronella and rating hounds away from the hedge ensured that fox could run to safety.
Huntsman Steve Craddock then lost his hounds as usual and sent his whip and other support to help gather them. With the hounds rioting in the countryside sabs saw another fox to safety after which the furious whip accused sabs of hiding hounds in the landy. “Where’s my f***ing hounds gone?!”
The hunt, no doubt bored of looking for lost hounds again, spent the rest of the day harassing, kicking and driving at sabs. At around 2, hounds hunted through Uppacott nature reserve, owned by Devon Wildlife Trust, where the hunt are definitely banned from entering.
Unfortunately another fox was killed yesterday by the Torrington. This fox was retrieved by sabs after being dumped over a hedge by the hunt in an attempt to hide the body. The fox had been killed by just a few hounds and had fresh bite marks around his neck.
When the owner of the meet at Oak Farm (pictured) was told the hunt had killed and that hounds were currently still all over the Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserve, she announced that she was “delighted” to hear about it. “Absolutely thrilled”. Devon Wildlife Trust are aware and we will be sharing our video footage with them.
With Craddock packing up, we headed towards Ashridge Court on the edge of North Tawton to catch the end of the Eggesford Opening Meet. Hounds were seen in cry immediately, with sabs running in to rate and call them off. Huntsman Jason Marles spent the rest of the day in and around Ashridge Court, with hounds often heard in cry and sabs’ intervention required multiple times.
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