On Thursday some of our sabs were up early checking badger setts, as the cull is in full swing across Devon now.
While we were out, we received several tip-offs from locals that the Torrington Farmers Hunt were causing havoc again in the area around their kennels. Hounds had been seen actively hunting a fox.
When we arrived, the hunt were ‘holding up’ a maize field right next to the road between St Giles in the Wood and Buckgrove Cottages. ‘Holding up’ involves hunt staff and supporters surrounding a covert where a fox might reside (e.g. a dense crop field, or a small woodland). They will usually carry sticks or whips which they use to make noise on the edge of the covert, to keep both hounds and fox from leaving. The aim is to give the hounds time to find the fox and kill it.
We immediately made our presence known and deployed a drone over the maize field. This caused the huntsman to gather his hounds and make his way back to the kennels. Job done.
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