On Friday we sabbed the Eggesford illegal fox hunt with friends from Plymouth & West Devon Hunt Sabs.
With just five field riders and one terrier-equipped quadbike, and a few of the usual vehicle supporters, they met at Inwardleigh.
Fox killer Jason Marles started by hunting the moorland north of the meet, where some hounds were seen coursing deer. Sabs were at the incident to intervene and turn the hounds off the deer. Meanwhile other hounds spilled out onto the busy A386 completely unattended, almost causing several vehicle pile-ups. A fox was then seen running to safety, and sabs were in position to cover the scent with citronella and distract the remaining hounds who were trying to pick up on the scent.
The hunt then moved south, drawing the wood at Curworthy farm (badger killers) and further south onto Rosencombe and eventually ending up at Elmead, home of their chairman Hugh Trerise. Although this hunt claim they have such a huge country, they always seem to end up hunting the same patches. More foxes were seen to safety in this area.
In a typical attempt to lose sabs huntsman Jason Marles then took off at speed on horseback squeaking his usual hilarious original catchphrase “come on keep up”. We caught up to him hunting around Sunnymead farm and further west along the Hookmoor Brook valley, and eventually back towards Inwardleigh via Stocken. Here sabs were perfectly positioned as a fox ran across the road with hounds in pursuit. We covered the fox’s scent and turned the hounds back the way they came, and that was their final draw of the day.
We sabbed two days in a row.
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