Yesterday we teamed up with Plymouth & West Devon Hunt Sabs to pay a visit to the Spooners & West Dartmoor Hunt at their early morning cubbing meet on the western edge of Dartmoor. A couple of weeks ago, members of this hunt violently attacked a couple of the Plymouth & West Devon sabs, stealing equipment, cutting the body cam off one sab with a knife, and injuring a sab’s hand. If the hunt wanted to put sabs off for the coming season, they’ll have to learn the hard way that they’ve only done the opposite.
Huntsman, hounds, terriermen, and around a handful of riders met at Smeardon Down near Peter Tavy. They began hunting between Lower Godsworthy and Higher Godsworthy and then accessed the moor, spending most of the morning hunting valleys between Cox Tor and Great Staple Tor, between White Tor and Great Mis Tor and around Petertavy Great Common and Cocks Hill. Foot sab teams went onto the moor from various directions.
Runner sabs managed well to keep eyes on the hunt across the difficult terrain. Despite this, we believe the hunt killed twice. A single shot was heard not far from sabs. Hounds were also heard in cry along a valley deep on the moor and huntsman Arun Squire entered the location on foot and was then seen picking something from the long grass, holding his arms low as he appeared to drag whatever it was along the ground for a bit while looking around as if to try and find somewhere to stash it. Sabs searched the area and didn’t find a body, but the spot did smell very strongly of fox.
One fox ran straight past another foot team on the moor. We masked that fox’s scent with the help of citronella so when three straggler hounds arrived a short while later and started scenting, they didn’t pick up on it. The hunt packed up before midday.
Sabbing on Dartmoor isn’t easy. The terrain is very difficult and when the hunt are on horseback they can cover a lot of ground quite quickly. But foxes are hunted and killed on Dartmoor every week. The Mid Devon, South Devon, Dartmoor, Lamerton, and Spooners & West Dartmoor Hunts all hunt on different parts of the moor, so you’re quite likely to bump into a hunt if you go walking there during the season. Please always report their whereabouts to us as well as to the Plymouth & West Devon Hunt Sabs group and film the hunt if it’s safe to do so.
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