Does Fox hunting have any place in modern farming?

[taff]

This is not an attack on blood sports but just a genuine question.
We have a shoot on the farm run as a syndicate with everyone paying for the pleasure of shooting across our ground.
We rent fields for wedding receptions with people paying for the pleasure of using our ground.
We even have a metal detecting club willing to pay to come on the farm.
So as I sit here paying almost £20 to have a dead ewe picked up and in front of me is yet another "we will be hunting across your ground if that's ok" letter from the local fox hunt I wonder what I get out of it?
When you look at the facts it really doesn't add up....
1 they haven't killed a fox in years.
2.they offer no money to us but charge huge subs to there followers
3.there is no substituted dead animal collection offered in our area
4.they are always rude even to the point of demanding tractors are turned of when they ride through the yard
5they leave a terrible mess

And all for what I don't mind hunting I even tried it as a kid for one day! The local beagle men are great very effective and willing to come at short notice if there is a problem animal.
So why are we still putting up with it........ maybe I should take my quad for a spin around the new masters mini estate where he is so paranoid about trespassing that he paints his gates with that sticky anti theft paint but when his 80acers aren't enough he rings up the peasant farmer with 300acers and comes lording it up around here while still staring down his nose at us!!

Even if you ignore the last part of this rant that ok borders on class jealousy! you have to admit it isn't good business sense to let them on the farm..............?

 

[Kevtherev]

If they make a mess with horses which they invariably do best ban them.
Best fox control is by lamping and a high powered rifle

 

[Kidds]

Try and stop them.

 

[Benn]

If they were on our land and rude to any of us they wouldn't be back again if you don't want them tell them to fudge it politely.

 

[Ducati899]

Don't let them on our land as most of them think their above the farmers,my father and i didn't take kindly to when they went across my new leys a few years back when they were told to keep off on their quads and horses and made a right mess,I'll give them 10 out of 10 for effort though as they keep coming back and asking,i even got called a C*@T by one of the stable girls last nye as someone told her i shoot the foxes on my own land

 

[Drillman]

I have absolutely no issue at all with the concept of fox hunting. however the execution of the sport is another matter altogether. the ignorance and attitude of those on the horses coupled with the lack of respect and mess they make to the land means the sooner it's stopped altogether the better.

 

[Henarar]

So as I sit here paying almost £20 to have a dead ewe picked up and in front of me is yet another

how much would it cost if they didn't go to the hunt ?
if its more then the extra cost times by the number of deadstock you get per year is what you are getting paid, if its not enough you know what to do

 

[B&B Pig Man]

I have absolutely no issue at all with the concept of fox hunting. however the execution of the sport is another matter altogether. the ignorance and attitude of those on the horses coupled with the lack of respect and mess they make to the land means the sooner it's stopped altogether the better.

There is often a huge difference between the guys and girls who actually work for the hunt, and the 'hangers on' who follow in the main group.

The huntsman and whipper here are great to the farmers, always respectful etc etc as they know without farmers they wouldn't have anywhere to hunt.
It's the toffee nosed little brat sat on the pony that daddy bought her that I can't stand.

 

[tinsheet]

Wouldn't mind if they caught 4 or 5 each time they are out, lucky if they get 1.
I can go out( and do) with the rifle or trap them and get them regularly.
They are barred from my place, only hounds and 1 member of staff are allowed on the farm, to many idiots on quads and landrovers think they own the place.

 

[taff]

how much would it cost if they didn't go to the hunt ?
if its more then the extra cost times by the number of deadstock you get per year is what you are getting paid, if its not enough you know what to do

they don't/won't come and pick up dead stock this is what iam paying the knacker man!

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

We get a very good service from the Hunt for collecting deadstock and they would be cheaper than anyone else. There still are a number of farmers who hunt including the present Master and a number of the regulars are land agents or people who work in the country.
Ours do serve a useful function in controlling foxes and have always done so.

I believe we lose the Hunts at our peril and if they were gone then the antis would put great effort into stopping all shooting and rearing of game birds.
In the country we should all live and let live!!

 

[joe soapy]

This is not an attack on blood sports but just a genuine question.
We have a shoot on the farm run as a syndicate with everyone paying for the pleasure of shooting across our ground.
We rent fields for wedding receptions with people paying for the pleasure of using our ground.
We even have a metal detecting club willing to pay to come on the farm.
So as I sit here paying almost £20 to have a dead ewe picked up and in front of me is yet another "we will be hunting across your ground if that's ok" letter from the local fox hunt I wonder what I get out of it?
When you look at the facts it really doesn't add up....
1 they haven't killed a fox in years.
2.they offer no money to us but charge huge subs to there followers
3.there is no substituted dead animal collection offered in our area
4.they are always rude even to the point of demanding tractors are turned of when they ride through the yard
5they leave a terrible mess

And all for what I don't mind hunting I even tried it as a kid for one day! The local beagle men are great very effective and willing to come at short notice if there is a problem animal.
So why are we still putting up with it........ maybe I should take my quad for a spin around the new masters mini estate where he is so paranoid about trespassing that he paints his gates with that sticky anti theft paint but when his 80acers aren't enough he rings up the peasant farmer with 300acers and comes lording it up around here while still staring down his nose at us!!

Even if you ignore the last part of this rant that ok borders on class jealousy! you have to admit it isn't good business sense to let them on the farm..............?

Mixed feelings really, I like to think traditional pursuits can continue without toooo much conflict.
Locally a very long standing full bore rifle range has been shut down by a change of ownership,
Quite sad really, but the members probably could have bought the land if they really wanted to.
The same with hunting, often there are some very wealthy members who could purchase
the farms that come up for sale if the wanted to and they would been very good investments over the years

 

[taff]

They are there own worse enemy there is no need for followers round here as its close country lots of woods and small fields nothing to see ever! but yet there can be more landrovers and bikes than horses sometimes and for what......as for this odd need to dress up I just don't get it, you get it in shooting as well! Iam fortunate to get asked to shoot at some quite smart places but always just where a shirt dark jumper and green moleskin trousers and occasionally a tie it looks smart and doesn't alienate the first townie you meet in the garage!

 

[taff]

I get the tradition argument and I don't think anyone should stop hunting but they have to move with the times and pay up or change the way they operate as there is no real need for more than a handful of people to be out if they are providing a pest control service otherwise people need to pay up?

 

[Benn]

To be honest it isn't pest control anymore compared to using two men and rifle

 

[Benn]

Sorry and women

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Because I sell direct to the public I cannot have an opinion, think yourself lucky you can

 

[Kevtherev]

Turn up like this and it will give the toffee nosed shooters summat to talk about.
Some are pig ignorant

 

[milkloss]

Fox hunting (on horses) has nothing to do with modern farming really does it? It's a hobby, pure and simple. Foxes can be controlled far more efficiently with man and rifle. Fox hunting and farming are best not associated with one another really in my opinion.

That being said, I do let them ride around our patch as they do avoid areas they're told to and take some dead stock for cheap money. I also like to see the 'dogs' have a good run - not bothered about the horsey part of it myself.

 

[Henarar]

they don't/won't come and pick up dead stock this is what iam paying the knacker man!

sorry well if they won't pick up deadstock or take them in for that matter then you get nothing so you know what to do