Question 1

What is Trail Hunting?

Accepted Answer

Trail hunting is the reenactment of a traditional hunt.  A rag is soaked in an animal scent and dragged along the ground to mimic the behaviour of a wild animal and this scent is followed/hunted by the hounds.  Hunts video their trail-laying activity to demonstrate their adherence to the law.

Question 2

Is trail hunting impossible to do without the hounds chasing a fox or a hare?

Accepted Answer

Trail hunting mimics the traditional hunt but the hounds do not follow a live animal. If the hounds pick up the scent of a live quarry, the huntsman and other members of hunt staff stop the hounds. The hounds are well trained and will respond to the calls of the huntsmen, as documented in various video clips showing them doing precisely that.

Question 3

What is exempt hunting?

Accepted Answer

There are several exemptions, but the one mostly used is “hunting rabbits” and done mainly by the beagle and basset packs. Rabbits are a serious agricultural pest and were exempt in the 2004 Hunting Act.

Question 4

What is the scent that is used during a trail hunt?

Accepted Answer

An animal-based scent is used by most. Hunts have been experimenting with a new chemical based fox urine to test its effectiveness.

Question 5

Surely using animal based scent is reckless and the pursuit of a wild mammal is more likely?

Accepted Answer

Non fox based chemical  scent has been tried and the hounds hunt too fast and doesn’t replicate traditional hunting. The hounds also can lack cry which is essential for us to follow them and it keeps them together. A non-fox based chemical scent can also make the hounds wild and difficult to manage. It actually makes the hunting of a mammal more likely.

Question 6

How is animal based scent obtained?

Accepted Answer

Landowners and farmers will legally manage the fox population on their land. A scent can be derived from the animal and stored for future trail hunts.

Question 7

If you are hunting within the law, why do hounds stray onto prohibited land or public places?

Accepted Answer

Occasionally hounds that have become detached or left behind cross prohibited land to catch up.

Question 8

Why are terriermen present on trail hunting days?

Accepted Answer

Quad bikes are not just for carrying terriers; they are also used to conduct repairs for fences, turn off electric fences, unlock and relock gates and man road crossings.

Question 9

Why use terriers?

Accepted Answer

Terriers cannot be used with sight or sound of any hunting activity and are only used legally for the protection of game birds.

Question 10

Why do hunts lay trails through woods. Surely this is reckless?

Accepted Answer

Mammals live everywhere, not just in woods. It is no more reckless to trail hunt in the woods than across fields or over moors.

Question 11

Why do the antis claim that they never see trails laid?

Accepted Answer

Trails are often laid hours before and as the day progresses, well away from those following the hunt.

Question 12

If you are trail hunting, why do you have to cross roads?

Accepted Answer

Because, in most cases, fields and even farms are not big enough for the hunt to have a full days trail hunting. So the trail day often takes part on many farms during the day and organised road crossings take place.

Question 13

What is autumn hunting?

Accepted Answer

Autumn hunting takes place early on in the season usually early in the morning to train young hounds to follow the scent. Young hounds cover a significant amount of ground on a morning and could suffer heat exhaustion if out later in the day in high temperatures.

Question 14

If Trail hunting is banned what would happen to the thousands of Hounds?

Accepted Answer

Hounds are pack animals and difficult to house train. they are more likely to eat a sofa than sit on one. Some hounds are taken home by those who have walked them as puppies. Should a trail hunting ban be proceeded with most of the 12,000 hounds  would be humanely euthanized as it would be impossible to find homes for them.

TRAIL HUNTING

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