How do 'Hunts' justify killing foxes?

Question

Having farmed sheep for many years I have never had any problems with foxes - and have often seen them passing through a grazing flock with no interest taken by either party and they do not attack lambs - not even new born field lambs (those where the farmer can't be bothered to provide properly supervised lambing sheds). They may sometimes kill back-garden chickens - but real chicken farmers look after their investment with properly fenced runs. In short foxes are not a problem - it's the hunting fraternity who are the real vermin, inflicting terror pain and suffering on an animal in the name of 'sport'. And when they can't find any wild foxes they raise cubs and release them to be hunted down and torn apart just to satisfy their vile and sickening pastime. If the law cannot stop these disgusting people then those who really cherish our countryside and its wldlife surely will.

Answer 1

Firstly, yes foxes do kill lambs. Secondly, its a matter of conservation. Anyone who denies that fox numbers need to be controlled has no idea of basic ecology, no natural predators or competition anymore, see? Thirdly, if you can come up with a better method that weeds out weak, older foxes while killing quickly and discriminately, i'll eat my many hats. Fourthly, its not the kill, its the sense of community the hunt engenders that is the real enjoyment, most people who follow hunts dont in fact ride and are also generally of working class, are farmers, blacksmiths etc, despite ridiculous stereotyping.

Answer 2

As someone who has seen a fox go through a flock of chickens killing for fun I have no sympathy for mangy diseased animals who do a lot of harm spreading disease, killing domesticated animals including cats, pet rabbits and small dogs and generally make a mess by ripping open rubbish bins.

I do not hunt but I know a lot of working class people who do. It is not just "toffs" and it does do its bit in keeping the countryside in a way that townies like to see it and visit it.

As a matter of interest it can be just as cruel to gas and shoot them and dig up the cubs which is the only legal way now to try and keep them under control

Answer 3

Fox hunting with horses and hounds is a jolly day out social event for the country horsey types and nothing to do with effective pest control. If pest control really was the principle reason behind fox hunting there are much more efficient and effective ways of doing it.

Answer 4

It's about toffery, and nothing else. If it were about keeping jobs for people and country traditions alive then the hunting fraternity would be happy with drag hunting and following scent trails. Nobody would lose their jobs, no hounds would die, everything would go on as normal. You're right, lots of people have no problem with foxes and they are really more of a menace in the urban environment. Even small lambs are often larger than foxes and there are few animals in the wild which will take prey larger than themselves; a notable exception being big cats. Hunting with hounds needs to stay illegal. There was outcry when they banned cockfighting, and this is no less wrong. Times have changed. Get with it, or get lost, 'keep hunting' campaign.
Incidentally, I have no time for PETA, as someone suggested you contact. They consider me to be being cruel to animals because I have an assistance dog. They don't know what they're talking about.

Answer 5

Just because the foxes in your area don't like chickens does not mean that people in other areas do not have problems with these diseased creators, fox feed on the weaker animals in the habitat and that means domestic. Plus some of us "Rednecks" believe that population has to be managed so that one species numbers doesn't become a problem for one habitat to handle, that goes for all predators and game animals.

Answer 6

Man is not the only animal that kills just for the sport of it. Nature is full of killers-for-fun. Look no further than you pet cat.

While I neither endorse or participate in sport killing.....OK, I did go shark hunting once but the crew harvested the meat so it was not true sport killing.....it's actually a very NATURAL as well as a very brutal and barbaric activity.

You see my friend, if you actually get out into nature you will find she is the most brutal, savage and barbaric of all. We as men are only her children. It's always been this way, since before we climbed down from the trees. The Greeks understood this as well as all great societies before or since.

What you propose is actually a PERVERSION of NATURE, and as I've stated here before I DON'T TOLERATE PERVERTS!

Answer 7

They cant they just have a very limited brain space and a case of too much money not enough to do and hey this is for the social elite and appears to be cool but its just barbaric lets go hunt them and i bet they all complain when a child is mauled by a dog but hey lets just rip the foxs to bits thats ok well its not

Answer 8

Its a cruel sport played by cruel people who would have sat in the front row of the roman arenas watching animals and people being ripped to pieces,or more likely in there doing the ripping ,they are no more than savages.

Answer 9

I think you watched The Fox and the Hound to many times.
I do not "hunt" Fox, but I do trap them, they are worth good money, and I trap allot of them for farmers and ranchers that do not want them around.

Answer 10

Excellent question. I think I can answer it quite simply: the hunts don't justify it at all. They kill for the sheer enjoyment of killing another living creature. The sooner the police crack down on these upper-class law-breakers the better. And as for the CA's pathetic attempt to rig the Today poll, do they really think the masses are so stupid as to not see through their silly games?