Hunt ban questioned at traditional festive meet

Traditional festive hunts have taken place across the south of England against the backdrop of a new ban on the country pursuit.

Labour introduced the hunting ban twenty years ago and its 2024 manifesto included a pledge to extend the current legislation to include trail hunting.

The New Forest Hunt converted from foxhounds to bloodhounds two years ago and they now hunt "the clean boot", meaning they hunt the natural scent of human runners.

But trail hunting is being "exploited as a smokescreen to cruelly kill" animals, the government said.

The Countryside Alliance has called the proposed ban "completely unjustified".

Will Day, joint hunt master with the New Forest Bloodhounds, said as it only hunts "the clean boot" it would be exempt from the ban.

"The bloodhounds are specifically bred for hunting human quarry only, they don't have accidents with other animals, they don't chase foxes, only the clean boot, so we believe we will be outside of the ban and able to continue," he told the BBC.

Hunting with hounds has been a tradition in parts of the UK for centuries, but the 2004 Hunting Act placed restrictions on the practice.

The act banned the use of dogs to hunt wild mammals - including foxes, hares, deer and mink - across England and Wales.

Traditional hunts have now been replaced with trail hunting, which involves laying a trail using a rag soaked in animal scent, known as a "clean boot".

On its plans to ban trail hunting, the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said: "This government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious animal welfare plans in a generation and that is exactly what we will do.

"We are committed to a ban on trail hunting, which is being exploited as a smokescreen to cruelly kill foxes and hares."

Since the beginning of August, there were 186 reports of foxes pursued by hunts and 220 relating to suspected illegal hunting incidents, according to the League Against Cruel Sports.

The organisation's head has called for the government to strengthen existing legislation to avoid "loopholes", including by introducing custodial sentences to those hunting wild animals with dogs.

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