I chose not to hunt because I don't have the time, and I can't ride. Hunting is a way of life that has existed all my life, and hasn't done me any harm. As the harm it does to others well, foxes get killed, but that after all is the purpose of the hunt isn't it? Well not really, according to some people who go for the joy of riding headlong over hedges and ditches, and the fresh air and exercise. The fox now, well he is an animal unused to predation because man has killed off all his natural predators, so I suppose it awakens and sharpens an old instinct, and the clever ones [aren't they all supposed to be wily?] escape from the hunt and continue doing their own predation on cats, lambs, baby birds, hedgehogs etc. Some get killed and honour is satisfied on both sides, some deaths are more cruel than others, although it's a quick end. As for the cruelty involved, can anyone tell me of any method of killing an animal whether for food or for vermin control that is totally devoid of cruelty. You can't tell me that an animal that would naturally shy away when a human puts out a hand to them is not frightened when someone puts a stun gun to their head, and hopefully gets it right; not always the case. I challenge those of you who are concerned about the circumstances of a foxes end to visit a slaughterhouse, and pronounce themselves totally happy with the emthods used, and the cattle rolling their eyes in fear as ths slaughterman approaches. No it isn't pretty but it's something that's done thousands of times every day in the UK, and I believe that some of the people who do it enjoy their work!
Giok