The quick kill justification was used here with regard to housecats and while one quick flick by a single terrier can dispatch a rat in seconds, it has been my experience with a pack of hounds that any body part of an animal it can reach will do in the frenzy and on occasion things do not go exactly as anticipated.

Sloppy predator control, regarding farmers is a different matter and IMO should be regarded as a separte issue, not a justification. Perhaps better education of farmers and more trained animal control or conservation officers would improve the situation, especially in areas where large populations of opportunistic foxes are demed to be causing serious economic damage to those in the poultry industry. It certainly would add a few more gainfully employed bodies. Live trapping is an option, as is better security for the animals in ones care.

I live in an area with a healthy population of raccoon and mink, (neither species providing the side benefit of rodent control), which can and do cause problems regarding poultry, if the opportunity presents itself. The key word is opportunity. The occasional loss of a bird that I have experienced here, has been due to my own stupidity and was not the fault of the predators basic instinct.

If the true appeal of the hunt is the riding, I cannot for the life of me see what substantial difference it should make when the route is determined by hounds pursuing a predetermined set trail using a drag.