Mike,

I think the ban on foxhunts was caused by the fact that it is thought cruel to chase an animal until it dies (at least that is the reason for the ban in my country), not because of the organizing that a hunt needs (every hunt done by more than one person requires an amount of organization and as far as I know organized hunts for grouse, waterfowl etc. are not banned).

Hunting with dachsunds/terriers means that dogs are used to drive them from their den so hunters waiting outside get a chance to shoot them - that means the fox has a fair chance to escape if he manages not to be hit (and there is a chance since the hunter has only 2 shots in a double barreled shotgun).

So if one way of regulating wildlife is prohibited it is still possible to use other ways - Sugarfoot Jacks statistic shows alternative ways. Also I remember ecologists using the term "compensatory mortality" or something alike - meaning that the decline of one form of mortality will cause the rise of another form. More foxes feeding on a diminishing number of mice etc. will mean easier spreading of illnesses, smaller number of pups, more conflicts over territory causing young ones to travel more and getting killed on the road etc....

Cats are often a bigger problem for their surroundings cause they can easier fall back onto human care - which means the natural selection doesn`t work properly anymore...

Best
Ernest