PRE-MEET TACTICS
A lot can be done to sabotage a fox hunt before it starts to hunt,
by ensuring that there are unlikely to be foxes in the area,
by covering the scent of those foxes that remain, and even by leaving false trails.
Pre-meet tactics require that you know where the hunt are going to meet,
as they all take quite some time.
Often it is a good idea to arrive at the area to be hunted early to familiarise yourself
with the land around the meet, with special reference to roads and footpaths.
Check the wind direction and try to ascertain the scenting conditions.
Pre-Beating
If you know from experience which coverts the hunt is likely to draw.
beating a covert hefore the hunt arrive can have the effect of clearing it of
foxes. Beating should be done no earlier than bout half an hour before
the hunt are likely to draw a covert, as foxes will return fairly quickly. To
carry out beating form a line at the up wind end of the covert and walk
through thc wood using whistles horns and hunting calls in an imitation
of the hunt. The line should beat right to the end of the covert. as foxes
are often loath to leave. Care should be taken to keep the beating line
straight. The area to he shunted hould he beaten systematically in this
fashion covert after covert away from the meet. If only a small number
of sabs are available rook scarers could be used to flush the wood . If
timed to go off up until the time of the hunt they will ensure that flushed
animals will not return. You must make sure that the rookies are set well
above head height in ever green trees (to avoid fire risk) and away from
footpaths and bridleways. It must be stressed that pre-beating call be very
difficult due to communcation prohlems in the dark and over rough
terrain. Also there is the danger that foxes driven from a covert will wait
in hedgerows and field horders where they will actually be easier for the
hunt to put up.
Spraying
Coverts ean be sprayed with a scent duller (see tactics article in
HOWL 55) before the hunt arrive.to confuse hounds. Spraying should be
conducted at hound head height with particular emphasis on gateways
and bridleways. This will negate any scent in the area though any foxes
may well remain. In woods too large to spray completely or when just a
few sabs are available it may well be worth spraying a section or two.
particularly at the down wind end so that hounds that do pick up a scent
elsewhere in the covert will be likely to lose it as the fox is forced out of
the wood and through the sprayed area.
False Trails
With false trails the intention is to simulate the scent trail left by a fox.
making the huntsman and hounds believe they have found a scent. They
are ideal when you find it hard to get onto the land once the hunt has
started or when there are large numbers of thugs or police intent on
preventing you from sabotaging the hunt in other ways.
The best results are obtained using a dried blood solution. For those not
keen on dried blood. fox bedding can be used if you know of a sanctuary
that has a fox. The bedding must be fresh. so you will need to collect it
early on the morning of the sab.
For blood. use an absorbent cloth. and carry the container to re-soak the
rag occationally. For bedding or a road casualty use a netting bag tied to
a string. Having decided which coverts the hunt is likely to draw, assess
thc wind direction and try to work out how a fox would run from each
one. If thcrc's time lay scvcral trails through thc wood so that thc
drawing pack can't miss them. Start at one end of the covert and walk
with thc wind through the wood. continuing the trails into thc opcn. If
time is short you could simply lay a trail around the perimeter of a
covcrt, in thc hope that the hounds will switch to this from a genuine
sccnt. You'll only necd two or three people to lay the trail. with one
dragging thc cloth or bag. and the others walking ahead to check that thc
way ahcad is save, that it doesn't lcad into danger for the hounds, and that
it doesn't lead to any fox carths.
Rcmcmber that roads and dry ground will not hold the scent, and if it
looks like raining, only lay thc trails insidc coverts. as they are likely to
be washcd awaly in the open. Obviously false trails are going to be less
eftectivc in poor scenting conditions. Trails will be most effective when
laid shortly before the hunt arrives. Thc longer the trails, the more time
will be consumled by thc hunt on a false run, but a trail that can take
thirty minutes to lay might be covered by hounds in just a few minutes,
so 'jink' when you can. and lay circular trails wherever possible.
During the hunt. you may bc able to cncourage hounds onto your trails
with voice and horn calls. If you don't know the meet in advance, you
could try laying some last minute trails when you have found the hunt,
though usually there is not enough time for this.
Other Pre-Meet Tactics
Whilst carrying out any of the above tactics, keep an eye open for
blocked earths. If thcse are in soft soil don't unblock the earth, as this
could create an opportunity for a dig out. If you unblock such an earth
and a fox goes to ground, the terriermen are more likely to block any
exits and dig out the tox. If the soil is very hard, frozen, particularly full
of roots or stones, or the earth is a large warren, it can usually be safely
unblockcd, thereby affording a hunted fox another refuge, with little
chance of it being dug out.
Gatcs can be secured with wire, or even padlocks and chains. This will
delay the hunt and perhaps even force them to hunt in less favourable
country. Finally, if hunting conditions have been bad for a day or two
before a meet, it is sometimes worth ringing any local newspapers that
advertise the hunt, and tell them that the hunt has been cancelled. This
can have the effect of losing the hunt some supporters and create
confusion .
Reproduced from HOWL (No 56, Winter 94) - magazine of the Hunt Saboteurs Association.
PO Box 5254, Northampton, UK. NN1 3ZA
Telephone: (+44) 0845 4500727
Email: info@huntsabs.org.uk
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