17/11/2024
16/11/24 Townsend Farm, Poulshot. RA Hunt.
We caught up with The Royal artillery hunt in Poulshot, after receiving a couple of tip offs – Thank you. Not sure there is a bigger fall from grace using this as a meet. The refusal of a licence to kill our wildlife on MOD land is taking a toll looking at the size of field and support. We had a long and incorrect speech on a small muddy field, from the field master of the day, Major Johnny Hathaway-White. Security on the gate was supplied by kennel man Simon Hands, who is unable to ride due to an injury to his arm. Once all that nonsense was done with, they set off, this was the only time Carter had a full pack with him for the whole day.
Sabs kept with them off down Mill Lane into a field where the hunt stopped. We asked Carter if they are “trail laying”, why are they still doing everything in secret? A question he didn’t want to answer. They headed off around the first field, and this seemed to be the plan for the rest of the day, losing hounds in every field they entered, nothing new from clueless Carter.
We moved with the hunt along bridleways and footpaths, but someone forgot to tell Simon, you can’t drive a motorised vehicle on these, not even the hound van! Heading along Hay Lane, dropping off into adjacent fields, scaring a good number of deer and hares as they went. Sabs being vigilant were on hand to lay citronella spray down.
We had the usual nonsense from Harris who wouldn’t shut up as usual, until he was questioned on why they kept trying to hunt in secret. He then explained while getting rather angry that they were trial hunting and drag hunting. Make you mind up James or keep your lie consistent.
Most of the field Including Jonathon Seed, looked daggers at every sab he thought he could intimate, but just got giggles from us! The field riders stood in the corner of each field, watching Carter take the hounds around. We got the usual abuse from old hag no. 2, who was annoyed we confused her with old hag No. 1 previously.
As they moved on towards Poulshot Lodge the hounds got on a line, fortunately sabs were there to turn them back and the quarry got away. As they moved away, field master Johnny told us it was a perfect example of hounds on a trail. Your trail has a very strong smell of fox! At the trail laying day you informed that you use Valarian root.
The hunt moved quickly back along Hay Lane and foot sabs lost sight, but we now have our eye in the sky which was able to keep watch and guide sabs back onto them. We also had a quad turned up, 2 up, with no number plate, had a little go at intimidation but that failed, and they spent the rest of the day being the hunts lackeys opening and closing gates!
As we moved on, down towards Five Lanes we caught up with Carter and no hounds, a large hedgerow between him and the general direction of the hounds and lot of horn blowing. Eventually hounds returned with the head of a deer in one’s mouth. Sabs quickly checked, and it was not fresh certainly not killed today.
Carter moved on again towards Mill Farm and again lost the whole pack, who headed towards a main road. Fortunately they stopped one field away and with the assistance of a lone sab, they managed to find their way back to Carter who again was stuck on the wrong side of a hedgerow. It is like he is not used to having fences and hedgerows in his way!
By this time the field had had enough of going round in circles in a small area, watching Carter lose control of the hounds and they made their way back to the meet. Carter carried on but the enthusiasm had waned, and it was a slow walk for the 4 remaining riders back to an almost empty meet. It was a slog for sabs on foot, we kept up with them and with the help of our drone, thank you Protect the Wild, we all had eyes on them.
Satisfied there were no kills today.
Keir Starmer
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