Trail hunting 'smokescreen' for illegal activity, critics say

Campaigners want to see trail hunting banned

Critics of trail hunting claim the practice is being used as a "smokescreen" for illegal activity.

Boxing Day hunters on the Mendip Hills in Somerset say they hunt within the law but, a group of saboteurs claim trail hunting is instead used as a way to practice illegal hunts.

Fox hunting was banned in 2004 under Tony Blair's Labour government, and instead those who take part in the practice are now encouraged to take part in trail hunting - which is now also facing a ban.

It involves using a rag with a natural scent on to lay a trail ahead of the hunt, which is then followed by the hounds but live animal scents could be picked up by the pack instead.

Hunters say they follow the law and stick to following a scented trail

Huntsman Charlie Thomas told the BBC: "We do our utmost and we hunt within the law. Hopefully we can lead by example and show that.

"We've modernised, we just need to be left alone really."

Mr Thomas said foxes are "never" killed when his hunt heads out.

However, fellow hunter Graham Harris-Morgan disupted this, claiming foxes do sometimes get killed on trial hunts, but it is a "quick ending".

Mr Harris-Morgan added trail hunting is "keeping country sports going, which is something we've lost so much in the countryside."

A member of the Mendip Hunt Sabs wants to see firm action on fox hunting

Those against the practice, say it is being used as a way of taking part in fox hunting.

A member of the Mendip Hunt Sabs told the BBC it is a "smokescreen", adding: "We know they're out hunting foxes... they send the hounds into areas where there are obviously foxes living... that's not trail hunting.

"We need a proper law that stops them going out and searching for foxes."

Dan Norris says current laws have a "loophole"

Dan Norris, the Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham as well as the mayor of the West of England, said: "I'm against any unnecessary cruelty and what's going on with hunting is exactly that... and over three quarters of people think that."

Mr Norris, who was also a junior minister in the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs under Gordon Brown, said the previous fox hunting ban has loopholes.

"Trail hunting is a smokescreen. It pretends to be lawful, when in fact it's chasing foxes with hounds, which is not lawful - so the law needs firming up and needs to be made much clearer and those loopholes need to be removed."

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