Hunting in Ireland

Graces7

On New Year's day, a strange persistent sound had us wondering what was going on. Our dogs got very agitated so we brought them in and had a look from an upstairs window.

It seems to have been a hunt... tally ho horns.. After a long time, we saw a group of horses going back along the road. Another night we saw what seems to be a pack of hounds chasing across a field opposite..

Last Sunday, the horns again.

And no we did not go out as the thought of hunting appalls us. We are feeding "something" at the door every night and if it is a fox in need, great.

Wondering, is there a season? Will this stop when spring brings the breeding season?

andreac

Just to inform you, most of the hunts in ireland now are drag hunting, following a scent, not an actual live animal so there are no animals killed/chased.

planetX

andreac wrote: »

Just to inform you, most of the hunts in ireland now are drag hunting, following a scent, not an actual live animal so there are no animals killed/chased.

Not where I live, the hunts are around right now here too. I hate them with a passion.

Feargal as Luimneach

Foxes have no legal protection in this country and as such can be hunted at any time of year. Even a vixen with cubs is allowed to be hunted:(

doctor evil

The hunts finish up in March. There is no hunting on horse back during the breeding season, they can still be shot though.

pitbull_fanatic

ya we nearly ploughed down a huge pack of dogs one sunday as they tore out from one field acros the road into another. and the were chasing a fox. 2 men in weiies n all the gear with 2 big shotguns or riffles trying to keep up

Wedgie

Graces7 wrote: »

And no we did not go out as the thought of hunting appalls us. We are feeding "something" at the door every night and if it is a fox in need, great.

At this time of year, it's more than likely a leprechaun.

Frank the Manc

You should not be feeding a fox out your back door.

EGAR

Frank the Manc wrote: »

You should not be feeding a fox out your back door.

And why not? Care to expand on the statement?

Discodog

andreac wrote: »

Just to inform you, most of the hunts in ireland now are drag hunting, following a scent, not an actual live animal so there are no animals killed/chased.

There are 41 Fox Hunting Packs but no published numbers for the number of drag hunts.

Frank the Manc

EGAR wrote: »

And why not? Care to expand on the statement?

Did they buy it in a pet shop?:rolleyes:

Some people havnt a fúckin ounce of cop on when it comes to wild animals.

EGAR

And you think that by swearing you will bring your point across?

Ahm

It's ok to feed wild birds throughout the winter and it's actively encouraged but the same courtesy does not apply to foxes because they are wild?


Aye..:D

Frank the Manc

Would you feed Grey crows or birds of prey?

Would you feed rats?

eoinoleary

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Foxes have no legal protection in this country and as such can be hunted at any time of year. Even a vixen with cubs is allowed to be hunted:(

thats because they are classed as verim!!! and in general foxes are not hunted in breeding season...these threads bar a few usally tend to be full of the "poor fox" type and in general know very little on the subject...rats,mice,pidgeon and yes fox!! = vermin...

EGAR

Bird of prey are protected in Ireland. ALL of them. Just in case you didn't know . So yes.

Grey crows are no threat to me, you may consider them vermin as you do with foxes perhaps, but I do not.

Rats do not like it around here.

EGAR

eoinoleary wrote: »

thats because they are classed as verim!!! and in general foxes are not hunted in breeding season

I am sure you meant *vermin* and since you are on an animal forum, I am sure many people on here do not share your sentiment, regardless of the classification.

Shanao

Frank the Manc wrote: »

Would you feed Grey crows or birds of prey?

Would you feed rats?

I feed foxes during winter and hedgehogs during summer and autumn, in Canada I fed raccoons, prob not the best idea but it was freezing and the poor things needed something. We had a family of shrews in our garden for years and used to leave out little bits and pieces for them if it was very cold. If i could feed birds of prey, i would, they need a lot of help thanks to the people desotrying their habitats and their prey. The irish people have a habit of destroying our local wildlifes habitats, i for one feel a little guilty about that and help them out whenever I can.

So where exactly is the problem with this?

John_Rambo

Take it easy Frank, some people, farmers, hunters, city dwellers will encourage wildlife to live and spend time on their land, that's their business, you can piss and moan about it all you want, but it's been going on for centuries and in most cases the wildlife was there before the humans! I know for a fact the fox and kestrel population keeps the rat population down in my area!

Award winning photo taken a few hundred meters from my house.

eoinoleary

EGAR wrote: »

I am sure you meant *vermin* and since you are on an animal forum, I am sure many people on here do not share your sentiment, regardless of the classification.

oh thanks for the spelling correction i was afraid my point wasnt as valid because of it

EGAR

Re-read the rest of my post, Eoin and don't get hung up on a little sarcasm .

It's so tiring if one has to repeat oneself.

eoinoleary

Shanao wrote: »

I feed foxes during winter and hedgehogs during summer and autumn, in Canada I fed raccoons, prob not the best idea but it was freezing and the poor things needed something. We had a family of shrews in our garden for years and used to leave out little bits and pieces for them if it was very cold. If i could feed birds of prey, i would, they need a lot of help thanks to the people desotrying their habitats and their prey. The irish people have a habit of destroying our local wildlifes habitats, i for one feel a little guilty about that and help them out whenever I can.

So where exactly is the problem with this?

with the expansion of coillte and private forests all over the country fox,woodcock, phesant and many other types off wildlife habitats have never been better or safer???????!!!i feed garden birds myself during the hard frost but i will not feed rats and their equivelants...

Shanao

eoinoleary wrote: »

with the expansion of coillte and private forests all over the country fox,woodcock, phesant and many other types off wildlife habitats have never been better or safer???????!!!

And the wild fox population is surely booming because of it. Riiiiight. If you haven't noticed, the countryside is overflowing with humans at this point. There were three houses around mine when I was growing up, now there are ten, and that is surrounding one laneway. Towns and cities are sprawling out into the country, land is overtaken by roads, and yes, many habitats are destroyed. Do you really expect the foxes in such areas to think; "Sh*t, better get myself to a private owned forest and fast!"? Not all foxes live in forests you know.

Anyway, I rather enjoy seeing wild animals in the back garden, so i feed them and will continue to do so into the future.

Discodog

eoinoleary wrote: »

!i feed garden birds myself during the hard frost but i will not feed rats and their equivelants...

Well done & as the bird will miss/drop some food you are feeding the rats as well .

Vermin is not a classification. It has no legal meaning. Any animal, that is not specifically protected is classed as Vermin by people as a justification for killing it.

EGAR

Sigh... Woodcocks are in majority migratory birds and do not spent all year in Ireland.

Pheasants much prefer open fields to forests and many many pheasants bred in captivity and then released for shooting.

Birds of Prey carefully raised and released here in Ireland get poisoned left right and centre.

SOME ideas you have, Eoin.

GirlFridayEire

Sorry - yes they were most likely Fox Hunting, the season runs from November until March time (sometimes April but not generally). Fox hunting was banned in the UK but not Ireland so the likely hood of the hounds 'drag' hunting is slim. The hounds will only hunt fox as long as they have been trained correctly, however if would be ill advised to allow your dogs out as they are a large pack. The hounds will generally only catch sick or injured foxes so if your guy is healthy there is little chance they will catch him, the fox was born with a quicker brain than the hounds and the fox will often follow behind the hunt, masking his smell with the horses. They are amazing creatures but do not have any any natural predator, the majority of foxes caught have been injured by a bullet as shooting is not a certain death.

TippFan77

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Foxes have no legal protection in this country and as such can be hunted at any time of year. Even a vixen with cubs is allowed to be hunted:(

You are 100% correct...and what's worse is that internet chat forums very often BAN people who are anti- bloodsports!

I was banned from a chat forum recently for simply expressing the view that cruelty to animals in "sport" was unacceptable. Reason? One must not imply, this upstart moderator ponced, that terrorising animals for sport is unethical. Yes, the "moderator" informed me that "country sports" are ethically beyond reproach and contribute to the economy etc. He even repeated the old chestnut that animals just love being chased and "challenged" by the baiting experience.

When I tried to remonstrate, he went absolutly berserk and warned that my very act of questioning his belief in this regard was outrageous!! I'd better not reveal what actual site this all happened on. You'd be surprised!!

But let's press on...carted stag hunting has been outlawed. Next stop hare coursing and fox hunting.

Have a look at www.banbloodsports.com

TippFan77

Shanao wrote: »

I feed foxes during winter and hedgehogs during summer and autumn, in Canada I fed raccoons, prob not the best idea but it was freezing and the poor things needed something. We had a family of shrews in our garden for years and used to leave out little bits and pieces for them if it was very cold. If i could feed birds of prey, i would, they need a lot of help thanks to the people desotrying their habitats and their prey. The irish people have a habit of destroying our local wildlifes habitats, i for one feel a little guilty about that and help them out whenever I can.

So where exactly is the problem with this?

And good on you for that...I wish there were more caring like you out there. You make a pleasant change from folks who terrorise and torture animals for "sport". Life's too short for recreational animal torturing cowards. Those guys don't have a leg to stand on!

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/99288

Discodog

TippFan77 wrote: »

But let's press on...carted stag hunting has been outlawed. Next stop hare coursing and fox hunting.

Remember that FG have said that they will overturn the Stag hunting ban - if Labour let them.

Hellrazer

Tipp fan.

I`d advise you to calm down with your agenda.Youve been banned from the hunting forum because of this and Im not allowing it to continue in the animals and pets forum.

In the last 2 days all your posts have been anti hunting and I for one am not letting it continue if every post you make is going to be about this.

Now Im asking you nicely to calm it down and post in the nature of the forum or I`ll ban you from animals and pets aswell.

We do have a rule in place between here and the Hunting forum that users who cause trouble in one forum can be banned from both fora and we have in the past banned users from both with the hunting mods cooperation.

Discodog

Article in today's Sunday Times suggests that FG & Labour have not resolved this. Phil Hogan who, according to the article, promised to reverse the ban has been made Environment Minister but the Heritage portfolio will now deal with bloodsports :eek:.

This suggests that Jimmy Deenihan will be the minister responsible for overturning any ban. Can anyone tell me how bloodsports fit in with Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs ?.