Hunting in Ireland.

Archeron

I've heard mention recently that since hunting has been pretty much banned in the UK that all the English hunting parties are now coming over to Ireland and resulting in much more of our wildlife being killed now to facilitate blood tourism. Is there any truth in this? What are your opinions of this type of tourism and the "sport" itself?

Binomate

The majority of hunting in the U.K. was fox hunting right? If so then they'd need to bring all of their Dogs and Horses etc. across. It just wouldn't be worth it. I'd say it's BS. They might come over and rent a horse or something for when ever there is one on. As far as shooting deers etc. I don't have a clue.

Siogfinsceal

Theres a lot of misconception in relation to hunting. Over here there are 3 types - Fox hunting/Deer hunting, Drag Hunting (where the hounds follow a scent laid down earlier by tractor) and chase hunting - where there are no hounds and a pack of horses follow one lead horse who shows the way. All are legal in ireland. I used to be very against fox hunting but after seeing a few hunts the irony is they very very rarely catch a fox. In fact I have never seen one caught. There are only certain areas that the hunt are allowed to go on so if the fox heads off to a different area they cannot just follow. Any fox that does get caught is usually very old or diseased. farmers ask the hunt to hunt the land to get rid of foxes. Earkly in th eseason the hunt go 'cubbing' this is where they go out on the land ain order to warn the foxes away - they dont want to go killing young foxes so this warning moves them to other areas. The whole idea is to keep foxes ioff teh land of teh farmers. There has been stories about English people comeing over to hunt but it seems largely untrue anyone I have spoken to has told me it just isnt happening - the media are assumign it will but it hasnt. you cannot just come over and hunt anyway you must be a paid member o fthe hunt club in question or a guest invited by a member - noone can just arrive over and expect to be allowed - it is also very exopensive

whippet

you will get an element of people joining irish hunting clubs, however this does not mean an increase in the number of actual hunts.

To the OP, your language is very emotive 'blood tourism' etc, I don't hunt but I have been at a few hunts alright and the only blood i witnessed was the blood on the faces of the hunters when their faces catch off briars and branches.

There are few few live animal hunts and alot more drag hunting in ireland (which does not involve the chasing of any wild animal).

When a fox is being hunted there are various unwritten rules as to the nature of the chase and this included not raising the animal when it 'goes to ground' etc.

In the wild foxes are chased by it's natural prey, an over population of foxes is a 'pest' to the rural community and that is where hunting has it origins. In my opinion hunting is neither cruel or inhumane and that is why it has survived through out the ages.

Siogfinsceal

Whippet is right. The number of hunts and the locations is decided by the hunt club at the start of the year. There would never be an increase in the number of hunt meets being held, just an increase in the number of people riding in the hunt on that particular day, the number of masters hounds etc stays the same

Archeron

whippet wrote:

you will get an element of people joining irish hunting clubs, however this does not mean an increase in the number of actual hunts.

To the OP, your language is very emotive 'blood tourism' etc, I don't hunt but I have been at a few hunts alright and the only blood i witnessed was the blood on the faces of the hunters when their faces catch off briars and branches.

There are few few live animal hunts and alot more drag hunting in ireland (which does not involve the chasing of any wild animal).

When a fox is being hunted there are various unwritten rules as to the nature of the chase and this included not raising the animal when it 'goes to ground' etc.

In the wild foxes are chased by it's natural prey, an over population of foxes is a 'pest' to the rural community and that is where hunting has it origins. In my opinion hunting is neither cruel or inhumane and that is why it has survived through out the ages.

Hey Whippet,
Point taken. I use that language through a lack of knowledge on the subject, and no offense is intended. The idea of other countries sending hunters and killing animals here does anger me, but as I say, lack of knowledge on the subject is my reason for posting, hence all the information on this thread is new knowledge to me. I wanted to learn more about the subject before getting annoyed about it needlessly.

Bluetonic

Just thought I'd throw this in here from the Fingal Independent.

First story from two weeks ago, second from last week.

Shock as stag eludes capture by jumping onto roof in Garristown!
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By Donncha MacRaghnaill

A STAG is on the loose in rural Fingal after evading capture from a pack of hounds and mounted horses by legging it up the main street in Garristown and leaping off a shop roof!

The Irish Red Deer was being pursued by up to 60 mounted members of the Ward Union Hunt after being set free near Palmerstown last Friday, January 13.

Chairperson of the Ward Union Hunt, Oliver Russell said the de-antlered deer ’took a fairly circuitous route and came in the back of Adamstown’.

‘It arrived in Garristown near the football pitch and went down the main road,’ Mr Russell said.

While Mr Russell was not there, he said he understood the deer then leaped over a wall and landed on a roof.

‘He jumped a wall but there was a drop in the ground the far side and he landed on a low roof,’ he said, saying it was probably at the back of Gough’s shop. ‘He jumped off and skedaddled away ending up beyond the graveyard,’ Mr Russell said.

‘It’s not unusual for a deer to end up on the road but it is unusual to end up on a roof but there is no talk of damage to the roof or to the deer, it was seen heading on,’ he said.

Mr Russell emphasised that the hunt was licensed under the Wildlife Act and the stags remain unharmed, while an officer from the Department of the Environment is on hand to ensure that is the case.

The hunters will now have to wait a month before giving chase to the deer again.

Blood Sports body slams deer chase
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By Donncha MacRaghnaill

THE RECENT sighting of a deer running through the main street in Garristown has drawn protest from some quarters who believe that in this day and age, chasing animals is unacceptable.

‘The recent incident of a red deer fleeing through Garristown may have generated some interest and excitement in the area, but to those of us who campaign for an end to this hunt, it is a cause for concern,’ said Aideen Yourell, spokesperson for the Irish Council Against Blood Sports.

She added that the National Council Against Blood Sports contended the Ward hunt was in fact illegal, as it was in contravention of the 1911 Protection of Animals Act.

‘Yet, controversially, it is licensed under the Wildlife Act, despite the fact that these deer are clearly not wild animals,’ she said.

However, chairperson of the Ward Union Hunt, Oliver Russell, totally rejected this contention and said the legality had been checked at the highest levels.

‘The question was raised in the Dáil and sent to the Attorney General and the advice was very simply, the Act did not distinguish if a deer was wild or otherwise and it was proper that the Ward Union should be granted a licence,’ he said.

He also utterly rejected any notion the deer were domesticated, stating they were ‘wild animals confined in a park with minimal human contact’.

Ms Yourell claimed that last year, according to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, two deer died following such hunts - one from an aneurysm, the other from fractured ribs.

Mr Russell responded: ‘What she has likely ignored is the fact that because it was such an unusual situation, the Ward Union had run the post mortem and we volunteered the information to the Department.’

‘It is most unusual for a deer to die,’ he explained.

franksm

Typical Irish mentality I'm afraid - the British ban hunting in the UK, and we welcome them like a well-trodden doormat to come and hunt over here. Yeah, I'm sure the "tourist trade" is great and lots of Sterling gets spent, but hunting sickens me, and the fact that these people are coming over here to hunt our wildlife sickens me more.

I had the misfortune to get caught up in a hunt near Dromara on New Year's in 2005 - I was making my way by car to Dublin at about 1100h in the morning. On the main road there (60mph road, but one lane in each direction), the road gets blocked off by the gentry on their horses - about 10 minutes later, a fox comes shooting across the road in absolute terror - wheezing and running, eyes all bulging. a few minutes after that, the hounds and then more peopel on horseback. Absolutely sickened me. Strange how they knew which way the fox was coming, so that they blocked the road to let it run across and into the next fields. Ar$eholes.

whippet

franksm wrote:

Typical Irish mentality I'm afraid - the British ban hunting in the UK, and we welcome them like a well-trodden doormat to come and hunt over here. Yeah, I'm sure the "tourist trade" is great and lots of Sterling gets spent, but hunting sickens me, and the fact that these people are coming over here to hunt our wildlife sickens me more.

.

A well misinformed post, have a read of a few of the earlier posts.

franksm

Just going by what I hear from a collegue at work - she lives in Wicklow and is very much into the sport. Her husband runs their B&B and she tells me that British hunting parties have boosted the B&B's trade no-end (certain times of year - I can't remember the detail of when/where)

Siogfinsceal

seriously - theres not that much of it going on at all not near as much english coming over to hunt as people expected. The hunting would be going on anyway!! the only difference these people coming over will bring is that there will be more people on horseback following that hunt meet. If it brings more B&B revenue well thats a bonus isnt it? If your against hunting thats fair enough and I respect your opinion. In fact I used to feel the same. But its wrong to assume that these people are comign over and hunting more animals than ever- either way there woul dbe a hunt on that day with the same number of hounds masters etc havign a few more horses in the pack wont result in any extra foxes being caught - the hounds and masters do teh work the others just follow on the horses