Foxhunting growing in popularity

Four years after Scotland banned it, foxhunting has never been more popular. Yesterday, six of Scotland's ten hunts held events, and organisers reported the highest number of riders and supporters since hunting foxes with dogs was outlawed in 2002.

The high numbers were reflected across the UK. More than 300,000 people were believed to have taken part in the 314 UK hunts, the highest number ever.

At yesterday's Lauderdale hunt, nearly 100 people filled the garden of the Mosshouses estate to cheer on the riders.

"People want to come support us, it's as simple as that," huntsman John Forbes said yesterday from atop his horse Corky. "Most of the people who are here are local and appreciate the importance of a rural community. Hunting is integral to the rural way of life and an end to it would threaten its very existence."

Yesterday's assemblage, like all of Scotland's gatherings, was not technically a hunt; it was a "pest control operation", a cull of foxes.

But don't tell that to the assembled supporters and riders, many of whom have been coming to this hunt for over 40 years. The foxes are killed by gunmen rather than hounds, but yesterday the gunmen stayed out of sight of the guests in a meadow below; nothing should disturb the guise of authenticity.

"It's not the same as it used to be, but we do our best to make it as similar to the old days as we can," explained Tony Hogarth, the host of the Lauderdale Hunt, as he passed out whisky and Christmas cake to his guests. There is still a lot of anger within the hunting community. One hunter railed at the "city scum and spotty-faced youths who are killing the countryside".

All felt the ban was both unjust and ineffective.

In 2004, it emerged that the ban on hunting resulted in a doubling of the number of foxes killed.

Scotland biggest hunt, the Buccleuch, killed an average of 50 foxes a season prior to the ban. Figures produced by the huntsmen themselves show that for 2003-4, it alone killed more than 100. Of that number, 81 foxes were shot by guns, but 19 were killed by hounds who chased them down before they could be shot.

Allan Murray, director of hunting for the Scottish Countryside Alliance, said yesterday: "If you ban something, people want to see why it's been banned.

"Because it's Boxing Day and a festive event, it's a social gathering. Hunting has more to it then killing the fox. People want to meet their friends and have a good chat to each other."

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports said he was sceptical about whether public support was growing for hunting now that dogs were banned.

But he added: "Some hunts in England have quite brazenly talked about their intention to break the law and that might appeal to certain elements.

"The incidence of hunting has always been much lower in Scotland but south of the Border illegal hunting is taking place. I don't think there's any doubt about that."

Yesterday, the league revealed that it has created its own "prosecution unit" to help boost its attempts to crack down on illegal hunting.

THE FOX AND THE HOUND

• There are ten hunts in Scotland, with most located in the Borders.

• Scotland's biggest hunt, the Buccleuch, kills around 100 foxes a year.

• Hunts are estimated to take an average of between 1.2 and 1.3 foxes on each outing. It is therefore possible to estimate that fox hunts in Scotland kill approximately 570 adult foxes per year.

There are about 23,000 foxes in Scotland.

• Foxes are considered pests because they kill a around 0.6% of the lambs estimated to be born each year, which may have a crucial impact ona hill- farmer's income. They also have an effect on partridge and pheasant populations.

• Hunting with hounds is estimated to be responsible for around 1,700 full-time jobs in Scotland.

• Forty per cent of hunting supporters live in "rural" areas.

• Eighty per cent of hunting clubs have only "white" members.

• There are 318 registered hound packs in England and Wales.