QUICK NEWS
- Evidence of suspected fox kill by Oxfordshire hunt
- Bagged fox reported
- Two Staghunts, three known kills – plus probable fourth
- Staghunt investigation makes national news
- Somerset staghunt out with five dogs (legal limit is two)
- Hunting Act charges against Somerset staghunt
- Staghunt chaos causes road accident
- First conviction secured under the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023
- Three from Somerset hunt plead not guilty after vixen killed
- CPW against Devon hunt confirmed
- Devon huntsman pleads guilty after Boxing Day kill
- Devon ‘terrierman’ guilty of two offences
- Dorset hunt under police investigation
- Female sab attacked by Gloucestershire hunt supporter
- Nottinghamshire hunt dog hit by car
- West Sussex hunt dog trampled by horse
- Herefordshire hunt dog found in pain
- Northamptonshire hunt supporter filmed kicking dog
- Cornish hunt in suspected financial struggle
- Protest arranged against university-land hunt-use
AAS plans Devon town anti-stag hunting march
TOP STORIES
The Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs found what remained of an alleged fox kill by the Heythrop Hunt on 18/09/26. Police are investigating.
This report from the West Midland Hunt Saboteurs describes the use of their drone to follow the activities of the Worcestershire Hunt on 23/09/26, ruining the Hunt’s day and preventing them from releasing “the bagged fox they had for later that morning so they dropped it at the meet and let the hounds go.” Sabs do not know what then became of this fox.
STAGS KILLED
We are aware of three – probably four – stag kills since our last Newsbyte.
Two of these were committed on the same day, 26/09/26, by the Devon and Somerset Staghounds. Both kills were of prime stags.
The Quantock Staghounds very likely killed on 28/09/26.
On 05/10/26 the Quantock Staghounds were seen shooting a stag after it had been chased up and down the steep Quantock combes for some hours
On 08/09/26, The Independent newspaper reported that the Avon and Somerset Police are investigating the hunting of a stag by the Quantock Staghounds on Monday 24/08/26. Video evidence shows the fleeing stag jumping a boundary and nearly colliding with supporters (one of whom was convicted huntsman, Wayne Gregory of the Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers), who were trying to frighten the animal back towards the hunters.
There was a close call for a young stag on 01/10/26, a day when the Quantock Staghounds were seen out with five dogs – three over the legal amount permissible, were they even flushing to guns.
COURTS, CASES, CHARGES
Martin Watts (huntsman) and Chris Gibbons (master) of the Quantock Stag Hounds have been charged with offences under the Hunting Act in the first stag hunting case to be brought to court in many years. The charges come just inside the requisite six months for these to be made, and relate to an offence on the 16/03/26 when they killed a young stag, broken after a chase of over four hours, becoming trapped behind a fence it was too exhausted to leap. Sabs themselves describe the film recorded by the North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs and the Mendip Hunt Saboteurs of the extensive chase and the kill respectively, as “haunting”. Watts and Gibbons are due for their plea hearing on 22/10/26.
NDHS paid tribute to ‘the dedicated wildlife crime officer of Avon and Somerset Police’ who took on “the seemingly impossible task of holding staghunters to account against the current weak law”.
Martin Watts is also charged in relation to a separate incident which occurred on 23/04/26.
After more than 18 months since Claire Bellamy, ex-hunstwoman and former Master of the Lauderdale Hunt, was filmed deliberately hunting a fox with a pack of hounds on 04/01/2025, the Glasgow Hunt Monitors can report the first conviction under the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023. Supposedly operating under licence from NatureScot, it emerged that Bellamy did not have the required paperwork in place to be in charge of the hounds that day. Bellamy, who has a three-decade history of hunting, was found guilty at Paisley Sheriff Court, with the judge describing footage obtained by hunt saboteurs as ‘gut wrenching’. She is due to be sentenced next month, and could be jailed for up to 12 months or face a fine of up to £40,000.
On 23/09/26, Jason Marles, huntsman and Master with the Eggesford Hunt, pleaded guilty at Exeter Magistrates’ Court to hunting a wild animal with dogs, following an incident on Boxing Day 2025.
On the same day, Thomas Bounsall was convicted of two separate offences. The first (intentional disorderly conduct) resulted from conduct whilst he was out with the Eggesford Hunt in Nov ‘25, and the second conviction was the result of careless driving in Jan ‘26 when he was out with the Spooner and West Dartmoor Hunt.
Bounsall incurred total financial penalties amounting to £2185 (£1500 + £685), and Marles penalties amounting to £785, (£500 + £285).
Three members of the Mendip Farmers Hunt, Emma Clothier, Charlie Thomas and Bill Payne appeared at Taunton Deane Magistrates Court on 15/09/26 and pleaded not guilty to hunting a wild mammal with dogs following the killing of a vixen by their pack. Their trial is set for 15/09/27.
On 12/09/26, the Wildlife Crime Action team videoed (alleged) illegal activity by the Portman Hunt. Police were called, and having viewed the video evidence the police called for other officers to attend. Dorset Police have launched an investigation into (alleged) illegal hunting by the Portman.
A 23/09/26 FOI response has confirmed that the Dartmoor Hunt has been issued with a CPW.
On 07/10/26 it was revealed that the Four Burrow Hunt in Cornwall had also received a CPW.
Already, on 10/10/26, this was breached when they broke condition 7 of the Warning, having failed to give the Police 24 hours notice of their hunt that morning. The Police have stated that the Four Burrow Hunt had now committed a crime.
HUNT VIOLENCE
On 14/09/26, a supporter with the Vale of White Horse Hunt attacked a female member of the Cotswold Hunt Saboteurs. She went to hospital with facial bruising and a suspected fracture of the cheek bone. Police were called and footage of the attack is with them.
DOGS
A 26/09/26 report from the Nottingham Hunt Saboteurs contains the following account after a dog from the South Nottingham Hunt was struck by a car:
“One poor hound was hit by a car and dragged under the car until the driver could stop. Our vehicle was parked about 100m from where it happened. The noise the hound made was horrific. It ran off clearly in agony. Sabs and the hunt were unable to find it. The driver got out of their car screaming, horrified by what had just happened. One of our sabs was able to stay with them and comfort them until they felt able to drive home.”
The Brighton Hunt Saboteurs have recorded a dog being trampled by a horse ridden by Elliot Stokes of the Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray Hunt. The dog ran off bloodied and injured, and the Hunt seemingly unbothered.
On 03/10/26, members of the Welsh Border Hunt Saboteurs came across a dog from the Ledbury Hunt clearly in pain having been found hanging from fencing. She was unwilling to move, putting no weight onto a back leg. She also had a bleeding wound or growth to a front leg, and a growth on a back leg. She was taken away in a quad.
Video emerged on 03/10/26 showing a Pytchley Hunt supporter kicking one of the dogs to the ground.
HARES
The Hunt Saboteurs Association are reminding their that there have been three successful convictions of hare hunting packs already in 2026.
The first prosecution was of the Devon and Somerset Bassetts at Weymouth Majesty Court on 16/06/26. The second prosecution was of the pack belonging to Stowe School.
(Because this pack is run by the school, there is a safeguarding issue which is being pursued.) And finally, the Pipewell Foot Beagles were videoed killing a hare.
FURTHER NEWS
In a report from the West Cornwall Hunt Saboteurs they speculate that the Western Hunt is in financial trouble. They also reckon the hunt may have lost support to the Miners Bloodhounds (a clean boot hunt). Loss of support, loss of land to hunt on, a huntsman convicted after his dogs savaged Mini (a cat), and a lot of bad publicity seem to have all taken their toll.
Locals Against the Warwickshire Hunt are organising a protest (possibly the first of many) at Oxford University for Sat 17/10/26 to protest the University permitting their land to be used by the Warwickshire Hunt for hunting purposes.
The North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs report that on 08/10/26 the supporters of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds caused a road traffic accident. The Hunt immediately made themselves scarce and this did enable the hunted stag to escape into safer territory.
AAS MARCH
Action Against Staghunting are organising a march in Tiverton on 24/10/26 to raise awareness about the stag hunts which operate in the country surrounding the town, with which two hunts associate themselves: both the Tiverton Staghounds and the Tiverton Foxhounds. Marchers will meet at 11am outside the bus station, EX16 6LU.
