I had a knock at the door this week. It was the president of the local hunt who had come round to warn me that this Sunday, they are doing a big hunt and that it will be next to our land and as he knows I have horses he thought I’d want to know. He was incredibly apologetic and explained that whilst he would be stationing two hunters at the bottom of our garden, there was no need to worry as they were two of the best and he “had complete confidence in them” - slightly worrying in terms of the rest of them!!
He told me that since the recent spate of people being shot whilst hanging out their washing etc he now needed to go round and speak to everyone, thank me profusely for my understanding and toddled off.
I will be keeping cats, dog and horse inside and am now looking forward to the sound of baying dogs early on Sunday morning - not!
I’ll let you know how this pans out!
Did he say what species they were actually hunting ??? Hope all goes well…chez Higginson
Thanks! Deer because they are proliferating (absolutely true ) and damaging the vines which are next door.
I thought there were even more around than usual… and we do get a lot !!!
So, it needs to be done… and I am glad the Chasse are acting responsibly with regard to their/your security… during this culling…
Notices are always posted at the Mairie… but folk rarely read them… a personal visit to warn folk who live nearby… is a great idea.
When I drove down the N10 on Wednesday I saw a large number of deer in the field, most were standing but several were lying down. I’ve never seen that many together in the wild.
Hunting is part of country life here, the season started earlier than usual in a lot of areas because there were a lot more boar around damaging crops and farmers were pushing for it.
I may be wrong here, but I think that there may be a rule that is supposed to prevent the discharge of firearms within 200 metres of the edge of the approved hunting area in order to create a safety zone.
We have only a few deer and no vines.
I have just reserved two kilos of boudins from our chasse.
There has just been a huge commotion round here.
A neighbour has seen a sanglier and they have been after it this afternoon.
They must have seen it because there was firing and lots of dogs barking and bells as per usual.
We are no longer hunter gatherers and I don’t really care about so-called hunting traditions which are nothing but blood sport pursuits.
Hunting down and killing animals for food was once an ancient necessity, but hunting and killing animals for the gratification it brings to a minority of gun & dog toting pleasure seeking groups of men in the modern world, should be banned, as it surely will be in time, as were blood sports of the past.
As human beings we are said to have empathy for others, and surely that must include the animal kingdom.
Having to go round warning people that they and their animals may be in danger says it all really.
Strange, beautiful, disturbing Guardian article today…
Lovely stuff, clear and very matter of fact.
Reminded me of Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man, but without the fatal egotism of Timothy Treadwell
This was interesting. I learned quite a lot.