- The Guardian, Monday November 5 2007
The mood was "very positive and upbeat", according to the Countryside Alliance, as hunts entered the third year in which their packs could only follow specially laid scents rather than identify, chase and kill foxes or other wild mammals. "If anything there has been more support. The hunts have shown they have the ability to survive in their current form, at least in the medium term," said Tim Bonner, the alliance's spokesman.
It "would be very confident" that if a subsequent Conservative government lived up to the party's promise of a free vote on repealing the 2004 Hunting Act the legislation would be overturned. "If there was no hope of getting back to proper hunting I don't think the current structure would be sustainable."
The alliance says only three hunts have been successfully prosecuted under the legislation, under which there are maximum £5,000 fines, despite the equivalent of 30,000 days hunting since the act came into force in February 2005.
The Duke of Beaufort's hunt reported more than 200 riders and up to 2,000 followers on foot turning out on Saturday.
Jo Aldridge, the hunt's spokeswoman, said: "There is a feeling in everybody's heart to keep supporting and keep the show on the road." But Barry Hugill, of the League Against Cruel Sports, said even Baily's, the hunting equivalent of cricket's Wisden, said fox hunting was going through a crisis. At least 20 people were known to have been convicted of illegal hunting under the act, this included stags, hares, rabbits and rats.
