# Hunting on National Trust land



## Orangehorse (15 August 2017)

Apparently there is going to be a vote at the National Trust's AGM in October on whether or not hunting should continue to be allowed.  Obviously there is are certain people who want it banned.

The National Trust's stance is that if hunting is carried out lawfully, then they are happy for it to continue under licence. Any breach or suggested lawbreaking by hunting a live quarry would lead to a review (and ban for a hunt involved).

A heads up for everyone


----------



## Alec Swan (16 August 2017)

The National Trust (NT) will happily acquiesce to the populist vote regarding Hunting because they are,  and despite their fine words,  driven by the vital aspect of fund raising.  Interesting that it would be highly unlikely that they'd take the same stance though with driven game shoots,  a practice which affects far more injury and suffering than does Hunting,  and simply because of the revenues derived from shooting.

Perhaps understandably,  the NT takes the stance of 'What's in it for us'.  If those who ride to hounds were to pay for the privilege of doing so over NT land,  we'd see an opposing stance,  and that's a certainty.

Alec.


----------



## Equi (16 August 2017)

Everything Alec said! I worked for a wildlife conservation charity one summer, and the head land keeper man was pro hunting because it did so much for conservation esp of bogs and the like which are in serious decline (thus the bog dwelling animals/ground laying birds are in decline) he said without hunting at all so many species would be just wiped out but noone cares about them cause they are just birds, but a fox is a cute little cuddly dog that is just trying to survive.


----------



## GirlFriday (17 August 2017)

The NT have already had at least two votes (pre ban? I think I was a teenager it was so long ago!), at least the first of which showed their membership was against hunting (of stags?) on Trust land. They ignored the vote and treated it as advisory.

I left the NT, not becasue of the outcome but becasue of their contempt for paying membership... So, I'd actually need to disagree with you there Alec and equi. The NT are very good at doing their own reactionary thing


----------



## Countryman (17 August 2017)

It leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Why on earth would they not allow a traditional and legal activity to be carried out on their land? In addition to the conservation benefits hunting provides, it must be remembered that much of the Trust's land was deliberately gifted by landowners on the condition that hunting be allowed to continue. The Trust is supposed to safeguard our rural heritage after all.


----------



## Clodagh (17 August 2017)

I thought it was banned on NT land? When I went out with the staghounds, many years ago - pre ban - they couldn't hunt on trust land, and used to ride the stag off if he went that way, which was much worse than the NT just allowing a straightforward hunt.


----------



## Rowreach (17 August 2017)

Clodagh said:



			I thought it was banned on NT land? When I went out with the staghounds, many years ago - pre ban - they couldn't hunt on trust land, and used to ride the stag off if he went that way, which was much worse than the NT just allowing a straightforward hunt.
		
Click to expand...

I thought so too.  In fact, on the day that hunting was banned in the rest of the UK, we were hunting here in NI on a National Trust property where the owner retained the sporting rights before signing it over to the NT, and they can't do anything to stop the hunt meeting and hunting there.


----------



## Countryman (17 August 2017)

Clodagh said:



			I thought it was banned on NT land? When I went out with the staghounds, many years ago - pre ban - they couldn't hunt on trust land, and used to ride the stag off if he went that way, which was much worse than the NT just allowing a straightforward hunt.
		
Click to expand...

Pre-ban, when all forms of hunting were legal, the Trust only banned Staghunting -and that was very controversial in the 90's.


----------



## Orangehorse (17 August 2017)

Countryman said:



			It leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Why on earth would they not allow a traditional and legal activity to be carried out on their land? In addition to the conservation benefits hunting provides, it must be remembered that much of the Trust's land was deliberately gifted by landowners on the condition that hunting be allowed to continue. The Trust is supposed to safeguard our rural heritage after all.
		
Click to expand...

Hunting is not banned on NT land (don't know about Stag Hunting), but there is a vote to get it banned, on the basis that while hunts say that they are hunting legally, actually they are really trying to hunt foxes.  

This was just to alert people.


----------



## Clodagh (17 August 2017)

Countryman said:



			Pre-ban, when all forms of hunting were legal, the Trust only banned Staghunting -and that was very controversial in the 90's.
		
Click to expand...

Ah! I see.


----------



## Alec Swan (17 August 2017)

Orangehorse said:



			&#8230;&#8230;..  hunts say that they are hunting legally, actually they are really trying to hunt foxes.  

This was just to alert people.
		
Click to expand...

Would there be irrefutable evidence of that?  There have been those who hunt illegally we know,  but there are also those who drive cars and break the law,  so does that make all of those who drive cars or those who ride to hounds law-breakers?

Alec.


----------



## Orangehorse (18 August 2017)

Alec Swan said:



			Would there be irrefutable evidence of that?  There have been those who hunt illegally we know,  but there are also those who drive cars and break the law,  so does that make all of those who drive cars or those who ride to hounds law-breakers?

Alec.
		
Click to expand...

This is what most of the court cases have been about.  The antis are never going to be satisfied until there are simply no hunts at all, and having any sort of meet with a pack of hounds is regarded as against the law.  Even the Labour Party who introduced the ban said that drag hunting and trail hunting is OK, so I can't understand all the angst - well I suppose I do as the law was drawn up in such a woolly way.  But I very much doubt (and fervently hope) that any hunt on National Trust land would even contemplate any action by any member or supporter that would risk a ban.


----------



## Kat (23 August 2017)

Orangehorse said:



			The National Trust's stance is that if hunting is carried out lawfully, then they are happy for it to continue under licence. Any breach or suggested lawbreaking by hunting a live quarry would lead to a review (and ban for a hunt involved).
		
Click to expand...

I hope that isn't their official wording or it could make life difficult for bloodhound packs hunting the clean boot!


----------



## Orangehorse (23 August 2017)

Kat said:



			I hope that isn't their official wording or it could make life difficult for bloodhound packs hunting the clean boot!
		
Click to expand...

Ha, ha!  
Having read a bit more in yesterday's paper, it is like saying don't give someone a driving licence in case they break the speed limit.


----------



## Isbister (6 September 2017)

It's clear to me that the National Trust is in danger of becoming unpleasantly politicised, and in the wrong way. The business at Felbrigg Hall is an indication that the NT will go out of its way to court the PC element, and a logical extension of that would be to ban hunting on NT property. Of course, such a move might be open to legal challenge, but it shows which way the wind is blowin'.


----------



## Orangehorse (6 September 2017)

The latest new I have seen is that the National Trust Council, or those who run it, want things to remain as they are - to many howls from the antis.

Felbrigg Hall was a bit of a storm in a teacup, whipped up by newspapers, as the NT said that anyone who didn't agree with wearing the badges didn't have to.  I know they are rather keen on "this" subject, which must be distressing for any descendants, but I think there was some evidence.

I am a member of the National Trust, so I intend voting on the hunting issue.


----------



## Isbister (6 September 2017)

Orangehorse said:



			The latest new I have seen is that the National Trust Council, or those who run it, want things to remain as they are - to many howls from the antis.

Felbrigg Hall was a bit of a storm in a teacup, whipped up by newspapers, as the NT said that anyone who didn't agree with wearing the badges didn't have to.  I know they are rather keen on "this" subject, which must be distressing for any descendants, but I think there was some evidence.

I am a member of the National Trust, so I intend voting on the hunting issue.
		
Click to expand...


I too am a member of the National Trust - in fact I have supported it for many years, but while in many respects it does a fantastic job, I feel there is something amiss.

Last week I believe it was reported that, as some form of interim measure, the NT intended to publicise forthcoming meets on its land. The consequences, certainly for those in the south of England, can be readily foreseen.


----------



## Shay (8 September 2017)

Regardless of the outcome of the vote NT has placed serious limitations on licenses which will impact everyone.  You can find their position here https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/our-position-on-trail-hunting

Artificial scent not natural ones  - which could be interesting for bloodhound packs.  Days, locations and contact details published by the NT on their website in advance, a ban on terrier men and associated vehicles and stringent reporting post meet.

Words fail me....


----------



## Alec Swan (8 September 2017)

The simple fact is that with the NT being a charity,  the only progress that those who oppose hunting can make,  is to threaten or put at risk the fund raising abilities of the said charity.  Those who hunt over NT land don't pay to do so,  if they did it would be an entirely different matter.

I'm afraid to say that we'll have to get used to it and bear in mind that as the NT don't generally own vast swathes of land,  the impact will only be a case of point scoring,  it'll have very little impact upon Hunting itself.

The National Trust are a joke.

Alec.


----------

