Myths & Legends

To the uninformed hunting with foxhounds is seen as an out of date, barbaric past time enjoyed by the upper echelon of today's society. These beliefs could be no further from the truth.

It is vital that the general public and media begin to understand the countryside. It has not been created by magic, but by the hard work and the considerable financial investment of farmers and the field sports community.

In the 1970's and early into the 1980's, the natural population of Red & Black Grouse, Grey Partridge, Blue Hare, Brown Hare, Lapwing and Curlew was prevalent in North East Scotland. They are now a far rarer sight. Without proper and prudent control of ground predators

Foxhunting is not only a 'sport', as considered by many, but an essential method of control against a completely out of control fox population, not only in the countryside but ever increasingly in many villages and towns where foxes are a common sight raiding dustbins for food.

The only legal and proven method of culling the weak and infirm members of the fox population is by the use of hounds. There is no wounding or slow strangulation and foxes that are fit and healthy will usually outrun hounds with ease.

FICTION	FACT
87% of farmers in Scotland suffer no loss at all from foxes.	This figure included ALL farmers in Scotland. Many farming only arable land and would therefore not suffer any loss.
36% of farmers in Scotland considered foxes useful in controlling rabbits and rodents.	The fox is an omnivore, and an opportunist, it will eat almost anything, even ice cream, and can often be seen scavenging from dustbins.
17% of lambs born on Scottish hills die within 24 hours. Better husbandry by farmers would result in greater economic benefits compared to reducing fox perdation.	If this were the case sheep farmers in Scotland would be bankrupt (excluding the current low cost of lamb in the market). The Scottish Agriculture Colleges estimate the mortality rate, between birth and weaning, at 3% for the Highlands and Grampians.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food considered that the loss of lambs to foxes did not constitute a 'economic significance'.	The MAFF don't pay the farmers bills.
There is no evidence to show that foxhunting plays a major role in the control of foxes.	The statistics, as shown in the KFH hunt figures, prove otherwise.

The above comments, as stated in the 'Fiction' column, are extracts from a recent letter from a Member of the Scottish Parliament in a reply to representation from the Kincardineshire Hunt following the planned banning of foxhunting within Scotland.

It is interesting to note that author of the reply, although wishing to ban foxhunting, includes the comment in their letter. "Although I am in favour of a ban on using dogs to kill foxes this is only as long as it does not stop game keepers and other hunters using dogs prior to shooting the fox"..