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Optimistic outlook for future of hunting
HOPE AND optimism are running higher among the area's hunting fraternity than for many years, the largest meets of the year heard.
The traditional Boxing Day meets of the Burton, Brocklesby and South Wold hunts which all cover country in the Rasen Mail area were attended by hundreds of supporters.
At the Burton meet on the Lincolnshire Showground, Master William Cracroft-Eley said there was ‘a greater sense of optimism for hunting than we have seen for years.’
He said that inspite of the hunting ban - that still allows riding to hounds but not the pursuit to the point of death of a fox, with any quarry having to be shot rather than killed by hounds - hunts were still in good health, but other rural industries were being hit as the unseen victims of ill-drafted legislation.
There have been 40,000 days of hunting carried out by 300 hunts since the Hunting Act came into force in February 2005, and only thrree cases against hunts completed and a further three pending.
“The cases that have been heard confirm that the law is so ambiguous and badly drafted that interpreting what is illegal hunting, what is legal hunting and what is not hunting at all, is nearly impossible,” said Sinon Hart, director of the Countryside Alliance.With more than 50 riders, Louth’s South Wold meet was the biggest for years, boosted by hundreds of supporters.
Master Nick Ashcroft said: “It’s better than for many years.
“There is also a tremendous number of young people who are our future. It’s brilliant.”
l Do you think hunts are right to be optimistic?
Email jason.hippisley@jpress.co.uk with your thoughts on hunting.
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Weather for Market Rasen
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
