PLAS MACHYNLLETH FOXHOUNDS
1. Type of Hunting carried out
Foxhunting is essential in this area of Mid Wales, which is centred around the historical town of Machynlleth. We hunt with foot packs. The Plas Machynlleth Foxhounds were taken over by farmers in 1970, each farmer contributing towards the costs. As a consequence, the type of hunting carried out has changed. Nowadays, more use is made of the shotgun. The foxhounds are used to flush the foxes out of the vast forest plantations we have in this area so that the farmers can shoot them on clearings or on open farm land.
2. Impact foxhunting has on:
a) Rural Economy
The Foxhound Committee employs a full time huntsman. Also, local employment benefits by being used for repairs and maintenance of the foxhound van, printing of annual accounts and raffle tickets, etc., veterinary services, provision of fuel for van and food for the hounds.
b) Agriculture
The benefits to the farming industry are substantial. Every season, between 130-150 foxes are killed. Despite this, problems still occur at lambing time and the foxhounds receive between 15-20 call-outs in the Spring.
Many farms now lamb indoors and it is only when lambs are strong enough that they are allowed outside. Yet, many of these farmers also lose lambs to foxes, it is a myth that foxes only take weak or dead lambs.
c) Social and Cultural life of the countryside
Although hunting is often regarded as a tradition in the countryside, the fact is that it is more of a necessity. The old-way is still proving to be the best.
Farmers on hill farms spend a tremendous proportion of their lives working in solitude. The state of agriculture during the last few years has added a considerable strain on every farmer. Mid Wales has, in recent years, caused alarm among experts who have discovered its high farming suicide rate and attributed it, among other reasons, to a lack of opportunity to meet with other people.
A day out hunting gives a farmer a break from the day to day solitude and the enjoyment of meeting and talking to other farmers is an absolute lifeline for many a depressed farmers. The Committee organises several local whist-drives every year, again an opportunity for many farmers, their families and friends to enjoy an inexpensive night out. Also an Annual Dinner is organised.
d) Management and conversation of wildlife
It is now vastly recognised that foxes cause tremendous losses to several species of ground nesting birds.
Three quarters of Borth Bog, which is within our hunting area, was taken over by a conservation body which banned foxhunting on its land. Within three years we were requested to return with the hounds. The first hunt
resulted in 13 foxes being destroyed. Also, the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, who own the Glaslyn Nature Reserve, have asked for our services as they want to re-introduce grouse onto their land.
Our efficient and effective method of seasonal culling ensures a healthy fox population and helps maintain a balanced existence of other wildlife.
e) Animal Welfare
If a fox is only injured by a gunshot, as sometimes happens, the foxhounds are not far behind and the fox is killed instantly by the hounds - a much kinder ending than if he had to endure days of suffering a slow death from his injuries.
3. Consequences of any ban on hunting with dogs
a) Farmers would, in desperation, be forced to use illegal poisons and traps. These methods would inevitably have a drastic effect on all other aspects of wildlife.
b) There are no professional marksman in our area. A ban would only encourage more inexperienced 'amateur' rifle shooters to go out at night. Bullets from such weapons can travel for up to 3 miles unless they hit a target. This method could kill farm animals and also human beings that happened to be in the line of fire. Who knows where these bullets might end up at night?
c) When foxhunting was stopped for 3 months in this area during the 60's outbreak of the foot and mouth disease, the problems with foxes during the spring were colossal. The usual call outs of 15-20 were trebled or even quadrupled.
d) Over 50 years ago, during the war, huge lamb and poultry loses by foxes pushed farmers to the brink financially and forced the War Agriculture Committee to take the unprecedented step of ordering the then huntsman (who had been called up by the Army) to be recalled back to re-form the Plas Machynlleth Foxhounds as he was the only man who had the skill and knowledge to halt the devastation in this upland part of Wales. If foxhunting is banned now, we shall see ourselves in the same situation as those farmers, especially as forest plantations now cover a much larger area than at that time.
e) Any heavy losses to the foxes at lambing time will prove to be the last straw for many already struggling family hill farms. Also, free-range poultry keeping will become a 'thing of the past'.
4. Summary
The Plas Machynlleth Hunt is an integral part of the locality, there is a huge traditional support for the hunt in the area. It provides an essential service for the farming community as important as any other rural service provider. The consequence of any ban will affect people from all walks of life and much of the social fabric-of the area, provided by the hunt will be gone forever.
Emyr Lewis
Plas Machynlleth Fox Bounds
TO: THE BURNS INQUIRY
I write to give you my views, and I am sure I can safely say, the views of the majority of livestock farmers in my area, regarding the use of foxhounds for the control of foxes.
We, ourselves, run a small, mixed farm which is surrounded by forest plantations, an ideal breeding ground and haven for foxes.
The safety of our stock is paramount and we believe that hunting with hounds is the best way of controlling the fox population. If the numbers are kept down, there is enough food for the foxes, mainly rabbits, mice, etc., but when the numbers multiply, then the trouble begins.
The hound is the natural predator of the fox and finding foxes with hounds is the surest way and swiftest method of control. Foxhunting is not a sport, in this area at least, but a necessary part of our farming programme.
It is heartbreaking for a farmer to get up early in the morning to see to the day's lambing only to discover that one, or even two, of his lambs have been killed by a fox. Once the fox starts to kill he is very likely to return on a regular basis anytime during the night. It is impossible for the farmer to stay up all night, every night, to guard his entire flock on all his land.
It would be a futile exercise to take a shotgun and try to find a fox in the thick undergrowths of the plantations without the help of a pack of hounds.
On our farm we also have a flock of over 100 laying hens and problems with foxes can therefore affect us all year, as the hens are free to roam onto the fields during the day, but, unfortunately, they are 'sitting targets' for any fox which may be lying in wait inside the forest plantation. Naturally, all the hens are shut indoors at night. Last year, we lost a number of hens to the fox and we were fortunate enough to be able to ask the local hunt for assistance. As soon as the hounds were released from the van they picked up the fox's scent and within 10 minutes the fox had been shot in a clearing in the forest. The problem was solved quickly and efficiently. Losing one hen to the fox, in reality, means a loss of £35-£40 a year (cost of hen plus eggs laid in 1 year).
It is very frustrating to hear the urban population demanding to ban foxhunting when we know that, in reality, they know nothing of the true facts. They are not aware, and indeed they do not seem to want to be aware, of the damage an over-population of foxes does in the countryside. The hill farmers rely on the lamb market for their living, and especially during the present farming crisis, every lamb counts.
It is all very well to demand a new law when the consequences do not in the least affect one's own work and livelihood.
If foxhunting is banned we shall be forced to abandon our free range business as the inevitable losses to the foxes would make the whole concern inviable.
Finally, I do hope that we shall be able to continue with our method of hunting so we can protect our livestock and help to maintain a balance of nature in the countryside.
Margaret H. Hughes, Cilgwyn, Llanwrin, Machynlleth.
Date uploaded to site 3 June 2000