MORE ON THE TERRIERMEN WITH PHOTOS SHOWING WHO THEY ARE

 Work: The Soft Underbelly Of Illegal Fox Hunting

Following a number of recent scandals, hunting’s governing body – the British Hound Sports Association – has announced a ‘review’ of terrier work. But what is this secretive practice and why is it so important to the criminal fox hunters?

At first sight, fox hunting looks like the random pursuit of foxes across the countryside…let a pack of hounds loose and hope for the best.

The reality is very different: fox hunting is, in fact, a highly organised, pre-meditated activity, designed to guarantee the pursuit of foxes for the enjoyment of paying subscribers. Hunt terriermen play a crucial role in this process behind the scenes. 

Terriermen

Terriermen are a familiar sight on fox hunts. They travel on quad bikes which allow them easy access to the woods and fields where they ply their grim trade. Typically, there is a grilled box on the front of the quad containing a couple of terriers, with a longer box on the back for their tools: spades, digging bars, drainage rods, nets, and other equipment.

Earth Stopping

It is totally unnatural for a predator like a fox to run for extended periods. Their first line of defence when hunted is to ‘go to earth’ – to seek refuge underground. But this is a serious impediment to the fox hunters, who want to enjoy the spectacle of a terrified fox being hunted across open fields.

The first job of the terriermen is therefore to trap foxes above ground on the day of the hunt. They achieve this by visiting all known fox earths, badger setts, and other potential refuges the night before the hunt and ‘stopping’ them – filling them in – with earth or other material.

The next day, the hunted fox will make for a known refuge, find it blocked, and be forced to run on, thus producing the extended chase that the subscribers are paying for.

Terrier Work

Despite the best efforts of the ‘earth stoppers’, a hunted fox may eventually find an unblocked refuge during the course of the hunt. Again, this is an interruption to the subscriber’s ‘sport’ and, again, terriermen are crucial to getting the day back on track.

Brutalised terriers are sent into the hole to locate the fox and attack her underground. These days, terriers are fitted with a locator collar that transmits their exact location back to the terriermen above ground. While the terrier savages the fox, the terriermen will dig down – often several feet – to expose their terrified victim.