HUNT saboteurs are calling for people to lobby the Forestry Commission after claims that the Quantock Staghounds rode across its land during a meet in April.

The saboteurs, who regularly monitor hunts in West Somerset and Exmoor, said a young stag was killed by the Quantock Staghounds after a prolonged chase, much of which was on Forestry England (FE) land.

They said it was despite the organisation having banned hunting on its land since 1998, when the Bateson Report pointed to suffering which hunted deer endured.

The saboteurs said they alerted FE staff as the hunt was happening, but no apparent action was taken to enforce the ban.

A Quantock Staghounds huntsman filmed by hunt saboteurs during a chase which they claimed went over Forestry England land. PHOTO: Hunt Saboteurs Association.
A Quantock Staghounds huntsman filmed by hunt saboteurs during a chase which they claimed went over Forestry England land. PHOTO: Hunt Saboteurs Association. ( )

A saboteurs spokesperson said: “This was just one of a series of recent kills that have resulted from a stag being chased through FE land where they should be safe.

“By failing to enforce their ban on hunting, FE are complicit in the suffering and torturous deaths of hunted stags on the Quantock Hills.

“We demand to know why FE are not enforcing their ban and what action they will take in the future.

“What is the point of having a ban if they do not enforce it?

“The Quantock Stag Hounds’ sense of entitlement surely grows each time they flaunt the ban without repercussions.

“Sabs are sick of seeing hunted stags suffer and die as the hunt chase them through areas where they should be safe.”

Spring stags escaping from a Devon and Somerset Staghounds hunt on Exmoor earlier this year. PHOTO: North Dorset Hunt Sabs.
Spring stags escaping from a Devon and Somerset Staghounds hunt on Exmoor earlier this year. PHOTO: North Dorset Hunt Sabs. ( )

The spokesperson called for Forestry England to effectively enforce its ban and evict the hunt when it trespassed and to take legal action regarding previous trespass and ‘illegal hunting incidents’, and said people should put pressure on FE to do so.

They said: “FE have the capacity to make a real difference to the lives of hunted stags on the Quantock Hills and provide sanctuary to deer enduring long, brutal chases.”

Quantock Staghounds chairman James Hawthorne said: “The forest is full of bridleways which are used by riders every day of the week.

“It is a bit rich being accused of trespass by sabs who spend their whole time trespassing on private property and continue to fly drones over an area of outstanding natural beauty, which is illegal.”

A Forestry England spokesperson said: “We are communicating with the Quantock Staghounds regarding any unauthorised access to the land we manage.

“Forestry England condemn illegal activity.

“If we see activities we suspect to be illegal we will report them to the police with as much evidence as we can and ask that any member of the public does the same, so that the police can consider further investigations.

“Sadly, we are too often the victim of unauthorised access to the nation’s forests we care for, from wild camping to illegal off-roading.

“We have very limited resources and work across the whole country, so tackling all these incidents as they happen or afterwards is very difficult.

“Some of these activities, such as legal trail hunting, are best managed by issuing permits, although Forestry England has not issued permits for legal trail hunting since 2021.”