Part 2 – Description of Coursing with Deerhounds

Please see Annex 1. – Section 9.

For Deerhounds only please see Annex 1. – Section 9.

For overall picture please refer to submission from National Coursing Club.

For Deerhounds only please see Annex 1. – Section 4. Para 1

Please see Annex 1. – Section 10.7

Please also refer to submission from National Coursing Club.

Deerhound coursing is not designed to be a method of controlling hares and is purely a sport. There are some occasions however, where hares or rabbits are causing serious damage to crops, when various sight-hounds will be used to control them. Deerhounds may be used for this purpose although it is more usual that faster breeds such as Greyhounds, Whippets, Salukis and Lurchers will be employed. These prove highly effective and have the huge advantage of causing no injury or cruelty – either the hare is killed outright or gets clean away. Sight-hounds also cause no noise nuisance or disturbance and, unlike firearms, pose no threat to the public or participants.

A number of Deerhound owners are asked regularly by landowners to join these hare culls and when no `law` is given the breed can offer an effective and viable method of pest control.

Please refer to submission from National Coursing Club.

Please refer to submission from National Coursing Club.

Please see Annex 1. Sections 3.3 and 5.

For Deerhounds please see Annex 1. Section 3.3., 5. And 9. Please see also submission from National Coursing Club.

Please see Annex 1. Sections 6. And 10.9.

Please also see submission from National Coursing Club.

Please see Annex1. Section 10.7.

Please also see submission from National Coursing Club.

Coursing is absolutely crucial to the maintenance and wellbeing of the Deerhound – a rare breed with a diminishing gene pool.

Please see Annex 1. Section 1 (final para) and section 4.

Deerhound coursing has an overwhelmingly beneficial effect upon hare populations. Please see Annex 1. Section 2

Sections 3., 3.1and 3.2

Section 6

Sections 10.1, 10.2., 10.7.and 10.9.

Please also see submission from National Coursing Club.

In October 1998 Deerhound Coursing Club members were invited onto an estate in Invernesshire to cull `blue hares`. Several hare - shoots are held there annually. Three Deerhound bitches killed 18 hares, all of which were later skinned and examined with the following facts being noted.

One hare was a front leg amputee (old).

Another had a rear foot missing at the hock (new).

Nine of the hares were carrying shotgun pellets under the pelt.

One of these had pellets in muscle which had begun to fester.

All 18 were caught and killed outright by the Deerhounds. (B.Hendy, W.Milne and R Williams)

No ban of Coursing is justified.

Please see Annex 1. Section 11

Please see submission from National Coursing Club.

A ban would undoubtedly cause `legal` coursing under NCC rules - with the observance of a closed season etc - to cease. This is because the supporters of such coursing are honest and law abiding. Indeed if any sensible measure is applied they are model citizens.

A ban would not however diminish `illegal` coursing or organised hare poaching - about which existing legislation has proved ineffectual. It may even cause it to increase. A ban would also result in hare populations plummeting and greatly increased suffering as snaring and shooting filled the vacuum.

A small minority of coursing supporters would probably deliberately defy any ban, intent upon confrontation. Many more would find themselves in conflict with the law accidentally – perhaps by their `free exercising` hound finding and flushing a hare whilst walking over their own land or upon land over which they have permission to roam.

All coursing members, without exception, would deeply resent the banning of their sport and the cultural vandalism that would result. They would not be able to understand the reasoning that seemingly approves of – for example -other forms of hunting or halil slaughter, but which disapproves of them. They would not be slow to exact their revenge - at the ballot box and by other legal means - upon any Government that deprived them of their primary social outlet. Minority they may well be but they are also well organised and articulate.

Finally the civil liberties implications of any ban are far reaching. If a citizen of England may in future only partake of those pursuits of which his neighbour approves, then we have indeed reached a low point in our development as a tolerant and inclusive society. All minorities had best beware if such a precedent is set!

No ban could occur without adequate compensation.

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