Background
The Old Berkeley Beagles ("OBB") was formed in 1927 as a successor to the RAF Uxbridge Beagles, who had hunted in Middlesex after the Great War. Previously this area had been hunted by the Stoke Place Beagles, who had hunted around Slough and the Chalfonts. Upon their disbandment the OBB registered a country with the Association of Masters of Harrriers and Beagles ("AMHB") which stretches from Watford to Beaconsfield and High Wycombe in the south and follows the A40 towards Thame, then to Bicester where it follows the old A41 to Banbury. From Watford, the country runs to Berkhamsted and Tring out to Mentmore, Wing, Stewkley, Winslow, Buckingham, Brackley and west to Banbury.
Until the late 1960’s, the country hunted was mainly in the Chilterns and the southern half of the Vale of Aylesbury. Progressively we have moved our meets further out into the Vale and, in the 1990’s, we have based most of our hunting in the country from Amersham in the south to Bicester and Brackley in the north, Buckingham in the west and Thame in the east. This is a direct consequence of the growth and spread of population around what is now the M25 motorway. Today we only meet twice in the Chilterns out of a total of around 55 meets per season.
Management of the OBB
The OBB is run by a committee of 18 people comprising 14 elected members, including the masters and officers, and four nominated farmers, who are appointed by the Joint Masters. It is currently chaired by a farmer and long time supporter of the hunt who has extensive experience of local government as well as farming and hunting. The three amateur Joint Masters have been delegated with the daily running and management of the OBB. Broadly the Masters divide their duties between management of the hunting arrangements and hounds; management of hunt staff, the kennels premises and staff, and public relations; and communication with the members.
Employment
The OBB employs one full time person who manages the kennels and cares for the hounds. This individual receives a salary of £8,600 per annum and lives in rent free accommodation at the kennels. The hunt has always employed a family man, thus providing accommodation for the whole family. The current kennel huntsman has been with the OBB for nearly two years; is 35 years old and is married with three young children under seven. He comes from a local farming family and has been employed in hunt service for 16 years in variety of roles. There are no opportunities for him to rejoin the family farming business as it would not support two families. In common with many agricultural workers in tied accommodation, the house goes with the job and would have to be disposed of in the event of a ban on hunting. The council would be obliged to
provide alternative accommodation in the locality and state financial support would almost certainly be necessary.
Hunting Arrangements
The hounds are hunted by an amateur huntsman, who holds a full time job as finance director of a company within the locality. He arranges up to 55 meets per season by direct liaison with farmers. The majority of meets are arranged by visiting the farmers and landowners. To arrange these, it requires the permission of some 475 farmers of whom 65 are visited and/or contacted directly. The OBB sends out approx. 30 advisory cards for each meet with the huntsman’s contact details. This reinforces contact with our hosts.
We are very fortunate to have access to most areas of our country. There are only four farms in the hunted areas where we are denied any access at all. We take strenuous efforts to ensure that we respect the wishes of these and all other farmers, who might have temporary reasons for requiring us to avoid their land. We take our responsibilities in this area very seriously. We have public liability insurance but have so far never had to make a claim or even to notify insurers of an event. We have always managed to resolve any problems by direct dealing.
Hunting statistics:
| 1999/2000(to 19/02) | 1998/1999 | 1997/1998 | 1996/1997 | |
| Meets |
48
|
62
|
60
|
63
|
| Hares seen per meet (average) |
10.5
|
9.5
|
9.2
|
10.6
|
| Hares killed |
33
|
22
|
36
|
22
|
Hares seen per meet vary widely from 5 to 35. Numbers seen can be influenced by weather and seasons as well as disturbance from farming activities; illegal poaching and other countryside users.
Hunts last on average 30 minutes. This is a form of natural selection in that the slow and the weak tend not to escape. Where a hunt takes place this can last from 20 minutes to exceptionally one and a half hours. Many hunts do not result in hounds catching a hare in the OBB’s country because hare numbers are high and hounds often switch hares at a critical moment in proceedings.
Hare Conservation
The majority of farmers who welcome us on their land take active steps to encourage the hare population on the farm - by limiting shooting activities, by discouraging illegal activities, and by adopting management policies that are friendly to hares. Many take great pride in being able to welcome us with a good show of hares.
Whilst it would not be true to say that beagling is an effective method for controlling the hares nor is it generally necessary to do so in the OBB’s country, there is positive evidence that the farmers and landowners actively manage their land and adopt farming practices that encourage the hare population.
The OBB and the local community
The OBB has 80 members (53 single, 25 family and 2 students) plus the three Joint Masters. In addition we have 75 supporters, of whom 15 give a regular monetary donation. Others donate time and/or kind. Many of the supporters are drawn from the farming community.
Hounds attend on average five local events per year (the County Show; a country sports show, and three village or school events). The OBB also sponsors classes at the Bucks County Show and for the Chiltern Hills Agricultural Association.
Regular collections are made, on average one per season, for charitable causes unconnected with country sports.
Social events are regularly run to include non-members from the Hunt Ball attended by 145 people of whom 75% are non-members; a clay shoot attended by 110 people – all non-members; and a pig roast attended by 90 people of whom 50% were non- members.
The OBB runs an annual Puppy Show which is normally attended by around 225 to 250 people invited from all the local farming community, the supporters list and the members. This is a vital part of the social calendar and provides an ideal opportunity to repay our hosts’ hospitality. It is a big feature of the annual calendar for the hunt.
Services to Farmers
The OBB provides a free collection and disposal service for fallen and casualty stock as well as bull calves. This costs £9,000 per annum to run. In 1999 we collected 420 animals (1998 – 301). This is an essential service to farmers. We operate in the same
area as the Bicester with Whaddon Chase and Vale of Aylesbury foxhounds, who tend to handle the larger stock as we do not have the facilities.
Hounds
The OBB keeps 231/2 couple of hunting hounds in the kennels at any one time as well as the unentered hounds. Three or four litters are bred each year to replenish the number of hunting hounds. The consequences of a ban would be the disposal of all these hounds who would be unsuitable for rehousing in a domestic environment having been raised in a pack, in kennels, with no house training and fed mainly on raw flesh.
The litters of puppies, comprising up to 18 puppies, are sent out to walk on farms throughout our country and there is hot competition to walk them each year. They are shown at the Puppy Show by their walkers and prizes are given as well as a small gift to for each puppy walker. The puppy walking encourages farmers and supporters to take a keen and active interest in the OBB, its hounds and its performance and enhances the spirit of involvement in our community. Occasionally one of our hounds has won classes at major championships which fuels the puppy walkers’ interest and commitment.
Conclusion
The OBB believes that any ban on hunting with hounds would have the following effects:
The Committee might like to consider the alternatives!!
Mark Weiner
Joint Master
On behalf of the Old Berkeley Beagles
Date uploaded to site 16 May 2000