The Fate of Foxes

As a countryman, who lives on a large stud near Newmarket, which is not hunted or shot for anything, I very much fear for the fox after the hunting ban.

When foxes are not hunted and therefor have no value at all for sport, then it will not be long before they cease to be seen in the countryside.

The shooting fraternity has been very quiet on this, but I suspect gamekeepers will quickly trap and shoot as many foxes as they can to protect their birds. Hunting may not have been a good method of control, but it did disturb foxes and keep them on the move.

But you have to remember that our foxes are rabies-free and thus quite valuable for the fur trade. Just as many foxes have disappeared this way in Ireland, most of our foxes will probably end in coats and stolls throughout Europe.