A perverse form of amusement for man
M Lewis is not correct in stating that "a hare being pulled apart by dogs" is as nature intended, Why does hunting campaign continue, Points of view, April 17.
The hare's only natural predator from the dog family is the fox, which is a solitary hunter. But adult hares are 50 per cent faster than a fox and can easily outrun him in a fair chase. Most fox predation is on leverets.
Dogs used for hare coursing, such as greyhounds and lurchers, are bred to be at least as fast as a hare and compete in pairs, so if the hare is caught it can end up as a live rope in a tug-of-war between them.
Hare coursing has nothing to do with natural predation but has simply been contrived by man for a perverse form of amusement.
Rodney Hale
Chairman — Hare Preservation Trust
PO Box 70
Crediton
(by email)
3 Comments
by Jon Burgess, Worcestershire
Saturday, April 25 2009, 10:08PM
“As usual Mr Hale can't appreciate the broader picture regarding coursing. Instead of attacking the coursing community he should be working with them and the gamekeepers on estates were coursing is supported. Logically the more coursing the more hares are conserved.
The protection Mr Hale seeks for the hare will it include preventing country people catching a few hares for their own table and who will be the judge of when the hare is a pest or not.”
by Rodney Hale, Crediton DEvon
Saturday, April 25 2009, 8:21AM
“Jon Burgess is correct that hares have many predators, but this debate originally focused on hunting by members of the dog family.
Mr Burgess is also correct that around 300,000 hares are shot annually. And since there is no close season at least 37,000 orphaned leverets die of starvation. For this reason the Hare Preservation Trust is campaigning for full Protected Species status for hares. This would mean all abuse of hares for entertainment would be illegal. But legitimate farming and forestry interests would be accommodated in the legislation.
Rodney Hale
Chairman - Hare Preservation Trust”
by Jon Burgess, Worcestershire
Thursday, April 23 2009, 4:35PM
“Mr Hale is incorrect, the hare has numerous predators including the fox. A badger will make a meal of any leveret. Young hares may also fall prey to buzzards, weasels and stoats.
Coursing following National Coursing Club rules resulted in NO more than the deaths of 250 hares per year but due to the landowners interest in coursing the conservation of 10,000 hares was assured. Simple maths would indicate coursing helped protect the hare.
Mr Hale is critical of coursing but falls to mention the annual cull of 200,000 to 300,000 hares by shooting annually as a crop protection measure. Unlike shooting coursing is a seasonal activity and avoids the breeding season
Any hare killed during coursing can and will be eaten so all the talk of hares ripped in two is just propaganda of the worst type.”