Cub hunting cruelty is continuing around Ireland ahead of the start of another season of fox hunting.
In the early hours of the morning, hunters surround earths and flush out the resident foxes. They then release their hounds to attack and kill the cubs. The doomed youngsters are mauled, bitten and pulled apart. This merciless brutality is carried out to introduce new hounds to the taste of fox blood.
The dispersal of foxes from their coverts also serves to later provide a wider hunting area.
The hunters refer to their shameful barbarity as ‘Autumn hunting’ but their euphemism does not disguise the fact that it’s one of Ireland’s nastiest acts of animal cruelty.
Below is a selection of extracts from the Irish Field newspaper focusing on cub hunting. After reading, please scroll down and join us in demanding a ban on cruel cub hunting and fox hunting.
"They [the hounds] will be ushered into a carefully-chosen covert, be it a neat field of maize or a steep-sided valley overgrown with gorse and hawthorn, and the few hardcore followers will dispose themselves at strategic points around the edges to encourage both foxes and hounds to remain within...Autumn hunting is for the education of the young - boisterous newly entered puppies; fidgety, green young horses; keen boys and girls who think nothing of rising before the sun in the hope that they’ll be invited to do a bit of whipping-in...Young hounds must first learn to keep their heads down and carefully work the line of their fox in covert if they are to produce the good runs of January and February..." Irish Field, 5 September 2025
“Autumn hunting (September and October) can start anytime after 6am and normally lasts three to four hours. Autumn hunting is an important rite of passage for all young hounds - it teaches them how to hunt. Pups are born between Christmas and March, but usually closer to March. They stay at the kennels until they are eight to 10 weeks old. Autumn hunting also serves another purpose, in that it allows the country to be hunted prior to the opening meet. This is done to ensure that the fox gets used to running. Initially a fox won’t stray far from earth (their den). By hunting the coverts early on, the fox will get used to running. During autumn hunting the huntsman will try to get around as much of the country as possible." Irish Field, 9 February 2017
“Hunt staff are immaculately turned out as indeed are their horses and hounds, looking a picture of fitness as they have the best of preparation during Autumn hunting and are well-muscled with fine coats.” Irish Field, 9 January 2026
“The tranquil waters of Lough Gur were the venue for the Co Limerick Foxhounds autumn hunting where it was a more than pleasant morning...Hounds drew around the very picturesque lake and found a brace [2 foxes], hunting on towards the back of the farm.” Irish Field, 24 October 2025 https://www.theirishfield.ie/sport-horse/reports/hunting-tranquil-autumn-hunting-with-the-limericks-890344
“There were over 30 mounted, including the new huntsman...for a morning of autumn hunting. Despite an unfavourable weather forecast, last Sunday morning proved dry and pleasant for a morning of autumn hunting for the Scarteen Hunt...Hounds had a smashing morning” Irish Field, 31 October 2025
“For me, autumn hunting is the best time of the season as the countryside is looking its very best. From the time the huntsman puts the hounds into the first covert at 6.30am and you notice some of the new entry looking around unsure of themselves, realising quickly it’s better to follow their elders. When hounds open in fine voice it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand. For those that hunt to ride rather than ride to hunt, it’s an opportunity to observe the direction the huntsman draws a covert and to get familiar with the calls on the hunting horn...” Irish Field, 8 September 2024.
“The hunting season is off to a start with the Galway Blazers currently in the middle of their autumn hunting programme..The Joint-masters and field master led a number of followers at 6.30am near Athenry for a smashing morning’s hunt last weekend...” Irish Field, 13 September 2024.
ACTION ALERT
Please get in touch with all your local TDs and urge them to back a ban on cruel fox hunting in Ireland. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/34
Contact party leaders and tell them that you want fox hunting, hare coursing and all bloodsports banned.
Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Keep hunters off your land
If you are a landowner, make your land off-limits to hunters. Find out more about how to do this on our Farmers/Landowners page – http://www.banbloodsports.com/farmers.htm
Sign and share our “Ban Blood Sports in Ireland” petition
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland
Sign and share the Uplift petition
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/petition-to-ban-fox-hunting-in-ireland
Watch our campaign video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbJPHwlp5dk
SEE ALSO
“Ban Fox Hunting” bill shamefully voted down in Dail Eireann – how did your TDs vote?
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/12/18/ban-fox-hunting-bill-shamefully-voted-down-in-dail-eireann-how-did-your-tds-vote/
Old excuses for fox hunting won’t wash – it’s time to outlaw barbaric bloodsport
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2025/05/30/old-excuses-for-fox-hunting-wont-wash-its-time-to-outlaw-barbaric-bloodsport/
Please support our campaign with a donation
https://www.paypal.me/banbloodsports
http://revolut.me/icabs