Class element? The people I've hunted and shot with came from every walk of life.

The press like to show the "Toffs" and their Range Rovers, doesn't mean it's only them out there.

Certainly, I would guess.

I know hunt people, or knew them. I lived in that world and the ones on the horses were never working class. Not in England anyway.

I was invited on several hunts and shoots when I worked in the city. It was toff all the way through. I think the much trawled out, 'it's all walks of life' is a pathetic attempt to make hunting palatable. A little like the ludicrous 'hunting is a kind way to kill a fox'. Since when does running for your life as a precursor to being torn to pieces equate to some sort of canine 'Dignitas'... Jeez...

I remember a British (primary) school friend boasting about having the bloody end of a fox tail wiped across her face. A revolting type of revelry.

Then there are the beer swilling yahoo's in Australia who ride on the back of a ute at night, firing off their guns at anything that moves... often leaving maimed targets to drag themselves away to die.

Barbaric, both.

Excuse me, but did you actually read my post? You seem to be classing me with people who want to hunt. Foxes do need keeping under control- here they bait them so that they die slowly. I believe foxes should be kept under control- not for the glory of killing them, but because of the destruction they cause. Your flippancy undermines your argument, as does swearing.

I don't actually keep chickens but my neighbour in the UK lost them several times, and each time his coop was reinforced, but the fox still got in. He gave up keeping chickens after that- they were pullets and bantams, kept for eggs and showing, not meat by the way.

Careful Caroline - you'll have everyone up in arms for the cruelity to animals and birds that get shown!

I better hide my mozzie swatter and mousetraps before I get told that's against their rights to live too.

My flippancy is an indication of my total disrespect for anyone who either hunts or furnishes excuses to allow them to continue. Swearing is an indication of my fury at those who either provide the excuses or pull the trigger - same thing in my book (Yes I did read your post).

So your 'neighbour' was outwitted by a fox? Says it all really.

That's right, search for justification. You are only impressing yourself.

I have to be honest, I agree that the class aspect is guaranteed to piss people off - and that is partly the issue I think...and it works both ways. People tend to be a bit anti-establishment at the best of the times.

There are alot of things which I consider to be part of family history etc and that a lot of people have tradtionally been associated with hunts - from all walks of life.

I can't say I am a big fan of fox hunting and the way it is done - but when people talk about challenge they are probably talking about the challenge of being on horseback and not so much about what kind of odds the vermin gets...I would be inclined to not accept any invitations now - but I had no issue with it in my teens and twenties.

I have always been a keen horseman and there are plenty of blokes out there that consider that sort of thing cissy or elitist..let alone hunting..it is no skin of my nose. Some of the best riding I have under my belt is cross-country, and fast...not necessarily in pursuit.

I have no issue with aspects of other types of hunting. I have done some search and rescue training with invited deer hunters in Melbourne and their fieldcraft is phenomenal. I would be inclined to join them - but my Birkenstock-wearing Missus is a bit against it and I quite like to keep her onside...the subject came up only a few days ago...

still...it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.....is it not...having said that one of her family members is a professional hunter and has shooting country in the Americas...his house is full of stuffed game...I have a photo of my daughters with them.

Hunting is not for me. Have never done it. However, if you've got a field of sheep and a fox comes and long and kills your lambs (something I have witnessed first hand), is jumping on the back of a horse to chase after and kill the fox such a bad thing? I'm sure the fox would reappear and kill more stock if they have been successful.

I just wonder what the difference is between this and buying meat in the supermarket - which has also been killed in some manner. Is everyone against fox hunting also a vegetarian?

I don't eat a lot of meat, and have been a vegetarian in the past, but see no contradiction. My objection to fox hunting is that is a class-based form of entertainment hiding behind the veil of animal control that could be done much more efficiently with trapping and shooting.

But this is it - the class thing again - why are people so against it if it based on class? I mean are they annoyed that they have not been invited? And there are middle class and working class people associated with hunts.

I can't endorse a blood sport involving the needless suffering of an animal for the amusement of the idle rich. That's all I mean. Like I said, I have met these people and they have an amazing sense of entitlement. We can break that down by stopping things like fox hunting.

Fair enough. (This sense of not liking entitlement interests me though. Maybe the sense of entitlement comes from years of tradition and history - which is one of the things that makes the UK what it is. I only say that because on one hand, people bemoan the lack of history in Australia but the 'idle rich', or not so idle rich in other quarters made the UK what it is!).

To be honest, I can look the other way when it comes to fox-hunting.