Questions I Asked Countryside Alliance Today.

[dog man 176]

 

Isn't the AWL. a club anyone can join and have there say? How will people take the Lurcher fraternity seriously if they constantly bicker. Surely like minded people should be able to put there personal arguments to one side( because that's how it looks )and move forward for the good of our chosen sport. It costs £10 to join the AWL which isn't a great deal of money to most people and have your say for things to progress.

 

No is the easy answer the AWL was formed on bickering, after years of the forerunners of the AWL doing nothing a new group of lurcher owner formed a working party to start a new club with the aim of trying to redress some of the problems around working lurchers. The old school suddenly re appeared and renamed themselves the AWL. As to working together, they refused to work with the new group but instead threw accusations and bickering like a bunch of childish spoilt brats. Coming across as jealous, Sandmerebad mannered and only interested in themselves. Hardly a group to inspire and since then have done nothing to alter the perception. Their aim seems to be to do the minimum to maintain themselves instead of actually getting on with the job that needs doing. Months without anything but a challenge to the CA is seen as a challenge to them and so they’re back lol.

 

Sandymare well we are talking I do think AWL should give you an answer AWL do you have an answer please.

[sandymere 8,261]

Don't hold your breath Dog man, a defunct facebook page and a complete lack of activity on their own topic here for months on end says it all. Organising a drinky poos for a bunch of hurray hooray henrys is about the mark.

there are thousands of lurcher owners out there that could be brought to our support but it will take more than they seem able to offer, I doubt, even amongst working lurcher owners,most will have ever heard of them let alone those that race, show or just own pets that could be brought on board to swell the numbers.

Many times I have used the Spanish Galgo association as an example of how the AWL could start to bring all the strings of working, showing, racing etc together but have -never had a response yet. https://www.fedegalgos.com/campeonatos-de-espana/galgos-en-campo/noticias-campeonato-campo/

 

 

a least the members can see where their money goes......https://www.(!64.56:886/fedegalgos/

Edited March 29, 2017 by sandymere

[C.green 3,203]

I've said it before and I'll say it again if the ban was lifted tomorrow it wouldn't effect me or 90% of lads I know. Them days are gone now fellers just enjoy what little we have left before that goes the same way.

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

Canny words C.Green....

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

Unity has never been a strong point when it comes to hunting with dogs in general,the red coated horse back hunting enthusiasts,the footpack followers of hounds were & never likely are to unite with us with running dogs,many of the hunt shows here in the land of Foxhunting folklore in Cumbria were & still are reluctant to add lurchers to their shows,why is that? You only have to look at the arguing & bickering on here to see the divisions in our own ranks.I think the Lord Jesus would have trouble uniting us,I'm a realist & don't live in a dream world,the hunting act bestowed upon us isn't going to be lifted EVER,no parliamentary decision brought before the house of commons the way this was has ever been overturned & considering we have the oldest parliament in the world that should tell us what we are up against.It's ok saying if we don't try we can never win but the reality of all this is we are a long time dead,if you want to spend the rest of your life chasing your tail then that's up to you,me well i know what I'd do..I'd live the dream for the remainder of my life & be out enjoying the countryside & wildlife with a pooch at my heel,some fights you just can't ever win no matter how hard you try & sadly this is one of them,the c**ts have made things awkward for sure but the b*****ds can never erase the memories of us who were lucky to run our dogs legally & above board before the hunting ban,digging to our terriers,the feeling you got when your dog lifted a hare after a 4 minute war or the adrenaline rush you got when your dog grassed the ultimate beast on our shores the mighty Red Deer,yeah it's all in the past but I'm proud to say i done all the above with the landowners consent back in the day..I lived the dream as did many others,life will never be the same it's just part & parcel of life folks..Atb to anyone & everyone prepared to go the distance & give up their life to fight the fight my best wishes to you all ✌

What an excellent post! I agree with everything said but to express it in words is difficult for some of us! Well done Fuji top man mate!

[desertbred 5,490]

The last few posts may WELL be the case things wont change also yes we can all carry on as we are as individuals running hunting poaching whatever. The whole point of the exercise if there is the slightest possibility of any changes or ammendments to The present Hunting with dogs Act we should ensure our voices are heard especially Coursing and running dog lads other wise we will once again be kicked in the Bollocks and be left to our own devices once again dont lads get pissed off being the poor relation or the ones who have no input or voice whatso ever and having a twat like Sturgeon setting the rules and laws for your activities ?.. Those that say its all a waste of time, nothing will happen or change most thought that about the vote for Brexit didnt they? The Ban was introduced because most just ignored those struggling to stop it and had the attitude feck you I am ok as i am ..Isnt the future important for the young hunters and dog lads? I was asked a few pages back by the Acting Chair of the AWL what I was doing ? TRYING IS THE ANSWER.

Edited March 29, 2017 by desertbred

[sandymere 8,261]

I've said it before and I'll say it again if the ban was lifted tomorrow it wouldn't effect me or 90% of lads I know. Them days are gone now fellers just enjoy what little we have left before that goes the same way.

Alas true and because we risk losing what little legal rights we have we need to be doing something now. What are we waiting for? Until it's too late?

 

The bigger the number the louder the voice, the AWL set themselves as the voice then sat back and have done nothing. I've been patient for long enough, time to put up or pay back the money they have taken from honest lurcher owners who payed on the expectation of something actually happening!

[C.green 3,203]

Best of luck with it lads I hope you get somewhere with it one thing I can guarantee tho no matter what the penalties or how hot it gets there will allways be keen dog men running game and doing there thing. It's just some are keener than others. respect to you old hands that have watched the changes over the years and are still at the game proper lurchermen allways find excuses to carry on jackers will allways find excuses to throw in the towel. Atvb??

Edited March 29, 2017 by C.green

[desertbred 5,490]

A lot of the old hands have carried on no matter what. Lots of us have got a lot more years behind us than we have in front of us , We are from diffent backgrounds ,cultures, era,s even countries but one thing most gehuine dog men have in common is passion for what we do Surely no matter what, the struggle needs to go on right till the end . We may very well be pissing in the wind but just as we all dont want jackers on our slips jackers find excuses to throw in the towel . ATB to all the genuine working/running dog lads what ever they decide to do but the Epitaph on the pages of hunting history has not been written yet at least not for some folk. ATB

Edited March 29, 2017 by desertbred

[arcticgun 4,548]

its a bit sad nobody has the stomach for the fight anymore, but years of labour ruling and many unjust laws imposed on us in all walks of life as a result of it, look at the ess they left this country in the hunting act was just one of the first of many unworkable laws all aimed to suit the minority who helped get them elected, however they are now in the majority, and even though they been chased into history after ruining the country we still left with the legacy of selfish rulings aimed to destroy a way of life that goes back milleniums, first they seen all hunters divided by slandering lurchermen and fox hunters from fishermen and shooters, they kept the real rpfit based ones that would of ultimately afforded a better defence and went for the jugular on fox hunting which was only ever a social class, thing, its not like the ban stopped foxes dying or any other pest species, lurchermen got it cos theyn they could not be accused of class snobbery by the rich who defend fox hunting, the failure to mount and defnce is likely cos the hunts also wanted to viewed separately from the average lurcherman lamper and courser, didvide and conquer oldest trick in the book

 

the AWL or whoever wants can shout until they blue in the face but facts are facts it aint coming back anytime soon, mainly die too the fact the countries in such a mess its so far down on the list of priorities that its never gunna reach the top in my life time,

 

which would be MP would be brave enough too hook up with lurchermen coursers and publicly back there cause and present there argument, the risk to their careers would not be worth the effort, the truth is now the vast majority see it as cruel and resigned too history, if it went to open vote there could be a situation where what we have now is reduced even further, the aintis have outdone us on presenting and funding there case at the higher level and they have the ear of joe public which aint helped when we all now and again present ourselves in a lss than desirable light or our peer do if we don't

 

Likesay good luck to anyone trying ,, me ? I'm just going too keep on walking my dogs where I choose too as somebody said above its nevr going to change for most anyhow

[dog man 176]

I've said it before and I'll say it again if the ban was lifted tomorrow it wouldn't effect me or 90% of lads I know. Them days are gone now fellers just enjoy what little we have left before that goes the same way.

Yes C green but it would be nice to try.

[Squeamish5 309]

I know this isn't really any of my business, as I don't hunt (or know what half of you actually do and probably don't want to) but this is what I think.....

You're never going to get a change in the law without public support. If you want the public to perceive you differently, do something practical about it yourselves, instead of bleating on about antis all the time.

Get rid of the toffs with a smug sense of entitlement (like that twat Tory councillor recently) who ride to hounds, the fuckwits who get their kicks watching their dogs savage other animals, and the yobs with no respect for the countryside or people who earn their living from the land.

 

Play to your strengths.

 

Considering the number of ex-racing greyhounds and rehomed lurchers, I can't be the only non hunting person who arrives here looking for advice on keeping a running dog. This site and (some) people who use their dogs for hunting have a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer other dog owners.

 

Pitch a dog training show to a production company, aimed particularly at lurcher or greyhound owners; a documentary, solitary man/ woman romantically battling the elements with their faithful hound (this would probably work in the current political climate where people are feeling both nostalgic and done over by 'The Man'); or even a sitcom along the lines of 'detectorists'.

Make 'hunting with dogs' something non hunters can relate to or see a value in.

 

Having said that, I think you'll be fighting a losing battle, because

A) 'the public' see 'the dog' as a human-centric creature that should have no animal instincts. Which is partly why so many of the poor things (of every breed) end up on the rescue / pre-loved merry go round.

most people are not comfortable with the idea of killing things for fun.

[Astanley 11,467]

I am in my Autumn years so I will carry on regardless ,it won't make a scrap of difference to me what happens in parliament ,,,but I would like my grandson to have the chance of enjoying what I have enjoyed without him criminalising himself ,and for that reason I am ready to fight for a repeal right to the end .

[desertbred 5,490]

most people are not comfortable with the idea of killing things for fun.

 

There that is the typical misconception "killing things for fun" If a man can hunt the game of his choice without falling foul of a ill thought out supressive law then it would all be for most hunters putting meat on the table even if you dont want the meat yourself it could be distributed to many of the needy people many of whom cant afford it from one years end to the next. Game gets tossed away because you cannot run the risk of dogs and certain game being in the same field let alone the same vehicle. Are shooters ferreters etc accused of killing things for fun not very often. Just as vermin control is just that it is an environmentall service. I go out to work my dogs for what they have been bred to do for thousands of years Not for the enjoyment of killing it doesnt matter if a kill doesnot happen every time but it matters when you are demonised and prosecuted for having a certain way of life that doesnt fit in with a rose tinted view of life. Man and the human race would not be here today without hunting and the death of animals , its ok to breed animals for slaughter in millions for the domestic and commercial consumption of meat but its not ok to catch it in the oldest way known to man if it wasnt such a serious matter it would be laughable. You make reference to the numpties land drivers etc involved in hunting well if you are acting illegally yourself doing certain forms of hunting then how can you stop the numpties doing what they do? wouldnt it be hypocritical.? The abuse and bad traits involved in hunting activities are directally attributable to repressive banning of natural events then it goes underground with no legislation or control..In life most restrictions and repressive laws come because not enough people care or are willing to put in the effort to fight for their rights of freedom and choice.

Edited March 29, 2017 by desertbred

[Squeamish5 309]

I'm not disagreeing with you re 'rose-tinted view of life' re meat or dead animals.

I was born and grew up in the backend of nowhere with a borzoi, a long time ago. I know running dogs run and that the cows in next doors field will be next months dinner. Also am fine with chap up the lane popping into my field and ridding me of the b*****d rabbits that strip my fruit trees of bark.

I was just trying to make the point that on here you all get into your 'band of brothers' thing but the reality is, if the public don't understand or recognise what you do or why you do it, then you're not going to get very far in repealing the ban. (It's never gonna happen. But you may be able to protect what freedoms you have if you play your cards right)

And frankly don't care overly much as the nazi/ badger baiter types are far more prevalent than I'd thought.