Hunt Sabs and Hare Coursers

How Peterborough Hunt Sabs confronted the adage that sabs are scared of coursers

A courser undertaking the walk of shame.

On 10th October 2020, Peterborough Hunt Sabs headlined its hit report: “𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚”. The group said a lone courser and several onlookers “turned tail and fled” in their Land Rover Discovery after members of its group confronted them. The sabs received “several large rocks” thrown at them in retaliation. 

Several weeks later, Peterborough Hunt Sabs once again confronted coursers. It posted on 31st October that it had “sent hare coursers packing” after spotting them from the road. This was a more sedate affair, the coursers lobbing no more than questions.

Discourse of violence

The 31st October headline was: “𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗮𝗯 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲-𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗢𝗳 "𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲" 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼...”, a response to criticism levelled by hunt supporters. Some believe that sabs target hunts because of “class war” or are too scared to confront hare coursers. Peterborough Hunt Sabs told The Citro that they “did expect more aggro” than coursers gave on the day, “especially the first time, given the reports you read”. The group said this was possible on 10th October when: 

there were a bunch of lads in a rough looking Discovery who (after initially driving away from the scene) kept coming back and driving by to check us out. We were concerned things could escalate but we had the numbers and the video cameras to deter them.

Hare coursers are framed in public discourse as particularly violent people. Reading through the comments on the sab group’s first report highlights this.

A courser throws a rock, trying to deter sabs.

Peterborough Hunt Sabs suggests the police play a role in circulating this narrative: 

The police (especially in our local area) are very strong on talking up their achievements when it comes to responding to and catching hare coursers. These online news and social media posts often come with a warning to not approach coursers due to the level of violence associated

There are numerous news articles detailing attacks on farmers, gamekeepers and other members of the public by hare coursers. Evidently, they will resort to physical violence when they believe it’s necessary. But the levels of violence are rarely worse than those doled out by hunt supporters against sabs. And when it comes to coursers, as Peterborough Hunt Sabs suggests, sab groups are in a position that farmers and gamekeepers often aren’t: they’re already in groups equipped to deal with both confrontation and evidence gathering.

Courser and dog.

Problems sabbing coursers

There’s one obvious difference between sabbing hare coursers and hunts. This type of coursing – rather than formal coursing such as the old Waterloo Cup – doesn’t have meet cards or regular meets, nor is it feasible to ‘kennel sit’ them. 

Peterborough Hunt Sabs said in these two instances, it was “fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time” and that having “lots of pairs of eyes scanning the fields” was a big help. However, co-ordinating a response to this type of bloodsport would be “difficult”. Regardless the group went on to urge: 

any sab group to keep their eyes peeled on the fields and not just assume what appears to be a very lost dog walker, is just that! In both our cases, other sabs had seen the coursers but not thought anything was out of place. It was only when another member of the group had said, “hang on, what are they up to?” that we were able to go into action.

Infighting

Hare coursing is a divisive issue within the ‘fieldsports’ community. Many supporters of coursing feel hunt lobbyists such as the Countryside Alliance throw them under the bus to protect fox and hare hunting. Comments on this Countryside Alliance video provide examples of this point of view. An account named Syed Ali sums up the feelings of some in the coursing community, writing: 

Those who support Countryside Alliance need to reconsider thier memberships as we Dog folk are sold down the river at every opportunity by C/A.

Despite what some hunt supporters claim, sabs evidently make no such distinctions.

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Headline and body images via Peterborough Hunt Sabs