Archived Hunting Responses
From 2020
We are aware of coverage in The Times reporting on footage of stag hunting on Exmoor. Our response is as follows:
The Devon and Somerset Stag Hounds (DSSH) and various other hunts operate on Exmoor, either by legal right or by land owner permission, under specific exemptions to The Hunting Act (2004).
Exmoor National Park Authority does not monitor the actions of the DSSH – we have no legal powers to do so and this is not one of the Authority’s statutory roles. Ascertaining whether a crime was committed is a police matter only.
Almost all the land we own was conveyed to us without hunting rights; that is to say that those rights were reserved to others when the land was transferred. The extent of land and assets that we own are listed here: www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/about-us/open-data/land-and-assets.
We do not licence the DSSH to hunt over any of our land. When the DSSH hunts across land owned by the Authority it does so by right, not by permission.
We’re aware of the police investigation into the Hunting Office webinars and take any allegations of illegal activity in the National Park very seriously. But we don’t feel it’s appropriate to stop trail hunting on our land unless there is a confirmed legal basis for doing so.
Exmoor National Park Authority currently allows one local pack of hounds to trail hunt on land which it owns within the National Park – around 7 per cent of the total area. Permission is given by way of an annual licence. Through this we require that activities are legal, responsible and in line with our statutory responsibilities towards the National Park, as we would for any other organised activity taking place on our land.
It is our statutory responsibility to care for the National Park and in doing so to balance the interests of all those who live here, work here and visit. To the best of our ability we base our decisions on what’s lawful and do not discriminate or consider it our role to otherwise ban an activity.
We understand this reasoning won’t be acceptable to everyone, but rest assured we will act appropriately and proportionately if the outcome of the investigation is that there has been illegal activity on land we own. Until then we will be following this case very closely to consider any action that may need to be taken once the police investigation concludes.
From 2021
For more information see this our page on trail hunting
Following the verdict of the Mark Hankinson trial on 15th October 2021, a spokesperson from the Exmoor National Park Authority said:
"We are looking carefully at the magistrate’s verdict and will be taking time to understand the implications of this case before responding.
"Our licence exists directly with the Exmoor Foxhounds, with whom we continue to maintain an open dialogue to see that all reasonable steps are being taken to ensure lawful activity on our land. To date the police have not made us aware of any legal allegations on Exmoor relating to this case or our licensee. However, we recognise the very strong feelings on both sides of the debate and the responsibility we hold as a landowner and National Park Authority to be fair to all."