Coursing

[Jasperthedog]

I am thinking of stating a Group for Coursing if anyone is interested. Quite a lot of members seem to list Coursing as one of there interest. It is a branch of field sports that seems to have suffered most in the new shake up. As a discussion topic I would like to suggest, "would we have been in a stronger position had we adopted muzzles as did the Irish for their park coursing".

[KB]

I have been a lifelong supporter of coursing and was fortunate to have a leg in a dog that did very well, including winning the Anglia Purse before the Hunting Act made even watching a contest between greyhounds a crime.

But no; it may seem like an easy answer to the antis for dogs having muzzles but muzzles can do as much damage to the hare - just because hares aren't killed outright by a muzzled dog it doesn't mean that the hares won't succumb to their injuries unseen off the coursing ground. Park coursing is an artificial sport; open unmuzzled coursing, whether walked up or driven, is the real test of a greyhound, and the hare, when very rarely caught, is dead. It doesn't matter what you do; antis don't like who we are never mind what we do.

Just look whats happening in Ireland; never mind muzzling greyhounds, if licences for netting hares aren't granted by the notoriously anti Green Environment Minister John Gormley for next season, then park coursing is finished. He's already refused beagle packs a licence extension this March on spurious grounds of disturbing in kindle does, which in an early year would mean that, despite no scent on does in milk, you could have to stop in January.

[matt]

i belive that we would be as the anie see it as a blood sport muzzles would prevent it from being a blood sport and not make it some much in there eye for being band

[Vexed Foxy]

Never been coursing I suppose I never will.