The government has unveiled plans to outlaw trail hunting, aiming to shut down what it acknowledges is a widespread 'smokescreen' for the illegal pursuit and killing of foxes. The ban, a key Labour manifesto pledge, forms a central part of a long-awaited animal welfare strategy announced on Monday, 21 December 2025.
The End of a Legal 'Smokescreen'
Since the Hunting Act 2004 made hunting wild mammals with dogs illegal, many hunts have operated under the guise of 'trail hunting', where hounds are supposed to follow an artificially laid scent. However, anti-hunt campaigners and video evidence have consistently shown that the practice is frequently used as a cover for traditional foxhunting.
This suspicion was starkly highlighted in a 2020 webinar of hunt masters, where leading figures discussed creating a 'smokescreen' for their activities and avoiding prosecution. The government's new strategy directly addresses these concerns, stating that trail hunting will be banned to prevent this loophole from being exploited.
Reactions and Rural Repercussions
The impending ban throws the future of approximately 170 hunt packs in England and Wales into doubt. A spokesperson for the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) stated that hunts would continue to follow the law but called the premise for a ban unacceptable. They argued that trail hunting supports livelihoods, sustains rural businesses, and holds communities together.
In contrast, hunt opponents celebrated the move. A report by the anti-hunt organisation Protect the Wild claimed that hunters chased or killed nearly 600 wild animals in the 2023-24 season alone. The Hunt Saboteurs Association welcomed a potential 'proper ban' to close legal loopholes and end what it termed 'savage cruelty'.
Hunts Seek Alternatives and Saboteurs Remain Wary
Facing an existential threat, some hunts are already exploring alternatives. The Independent has learned that several have approached 'drag' or 'clean-boot' hunting groups, which use only artificial scents and do not chase live animals, with a view to joining them.
However, scepticism remains high. Hunt saboteurs fear that some unregistered, farmer-led packs may 'go underground' and continue hunting illegally. They also express concern that retraining hounds to ignore the scent of foxes would be extremely difficult, even for hunts attempting to transition to legal drag hunting.
In a recent move viewed as an effort to clean up hunting's image, the BHSA ordered that terrier men—who block fox earths—must not attend trail hunting days in future. This came as new drone footage from the Northants Hunt Saboteurs allegedly showed a huntsman handling a suspicious black sack, claims the involved hunt and the BHSA have dismissed as unverified.
The government has confirmed a public consultation on the ban will begin early next year. As the countryside prepares for the traditional Boxing Day meets, this announcement signals a decisive and controversial new chapter in the decades-long battle over hunting in Britain.
