Somerset has been named as one of the counties with the highest number of recorded fox chase reports in England and Wales.

The figures come from the League Against Cruel Sports, not police or official crime statistics.

The charity says hunts in the West Country were seen chasing 234 foxes during the latest hunting season, which ended in March 2026, and the cub hunting season before it.

Somerset accounted for 55 reports.

That puts the county third nationally, behind Gloucestershire with 75 and Dorset with 61.

Devon recorded 36 reports and Cornwall seven.

Why is Somerset listed as a hotspot?

The League says the West Country recorded more fox chase reports than any other region in England and Wales.

It also recorded 552 reports of what the charity calls "hunt havoc" in the region.

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Those reports include alleged trespass, livestock worrying, hounds on roads and railway lines, and disruption in rural communities.

Somerset is part of long-established hunt country, with rural lanes, farmland, villages and open countryside where hunts, monitors and police may all be operating across wide areas.

What does the League say?

Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "These startling figures show that the brutal blood sport of fox hunting is still rife in the West Country, despite the ban, and points to the desperate need for new, stronger fox hunting laws.

"The public in the South West have the chance to have their say and to help end fox hunting once and for all by taking part in the government's consultation to end trail hunting."

The League says just 23 of 624 monitored hunt meets across England and Wales showed evidence of a trail being laid.

Ms Slawinski added: "The time for change is now. Trail hunting needs to be banned, the loopholes in the law removed, custodial sentences made available to judges to deter would-be hunters, and measures introduced to tackle reckless or 'accidental' hunting."

What do hunt supporters say?

Hunt supporters dispute claims that trail hunting is being used as a cover for illegal hunting.

The Countryside Alliance says trail hunting is "a legal activity that involves laying a scent trail for hounds to follow, without any live animal being hunted."

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It has described a ban as "a disproportionate and unnecessary step that threatens lawful rural activities, jobs and traditions."

Tim Bonner, from the Countryside Alliance, has said the Government's approach looks "increasingly like a culture war against the countryside."

What are police doing?

Avon and Somerset Police brought a recent prosecution under the Hunting Act.

On Monday, 20 April 2026, Wayne Gregory, 48, of Huish Champflower, pleaded guilty at Taunton Magistrates' Court to a Hunting Act offence.

Police said the case followed a six-month investigation into an incident involving the Vale of Taunton and Banwell Harriers in November 2025.

The force said dogs were not called off from hunting a fox.

Gregory was fined £250 and ordered to pay £185 costs.

Avon and Somerset Police say rural and wildlife crime can have a "significant impact" on rural communities, wildlife and habitats.

The force says reports help officers build intelligence, plan patrols and work with landowners.

What should residents do?

Somerset Wildlife Trust advises calling 999 if a wildlife crime is happening, or 101 if it is not urgent.

It advises people to record the date, time, location, descriptions, vehicle details and photo or video evidence where safe.

What happens next?

The Government is consulting on whether trail hunting should be banned in England and Wales.

The Defra consultation opened on Thursday, 26 March 2026, and closes on Thursday, 18 June 2026.

Defra says trail hunting carries an "inherent risk" of dogs picking up the scent of a live wild mammal, and says concerns persist that it can be used as a "smokescreen" for illegal hunting.

The League is also planning a Taunton city centre campaign event on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, saying it will highlight "the prevalence of hunting in Somerset".

What do the Countryside Alliance Say?

Jim Barrington, former Executive Director of the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), cast doubts over the reliability of the League's "reports":

"The figures that LACS routinely push have little foundation to them. The statistics cannot be taken at face value since they are compiled from unsubstantiated reports. Decision makers must think very carefully whether allegations made by prejudiced activists should lead to harmful policy changes that hurt rural people.

"If there is any evidence to suggest illegal hunting has taken place, then it should be reported and investigated through the correct channels, not via self-appointed activists with a blatant prejudice.

"Since the Hunting Act came into force 20 years ago, there have been more than 250,000 days of lawful hunting and around 50 convictions of registered hunts. The real facts speak for themselves: the police can and do prosecute when there is evidence of illegal hunting, but the overwhelming majority of hunts do abide by the law. For an accurate picture of the reality of trail hunting, it is those official figures that should be considered - not biased and unverified claims from prejudiced activists."

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