After a stressful 48 hours away, I decided upon my return to head for the hills to unwind and to see if the local Mountain Hare are yet wearing their winter coats.
Getting close enough to photograph Mountain Hare can be challenging - but that is part of the fun! However today I had a an experience like never before. As I positioned myself in an area where I know a relatively tame Mountain Hare resides during the colder months I was convinced I could hear huntsman’s horns in the distance. I reassured myself that such a thing was impossible because this place is deserted and you would never get horses up the steep gradients.
I found my favourite hare and he seemed happy enough to let me get close enough to take some decent pictures. As I was doing this I was disturbed by what I assumed was a stray dog - now this was strange because the only dogs seen around this location is the occasional sheep dog with his master. This dog was different; it was a beagle type dog and it had no lead or collar. I went over to meet it and it was friendly enough, however moments later a dozen more of the same type of dogs arrived - along with camouflaged men who were carrying shovels and various other tools - as well as a legion of smaller terrier type hounds.
The situation now changed from strange to surreal as a huntsman’s horn - the exact type you would expect to hear at a Boxing Day hunt, sounded, and the dogs and camouflaged, shovel carrying men and their hounds all went dashing towards another location also frequented by Mountain Hare. I thought - no way is this happening to me here, this place is where I come to escape from the stresses and worries of day to day life and now I am going to find myself confronting a large group of hunters who seem to be after the blood of Mountain Hare.
I made it obvious I was watching them as I followed. I caught up with one of the camouflaged hunters and asked what were they doing and was what they were doing legal. He said they were after clearing the area of ‘pests’. I enquired what type of pests, he replied foxes, rats and rabbits who are all guilty of stealing and eating grouse eggs.
Now as far as I know; fox hunting is banned, and I have never heard of rabbits eating eggs. And would this group be able to distinguish the difference between a rare water vole which resides in the exact area their hounds were roaming and a common rat?
I think I can take a little credit for saving the lives of some Peak District Mountain Hare today; as I was watching, with camera in hand complete with very obvious 400mm lens they seemed a bit nervous, but god only knows what death and destruction they lay behind them from their exploits earlier in the day. I will be back in the morning to see what I discover. (To enlarge click on the image)
