Cubhunting is the secret side of foxhunting and is the process by which young, inexperienced hounds (the 'new entry') are taught to chase and kill foxes.

When hunters go cub hunting they meet secretly early in the morning or shortly before dusk. They hunts are not publicised and only invited supporters are present. Their task is to ensure very few cubs escape. Those cubs that do escape learn to run from the hounds for the rest of their lives, to provide good 'sport'.

The hunters arrive at a small copse, or 'covert' where it is known that a family of foxes is living. The pack - a mix of experienced dogs and inexperienced dogs - is put into the wood. Puppies join the pack at about 18 months to replace older dogs that are considered no longer useful and are destroyed. thousands of adult hounds and unsuitable puppies are shot dead by the hunt every year.

Once the pack is in the wood, the trees resound with the yelps of the hounds chasing the frantic vixen and cubs around the undergrowth. The cubs will try and flee the wood but can be frightened by hunt supporters shouting and slapping their saddles to scare them back into the jaws of the hounds. This practice, 'holding-up', still occurs in some parts of the country. The vixen, frantic with fear for herself and concern for her young family, will run back and forth. But the sheer number of hounds will eventually defeat her and she too may lose her life.

Should any fox break through the ring, he will be allowed to escape in the hope that he will provide a long chase in a future hunting season.

Fox Fact: If the fox cub fails to escape it will be torn apart. If the young hound shows little or no enthusiasm for killing, it will be rejected and killed.

Many cubs are caught and savaged to death. The 'new entry' are thereby taught to run, hunt and kill as pack animals. By the end of October most of the young hounds will be accomplished hunters of foxes and approximately 6,000 fox cubs will have died.

Hunters argue that their barbaric pastime is essential to keep fox numbers down. But hunting with hounds is a very inefficient form of control. The Government's Burns Inquiry concluded, "There is little evidence that, in spite of the numbers killed, this activity (cub hunting) is particularly effective in reducing fox populations or that dispersal has the benefits which the Master of Fox Hounds Association claim."