The hunting with hounds ban came into force on Friday and at the weekend four Hampshire hunts turned out - all passed off relatively peacefully despite a kill...

THEY always said it would look, sound and smell just like the real thing.

When four Hampshire hunts turned out on Saturday it was hard to believe that the traditional pursuit of fox-hunting had just been banned.

Men dressed in hunting pink jackets sat astride athletic-looking horses surrounded by scores of excited hounds.

There was even a group of hunt protesters who gathered near the horse boxes and waved placards, one of which said: "Isn't this illegal?"

One of the hunts even made a kill.

When the end came, it was quick.

After being run to ground by hounds the fox was flushed out of its earth by a terrier and shot.

Members of the Hampshire Hunt, who had chased down and killed the fox, say they were acting within the law.

Police say they are satisfied the fox was lawfully killed and are taking no further action.

But animal rights campaigners have warned if hunts continue to sail close to the wind they will be prosecuted.

Saturday marked the first test of the controversial Hunting Act, which came into force on Friday.

Across the UK the Countryside Alliance reported that 91 foxes had been killed in about 270 hunts. That is compared to about 100 kills on a normal pre-ban weekend.

Hampshire police reported only a couple of minor clashes at the four hunts which took place across the county.

No arrests were made at the hunt gatherings at Burley Manor in the New Forest, Northcote Farm on the Isle of Wight, Owslebury near Winchester or Moundsmere Manor, between Winchester and Basingstoke.

A Hampshire police spokesman said the first three hunts had passed by without incident, while there had been a "slight flashpoint" and minor scuffle at Moundsmere.

In total, around 70 protesters attended the four hunts.

There were a couple of minor clashes between pro and anti hunt protesters but all police units were later stood down.

Around 500 followers of the Hampshire Hunt, mounted and on foot, met at Moundsmere Manor to show their support.

Members said they would be hunting within the law - but did not dismiss the possibility a fox might be killed.

Hunt spokesman John Maxse explained: "What is banned is hunting with intent. There will be a scent trail laid down and followed by hounds. If they pick up the scent of a real fox we have not started with intent but it is possible a fox will be killed."

Speaking before the hunt began, hunt master Mark Andreae said: "The amount of people here is a sign of what the countryside thinks about this act. We're not going to let it go away but what we are going to do is legal."

But hunt members were happy to express their defiance to the Act and said they thought the business of culling foxes would still continue.

Giles Harrap of the Hampshire Hunt said: "Even this Act permits hunting and fox control to carry on. The Hampshire Hunt will continue hunting within the law whatever that may be. This hunt will continue to carry on working with fox control while steps are taken to have this Act overturned.

"I hope the Hampshire Hunt will be here for another 200 years. I'm sure the Hunting Act 2004 will not be with us for 200 years."

His rousing speech was greeted with cheers and applause from the 500-strong crowd.

The day's hunting involved a fox being marked to ground by hounds, flushed out by a terrier and shot.

Huntsman Bob Collins said: "It is not illegal as we shot the fox. Hounds hunted the fox to ground, the terrier man dug it out and we shot it. That was it. We are within the law."

But Marjorie Pooley, of Winchester Animal Concern, said: "They are within the law if foxes are killed by accident.

"They will not get away with it forever. Our sabs and the League Against Cruel Sports will be monitoring the hunt and will be able to produce evidence if the killing was a deliberate act.

"The hunt has been hypocritical but they admit they are close to the wind. They will be caught. The worst of it is they are teaching their young to break the law as well."

Police attended the meet but said they made no special effort to enforce the ban.

Inspector Richard Stowe, of Hampshire Police, said: "We are not going to monitor their activities. They have said they are going drag hunting and we take their word for it. If anybody wants to present any evidence of illegal hunting we will look at it.

He added: "One of our officers was made aware they had killed a fox. It was shown to him and he saw the bullet hole. Having conferred with me we were satisfied the killing was within the law and we are not going to investigate any further."

Mr Maxse said of the day: "It wasn't an easy day. It is the aim and intent of the hunt to stay within the law. But it won't be that easy for hounds to depart from what they are bred and trained to do - they will have to adapt to chasing different scents and that will take time."