Ending trail hunting is a big step towards a fairer countryside

26 March 2026

Today the Government announces plans to ban trail hunting with the opening of a consultation. Trail hunting has long been used as a smokescreen for the illegal hunting of wild animals, and Wildlife and Countryside Link has been calling for it to be banned since the Hunting Act came into force in 2005.

Ali Plummer, Director of Policy & Advocacy at Wildlife and Countryside Link, says:
“Ending trail hunting is a big step towards a fairer countryside, with robust laws that ensure that wildlife is not pushed to the margins. For too long, trail hunting has operated in a grey area that has enabled illegal hunting to persist under a different name. If the Hunting Act is to mean anything in practice, we must close loopholes, scrap exemptions, and introduce tougher penalties for those who break the law.

“But this is about more than enforcement – it’s about the kind of countryside we want to see. Wildlife should be able to recover without unnecessary disturbance, and land should be managed in a way that supports nature, not undermines it. A clear ban would send a strong signal that wildlife crime will not be tolerated, and that nature recovery is a national priority.

“We now need to see this commitment matched with proper resourcing, monitoring, and enforcement to ensure the ban delivers real change on the ground.”