Peter Allen (Letters, September 12) is right to say Karen Hoy's article showed atrocious behaviour by supposed hunt supporters.

I am 25 and have been involved with hunting and all fieldsports.

I would not class those who committed these acts to be part of the fieldsports community. They are nothing more than trouble-makers trying to stir things up.

I would not be surprised if the acts had been committed by anti-hunt supporters who, despite their love of animals, often seem happy to cause suffering to people and their pets in support of their campaign.

I have had threats to kill my lurchers and ferrets and to myself when out with my dogs.

Gamekeepers, woodsmen and pest controllers often use dogs and their work would be impractical without them.

I use my lurchers to take rabbit and fox for pest-control purposes and every animal I catch is treated with the respect it deserves for a quick, clean death.

Hunting and shooting are essential parts of rural life and the hunting and shooting fraternity are responsible for a large amount of conservation work linked to their pastime.

On ground that is often shot and hunted, you will find the woods well coppiced, the hedges trimmed and good amounts of set-a-side. All this encourages birds, other wildlife and wild flowers.

The biggest issue about hunting is not the fox's welfare but hatred of the supposed "upper-class" huntsman.

For the record, I am certainly not upper class. I also live in the town and cannot afford to move to the countryside.

-Name and address supplied