The government is to consult on banning trail hunting amid concerns it has been used as "a smokescreen” for illegal fox hunting.

Baroness Hayman, the animal welfare minister, said it would be the “first step” to delivering the legislation to fulfil Labour’s manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting.

She said: “The nature of trail hunting makes it difficult to ensure wild and domestic animals are not put at risk of being killed or injured – that is clearly unacceptable.

The West Norfolk Foxhounds set off from their Boxing Day meet at Little Massingham (Image: Chris Bishop)

“We understand that this is a complex issue and so we are seeking views from everyone with an interest to help shape how we bring this forward.”

Anti-hunting groups say there have been thousands of incidents involving hunts breaking the law since pursuing a live quarry with hounds was banned by the 2005 Hunting Act.

Prosecutions are rare but include two members of the West Norfolk Hunt, who were found guilty of allowing hounds to hunt foxes by Great Yarmouth magistrates in July, 2024. Both were fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,200.

A pack of hunting dogs chased a fox into a private garden before killing it in Hingham, Norfolk (Image: Submitted)

The pair subsequently appealed but this was rejected after a two-day hearing before a judge at Norwich Crown Court in October of that year.

The court heard witness evidence and CCTV footage about an incident on February 23, 2024 when 38 hounds entered a garden in Hingham and killed a fox with both present and in charge of the pack.

Labour pledged in its manifesto to ban trail hunting, a practice in which an animal-based scent is laid across the countryside for hounds and riders to follow.

A hunt servant prepares to lay the false trail for the hounds (Image: Chris Bishop)

Trail hunting grew in popularity as an alternative to fox hunting, which was banned more than 20 years ago.

Launching the consultation, officials said there was an inherent risk of dogs picking up the scent of live wild mammals such as foxes and hares, and pursuing and killing them instead of following the trail.

Concerns persist that trail hunting can be used as a “smokescreen” to facilitate illegal hunting as it helps obscure any intention to hunt wild mammals with dogs, the Environment Department (Defra) said.

A hunt servant lays a false trail for the hounds to follow (Image: Chris Bishop)

Under the plans, which would apply to England and Wales, other activities such as drag hunting – in which a non-animal scent is laid – or “clean boot” hunting where the hounds follow the scent of a human runner would remain legal.

The Countryside Alliance said trail hunting contributes £100 million to the rural economy every year.

Its chief executive Tim Bonner said: “At a time when the countryside is on its knees as a result of misguided government policies and a cost-of-living crisis heightened by war, the government has again chosen to attack rural communities with another assault on rural life.

The Dunston Harriers stage their traditional Boxing Day meet at Wymondham (Image: Simon Finlay)

“A ban on trail hunting is unnecessary, unjustified and unfair.”

He added: “This is nothing more than the government attempting to distract from the real problems facing British people.

“Voters care about the countryside, the food on their table and cheaper energy bills; not toxic culture wars.”

Protestors at a Boxing Day meet (Image: Jamie Honeywood)

But Baroness Hayman said polling showed the majority of people living in rural communities supported a ban.

She said the consultation was a genuine listening exercise and would look at elements including economy and community impacts.

She said: “We know there are really strong feelings on both sides of this.

Hounds stream over a fence as they hunt a false trail (Image: Chris Bishop)

“One thing we want to do through the consultation is ensure any legislation is robust, enforceable and workable in practice.”

The League Against Cruel Sports said it had recorded 488 reports of foxes seen being pursued between August 2025 and March this year, and claimed that pre-laid trails were recorded being laid at only 4pc of hunt meets attended by monitors.

Emma Slawinski, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “This consultation is the very welcome start of a process which should lead to more effective legislation allowing the courts and police to tackle persistent and prolific illegal hunting, something the league has been lobbying many different governments for over many years.

West Norfolk hounds move off from a meet at Raynham Hall (Image: Chris Bishop)

“So-called trail hunting must be banned, the exemptions in the Hunting Act removed, the end of so-called accidental hunting and jail sentences introduced to act as a deterrent for those who would break new stronger fox hunting laws.”

Three hunts currently operate in Norfolk - the Dunston Harriers, West Norfolk, and Waveney and North Norfolk Harriers. All three were contacted for comment.

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