BY failing to bring back last year's Hunting Bill, the Government has missed the opportunity to ban hunting until at least 2004.

This decision has effectively sentenced thousands more wild animals to a pointlessly cruel and unnecessary death.

We are now at the beginning of another season of hunting - the beginning of yet another round of persecution of foxes, deer and hares for the entertainment of a few.

Between now and November, hundreds of young fox cubs, many just a few months old and only half grown, will be slaughtered in that rarely publicised "sport" of "cubbing."

Many hunts will now be out early in the morning or sometimes evening, training the new hound which animal to chase and kill, and which to leave alone.

A wood is chosen that is known to contain fox cubs and riders and foot followers will surround it to prevent the cubs from escaping.

The huntsman will take the pack into the wood where the hounds will be encouraged to seek out and kill as many young foxes as possible, while any that do try to escape will be frightened back to the dogs by supporters waiting outside.

This is a brutal business where outsiders, particularly those carrying cameras, are decidedly unwelcome.

As well as the brutal business of cubbing, this is also the time of year when many hounds will be "retired," a euphemism for a bullet in the head.

This is another aspect of hunting hunters like to keep to themselves.

Hounds will be killed for many reasons, some trivial. One thing that is certain is they will never be allowed to grow old.

Even the successful hounds will be "retired" after five or six seasons with the hunt.

They will be just too slow to keep up with the pack.

Many thousands of hounds will be killed each year together with hundreds of over-bred and unwanted puppies.

Perversely, midway through this brutal period, most hunters will be off to London, marching for their right to continue.

Now that really is a liberty.

MAURICE BRETT,

Protect Our Wild Animals,

Linehouse Lane,

Bromsgrove,

Worcestershire.