Hare coursing spreading west into Wales, warns CLA

Hare coursing is spreading west across England and into Wales, the CLA has warned, as farms and estates brace for the surge in incidents that follows the harvest. The association says gangs pushed out of the eastern counties by sustained enforcement are now appearing in the Midlands, Gloucestershire, the South West and Wales.

Where is hare coursing spreading?

Claire Wright, the CLA’s national access adviser, told Farmers Weekly that reports from Wales are increasing, with some members describing the situation as out of control. “Lincolnshire used to be a real hotspot, but police cracked down through Operation Galileo,” she said. “Since then, we’ve seen more cases in the Midlands, Gloucestershire and the South West.”

Operation Galileo is the Lincolnshire Police-led national operation against coursing, and its effect shows in the enforcement figures: in the Thames Valley, recorded incidents have fallen from 280 in 2021 to 36 last year, Farmers Weekly reported. The CLA’s concern is displacement, with organised groups moving to counties where they are less expected.

Why do incidents surge after harvest?

Coursing has traditionally peaked from late summer, once cut fields leave hares visible and easy to run dogs on. But incidents are increasingly reported year-round, as thinner crop cover opens land earlier and gangs stream their meets online. For keepers and land managers in the newly affected counties, the next few weeks of stubble are the highest-risk period of the year.

What are the penalties for hare coursing?

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 strengthened the law, creating offences of trespassing with intent to search for or pursue hares with dogs, and being equipped to do so. They carry an unlimited fine and up to six months’ imprisonment, and courts can order the seizure of dogs, recovery of kennelling costs and disqualification from keeping dogs.

Sentencing guidelines in force since 1 June 2026 require courts to weigh the full impact on victims and rural communities. NFU vice-president Robyn Munt said the guideline sends “a clear message that this crime will be treated with the seriousness it deserves, and that the courts must consider the full impact on victims and rural communities”.

What happens next

Harvest is opening fields across the country now, and the CLA wants incidents reported to police as they happen, with 999 used when coursing is in progress. Farmers and keepers in the Midlands, the South West and Wales, the counties newest to the problem, should log vehicle registrations and locations rather than approach the groups involved.