Hare coursing: why landowners must stay alert this autumn
As harvested fields open up the countryside, the CLA’s Natalie Oakes explains why every hare coursing incident must be reported
Far too often, criminal activity in the countryside goes unseen. National Rural Crime Action Week is therefore an important moment to shine a light on the crimes affecting those in rural areas.
Hare coursing is one of the clearest examples of these offences. It’s not a minor nuisance, nor simply trespass, but an organised criminal activity that damages land, threatens livelihoods and intimidates people.
The scale of the problem
Following the quieter summer period, the risk of hare coursing rises as harvested fields in the autumn leave hares visible and exposed. Across England and Wales, CLA members continue to report gates rammed, fencing removed, crops damaged and vehicles abandoned or burnt out in fields. Just as concerning are the reports of abusive behaviour, threats and violence when farmers, landowners or rural residents encounter offenders on their land.
New CLA research published this summer underlines the scale of the problem. In a survey of CLA members, 96% of respondents said they were aware of illegal hare coursing in their local area, while 89% had personal experience of it affecting their own farm or rural business. Those affected had been targeted an average of 26 times over the last five years, with some reporting more than 100 incidents.
The human impact
The same survey showed the human impact behind the statistics. More than half of respondents had received threats of violence or other warnings from hare coursers, and 70% reported dead animals being left on or around their land as a form of intimidation. Four in five had spent money on security and crime prevention measures, with many spending thousands of pounds to protect their farms and rural businesses.
These findings show why hare coursing must be treated as a serious rural crime. It affects wildlife, but it also affects people: their safety, their confidence, their businesses and their ability to go about their daily work without fear of confrontation.
Stronger laws and sentencing powers
The CLA has long campaigned for stronger action. In 2018, we developed a Hare Coursing Action Plan and worked alongside rural and environmental organisations to secure changes to the law. Important measures introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 mean anyone caught hare coursing can face an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison. The act also introduced specific offences for trespassing with the intention of using a dog to search for or pursue a hare, and for being equipped to do so. Courts can also disqualify convicted offenders from owning or keeping dogs and order offenders to cover police kennelling costs.
Further progress arrived in 2026, with new sentencing guidelines for hare coursing offences coming into force in England and Wales on 1 June. These guidelines are designed to ensure courts fully recognise the harm caused to victims, rural communities, land, crops and wildlife. They take into account aggravating factors such as planning, intimidation, financial gain and the use of social media to promote offending.
Police forces continue to work together through initiatives such as Operation Galileo, the national operation tackling hare coursing and improving cross-border intelligence sharing. This is vital because offenders often travel across force boundaries, and effective disruption depends on police, rural crime teams, land managers and communities sharing information quickly.
Why reporting every incident matters
Across the country, CLA Rural Advisers continue to attend rural crime meetings, ensuring land managers’ concerns are heard and helping to keep the CLA informed about local trends. One message is consistent: incidents must be reported.
Even where a police response is not immediate, every report helps build the intelligence picture needed to target hotspots, identify repeat offenders and make the case for rural policing resources
Anyone witnessing hare coursing in progress should call 999 and avoid putting themselves at risk. Where an incident has already happened, report it via 101 or the relevant police online reporting route. It’s vital to include as much detail as possible, such as vehicle registration numbers, descriptions, direction of travel, the number of people and dogs involved, and precise locations using tools such as What3Words where available.
Keeping rural crime on the agenda
Farmers, landowners and rural businesses are investing time and money to protect their property, their staff and their families. They need properly resourced rural crime teams, consistent use of the legal powers now available, and confidence that reporting will make a difference.
National Rural Crime Action Week is a chance to remind decision-makers that rural crime cannot be an afterthought, and the CLA will continue to work with members, police forces and partner organisations to ensure rural communities are listened to, protected and supported.
