Youngsters watched on as countrymen with dogs unearthed and shot two foxes, in pictures released by anti-hunt campaigners.
The images show children thought to be as young as five standing just yards away as the animals are dug from an old badger sett and killed.
The incident happened after a hunt on December 28 by the Modbury Harriers, which rides in South Devon.
It was reported to the League Against Cruel Sports by a nearby farmer who took photographs and was appalled to see young children being taken on a hunt.
The RSPCA is said to be investigating to see if it breaches the laws that govern huntsmen, though the Hunting Act, which banned hunting foxes with a pack of hounds, doesn’t cover the use of dogs to flush out animals underground.
The Countryside Alliance said there was "no question" the behaviour was legal, describing the killing as "professional and humane".
Spokesman Tim Bonner said nobody associated with the Modbury Harriers was embarrassed by the pictures, adding that the "sensational" coverage by the LACS showed that people do not "understand the realities of the countryside and country life".
The farmer – who wishes to remain anonymous, but keeps a flock of 140 breeding ewes and a few chickens, said: “I sat there in disbelief - how could those guys think any of what had played out was fit for young children to witness?
Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Farmer-appalled-hunt-young-children-witness-foxes/story-20502102-detail/story.html#ixzz2s5CK3IbE
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