POLICE in Humberside have cracked down on more illegal game hunting than almost any other force in the country.

Thirty-eight people flouting the hunting ban by carrying out blood sports – such as hare coursing or deer poaching – in the county were targeted by the force between 2006 and 2009, resulting in fines for 27 of the criminals. The only force that took on more hunters was Merseyside.

And in 2010, the latest year the figures are available for, eight actions were brought against offenders, all of whom were found guilty and fined in court. This is only second to North Yorkshire's force, which successfully prosecuted nine people.

It is thought that all offences were either hare coursing illegally or deer poaching.

David Jenkins, Humberside's force deputy director for wildlife crime, said: "These extremely positive figures reflect the work and effort the force has committed to reducing crime against wildlife in this area.

"It has been a co-ordinated response by the Neighbourhood Policing Teams and specialised officers, working with members of the farming community to target those people responsible.

"We will continue to strive to put offenders before the courts to send out the message that such crimes will not be tolerated."

In Lincolnshire between 2006 and 2009, 14 people were fined for carrying out blood sports.

Officers in the county say criminals often cross over the border to Humberside after committing a crime in Lincolnshire.

Nick Willey, deputy force wildlife crime officer at Lincolnshire Police, said: "We have a major problem between September and February.

"Last season we had 1,100 incidents called into us about hare coursing. The problem with poaching and coursing is that it's done by people who are travelling into the county; on some days we'll have 70 people on land they shouldn't be on.

"It's cross-boarder criminality. The people carrying out the crimes are travelling criminals who come from miles away.

"Lincolnshire is popular because of its rural landscape, and we often work closely with the Humberside force because criminals may work their way up to the northern county borders during a visit here."

And problems are not just related to the illegal hunt. Mr Willey said associated crime such as betting, trespassing and related thefts also caused issues for the rural community.

The force launched Operation Galileo to clamp down on hare coursing in 2009 and plans to run the same operation again this season.

Extra patrol units equipped with dogs and video will be stationed at key access points in and out of the county and police will be keeping tabs on areas that might fall prey to hare coursing.

A similar operation called Operation Trust is carried out to combat deer poaching.

Mr Willey said: "Hare coursing isn't always about actually catching the animal often, it's a chance for them to show their dogs off and say to each other 'my dog is faster and better than your dog'.

"Policing that and poaching is very hard and we rely on gamekeepers and landowners to give us information."

Report illegal blood sports to Humberside Police on 0845 6060222 or Lincolnshire Police on 0300 1110300.