A trio of hare coursers were caught after Angus police found they had recorded their illegal activities.
Colin Stewart, Mark Stewart and Raymond Higgins appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and admitted taking hares with three dogs near Kirriemuir on March 27.
Specialist wildlife fiscal Fiona Caldwell said the Stewarts also took hares with dogs at locations across Scotland, including the island of Tiree, between November 15 last year and that date.
This was admitted after police examined a Samsung video camera found in their van at Ladywell Farm, on the outskirts of Kirriemuir.
Ms Caldwell said the men had been engaged in “cruel sport” when police intervened.
“At approximately 8.30am on March 27, a witness aged 76 was at home when he became aware of the Stewarts setting a dog on a hare at Ladywell.
“The witness was also aware of a vehicle, a Ford Focus which was being driven and was associated with the people in the field.
“This was driven by Raymond Higgins.”
Police attended and stopped the men in the van nearby, where they claimed they were searching for a missing dog.
Ms Caldwell added: “It was then put to them that persons matching their description were seen coursing hares earlier, which they vehemently denied.
“They were noticeably evasive after that point.”
Two of the three dogs were in the van and Colin Stewart asked to retrieve the third which was in some nearby trees.
“Shortly afterwards he made good his escape from the trees and was not traced,” Ms Caldwell added.
Additional units and a police dog were called in to trace Colin Stewart but he was not found.
The police later found footage of the Aberdeen men “posing” with dead hares and discussing the Kirriemuir incident on a video camera, and “extensive evidence” that both Stewart men had been involved in previous offences.
Previous convictions were admitted for Higgins, 45, Summerhill Road, and Colin Stewart, 31, Blackthorn Crescent; while Mark Stewart, 26, Clinterty Caravan Park was described as a first offender.
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio deferred sentence to July 28 for background reports on all three, and admitted Colin Stewart to bail despite telling him he is at a “high risk of a custodial sentence.”
