The anti-hunt League Against Cruel Sports is to sell off acres of land it owns on Exmoor in a bid to fund a £1 million war to save the ban on hunting.

The league owns or manages as much as 2,000 acres of land in Somerset, which it bought or was donated over decades to try to curtail the activities of stag hunts.

But with an expected parliamentary free vote on repealing the Hunting Act looking too close to call in the autumn, it is raising a seven-figure sum to launch a huge campaign to persuade the public to tell their wavering MPs to support the ban.

Today marks the 2,000th day since the Hunting Act came into force, and league chief executive Douglas Batchelor said the sale of land would help an investment in the campaign to save the ban.

"We are absolutely focused and determined in our aim to ensure the Hunting Act remains," said Mr Batchelor.

"Our investment in this campaign recognises the massive public support and strength of feeling amongst our members and supporters that there must be no return to bloodsports.

"We will not lie down and allow the views of a small minority to undo years of hard work in bringing about a ban," he added. The new coalition government has compromised on the Conservatives' pledge of a free vote on repealing the Hunting Act.

First, MPs will be given a free vote on whether or not the issue should be raised and debated at all in parliament. If they decide parliamentary time should be devoted to hunting, a second free vote will take place after a debate expected in the autumn.

Which particular areas of land the organisation owns on Exmoor will be sold has not been revealed, but it is understood that the 250-acre Baronsdown sanctuary will remain in its hands.

Smaller parcels of land up to 10 per cent of the total league holding, and possibly including one or two of the farmhouses, will be sold off as it tries to raise £1 million.

A spokesman said the campaign would be financed by donations, the use of cash reserves and the sale of "some" land stocks. "The league will retain sporting rights over all the land it sells, most of which was purchased in the 1960s and 1970s to provide sanctuary to animals running from the hunt," he said.

"By retaining the sporting rights, the league ensures that hunting and shooting cannot legally take place on the land, whatever the outcome of the vote on repeal," he added.

The league is one of four main landowners on Exmoor, along with the National Trust, the Exmoor National Parks Authority and the Badgworthy Land Company, a consortium of pro-hunters set up to directly oppose the league's previous land grab.

Other landowners include former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, who bought a wood next to the league's Baronsdown reserve, which is also managed by the league.

The league is understood to have sold Barlynch Priory, a valuable rural home on land it owns, 18 months ago.

The impending sale did not come as a surprise to pro-hunters on Exmoor.

"We reckon they own around 2,000 acres in total," said one. "For the hunts, it can be a problem but we've largely fenced off Baronsdown to stop the deer getting in there.

"Them selling the land won't make too much difference because they're not selling the sporting rights, so people still won't be able to hunt there.

"Land is valuable here and the people who will buy it will be farmers who want to expand. But even though they are pro-hunt, they won't be able to allow the hunt onto their new land.

"The league is obviously desperate for money, and they've managed to come by a couple of old farmhouses, which if they can sell as vacant possession, will go a long way towards this figure of a million pounds," he added.

The pro-hunt Countryside Alliance claimed the land sale would "anger" the league's own supporters.

"The news that the league is selling off some of its land is not a huge surprise but will anger the supporters who hoped the money they gave the league was ring-fenced for its upkeep," said spokeswoman Jill Grieve.