questions/thoughts about fox hunting and foxhounds

[HowardB]

I've heard from a couple of sources over the years that farmers used to love the American Foxhound. This dog is not typically a guard dog like a Shepherd and not typically a herder like a collie. I suppose they are good at protecting the chicken coops from raiding foxes overnight. Am I correct?

My thoughts on fox hunting: I'm romanced the way the English did it in the old days. The horses, the riding habits, the horns, the hounds and the shotguns. No phony dragging a dummy on a line.
They use to do this line-dragging crap in California. This is not real fox hunting to me.

The rich in Britain these days have conflicts with the landed gentry there about trespassing property. They still use hounds to rip foxes to pieces though British hunting law has prohibited this in recent years. Animal rights activists (mainly women) in Britain are Hunting Saboteurs they now call them. These clashes become violent at times and the Brits act no longer polite, civil and proper in these fracases.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qI7o9H_wAY

The lawful way in Britain is to have hunters take the foxes with guns when flushed from cover by the dogs. This is the humane way to kill a fox to me. This method is the only way that has any pleasing hunting aesthetic value to me. If the fox is torn apart, the pelt will be no good for mounting in the hunting lodge. I love the idea of hunting over dogs where the quarry is ultimately taken by a human with a gun.

Here's a question about American fox hunting. Is there anywhere in America one can still ride a horse Brit style to pursue a live red fox through the countryside in a hunting party English style? The riding habits, the horn and all? I like the notion of following beautiful tricolor American foxhounds and killing the fox with a shotgun. This line dragging stuff with a dummy has no romantic value to me. I would only want the real deal. Old-fashioned fox hunting.

[driftwood blue]

50 years too late!

Fox hunting as you dream about is about non-existant.. in the 50 and 60 where I grew up there was a lot of old timers that hunted coyotes horseback with both trail hounds and sight dogs. the trail hounds would start them and when they got one going the sight dogs took over..one of the mail "organizers" was the President of the bank.. that was in the Flint Hills of Kansas.
by the early 70 the packs were almost gone, coyote hunting was mostly from pickups with sight dogs.

where there are lots of Coyotes, they tend to feast on fox.. sightings of fox around here is extremely rare.... with the spread of coyotes toall corners of the USA, the population of fox has declined.
now there are areas that have a good number of Grey fox but that is a bit different animal then the Red Fox that was so adapted to coursing with the trail hounds.

there are pockets of folks that hunt Coyotes with trail hounds and a good number of them use the hounds that have coonhounds in the ancestory. there are a good number that do have straight strains of Running walkers and a few Trigg hounds.

If you move to Texas and have some deep pockets go for it.

[HowardB]

[pegleg]

There are still some english style fix hunts in the usa. As has one in in the northern part of the state pursues coyotes. Pennsylvania has a couple along with other eastern states. Also a few folks hunt lion or bears off horse back. However that is a bit different.

[macedonia mule man]

A person could fox hunt old English style on horseback in my area but it would be a lot thicker. The 2 yr old clear cuts wouldn’t be all that bad but you couldn’t run full speed without some horses and riders being hurt,skidded ruts would get you.ivefox hunted from the early 50 up till now and trotting a pack in front of a heated/air conditioned truck is hard to beat. I’m pretty sure the year 2020 will have a lot more wildlife than we had where I lived in the 50. I like this modern day hunting, it a whole lot easier.

[macedonia mule man]

I ran dogs all day yesterday and headed Bass fishing as soon as it warms up a bit. Life is good down the Bayou- (GO TIGERS)

[perk]

I'm not sure why anyone interested in preserving hunting with houds would characterize fox hunting as dogs 'ripping to pieces' a fox. Not a good look for hunters. Or the outcome of most races with formal packs.
Also to call animal rights activist 'mainly women' is a misconception. Ton of male activist as well
And women are a large percentage of those that hunt with the packs. There are many mounted formal fox hunting clubs in my neck of the country here and I'd bet over 50% of their menbers/riders are women.

You can google and find a list of all the registered mounted foxhunting packs in the USA and Canada. Most still hunt live animals not drag animals. I know several huntsman and masters of hounds.

Please don't allow liberal media and social media to be your only source of information about any type of hunting. Because both of those statment I addressed would not be the world view of most of the formal pack hunters I interact with time to time.

[HowardB]

[HowardB]

[perk]

You don't see it offered by outfitter and guides because it's not a guided hunt where you pay to KILL an animal with a weapon. Yhe enjoyment to some in the chase, for some ot is the ride in the country side, for some ita the drinks afterwards. I've been invited to ride with a local club before at no cost. (I dont ride horses though) they have welcomed me to join and follow in my vehicle before. Money is not what these organizations are about so no reason for them to offer you a guide service. I've been with foot packs of rabbit beagles who hunt English style like the fox hunters for free in the past. Anyone with money to spend has the potential to join one these organizations. I doubt the fee is more than if I figure all my feed, vet, wormer, meds, gas, time. Huntclub dues, etc. And cost of feeding 50 hounds, paying gas, feed, hay for horses, huntsman, masters, whippers ends, kennel boy and housing the employees, transportation, mortgage, electricity etc will cost money and that cost will be incurred by those who enjoy the hunt and social events, thus the cost of joining.
I know many people who have been invited to join on a hunt who were never asked to pay.
I've never seen a bigfoot but seen mounted packs on many occasions

[HowardB]

[perk]

Was editing my last post as you replied, so there are a few changes.
Whippers Ends are riders who help keep dogs in line during hunt, also get out on edges and position themselves as lookouts for game. Have multiple jobs to the actual hunt. Often positions held by younger enthusiastic hunters.

[macedonia mule man]

Howard, I hunt just as much in summer as I do in winter,Maby a little more, don’t have to put up with deer hunters in summer.