Fox Hunting Info

Regarding fox hunting, the Masters of Foxhounds Association also known as MFHA affirmed: “ It is a union of humans and animals in the beauty of nature’s setting. Man is an observer mounted on a horse, the vehicle that allows him to follow and observe the hounds as they hunt the fox. The scenario unwinds before the fox hunter’s eyes and ears with the sound of the huntsman’s hunting horn as hounds give chase. The fox or coyote maneuvers, circles and runs through the country cunningly evading the hounds “.

Fox hunting has it roots in Great Britain and during colonial times became popular in North America. The very first attempt of hunting fox with hounds was in Norfolk in the 1534 where a regular farmer used his own dogs in an attempt to catch a fox. The northern part of Virginia states that the oldest written record of a fully organized fox hunt ( for more hunters not just one ) dates back from the 18 th ( the year 1747 ). The organizer of this entire event was a man named Thomas Sixth Lord Fairfax. In George Washington’s diaries there are many mentions about hunts that were conducted in the near vicinity of Washington D.C. As a matter of fact, George Washington owned a couple of hound packs.

The very first fox hound club established in the United States was in Virginia in the year 1840 and it still exists today under the name of Piedmont Foxhounds. The above mentioned MFHA was formed in 1907 and its purpose was to and still is to: “ set and maintain high sporting standards among its members, encourage fox hunting, approve and register territories on official maps of fox hunting countries, settle disputes in regard to the same, register eligible foxhounds in the Foxhound Stud Book and improve the breed of foxhounds “.

Nowadays, in the U.S. this sport has evolved to where the chase is much more important than the actual kill. As a matter of fact, the hunt ends when the fox gets to a hole in the grown ( also known as “ earth ” ). In other cases, the hunt ends when the hounds can’t smell the animal’s scent anymore. Organized fox hunts exist in approximately 35 states in the United States with more than 170 organized clubs in North America. The terrain in which hunters conduct the hunting activities varies from forest to mountains and dunes. These activities can include packs of hounds that are owned by a private individual or by a fox hunting club.

The fox hunters in most of the cases wear a shirt and a tie that is covered by a hunting coat, black leather boots, protective hat and breeches. According to the statements made by the MFHA this hunting equipment was chosen back in the early days of fox hunting for its practicality. In order to protect the hunter from brambles or branches, heavy boots and breeches were chosen and if an accident occurred, ties could be used as bandages.

All things considered, fox hunting has a long and interesting history and the most interesting aspect of it is that fact that even back in those days, the chase was far more attractive rather than the catch, it was and still is about the chase and the excitement it brings that is why this type of hunting is more interesting in comparison with other types.

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