What is Foxhunting?



Most people are familiar with the scene of a pack of hounds meeting outside an Irish country pub. We have all seen old sporting pictures and some of us have read the flamboyant novels of Sommerville and Ross. How does foxhunting work; who is in charge; who looks after the hounds and how can we set about taking part?
Since man began to keep farm animals, he has been in conflict with foxes and has had to control them. The sporting element of foxhunting took off in the middle of the eighteenth century. Farmers and riding enthusiasts, those who loved to watch hounds working an unpredictable line over beautiful countryside, turned what had been a ruthless pest control operation into an exciting sport. Foxes were still killed and cleanly, by a pack of hounds, but it was the challenge of the ride and the sight and sound of the running pack which drew followers. Today there are 37 registered Foxhound packs and 35 Harrier packs who also hunt foxes, and over 200 foot packs in Ireland. People from all walks of life go hunting and the sport is so popular that some hunts have waiting lists for subscribers. The hounds and the hunt staff still have a job to do and the goodwill of farmers would soon evaporate if no foxes were killed.

The Fox


Surprisingly few people have ever seen a fox close up, others are misled by it cuddly appearance. In fact the fox is a severe pest to certain types of farming and to gamebird conservationists. Left unchecked, fox populations would expand and destroy the balance of nature and cause widespread damage. This is why, if a farmer requests it, a fox which has been hunted to ground will be killed. Sometimes fox burrows may be temporarily blocked to enable hounds to find a fox above ground. That is not to say that foxhunters want to see all foxes killed. Foxhunting is about achieving an acceptable balance in the fox population. In recent years the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association made representations to the Minister of Agriculture when the fox population was nearly wiped out by the trade in pelts. It is worth bearing in mind that the other methods of fox control - traps, snares, and poisoning all carry a high risk of lingering death while a hunted fox is either killed outright or gets clean away.

The Pack


The hounds are the centre of any foxhunt and a well matched pack of good working hounds is a joy to watch.

A pack which hunts two days a week will have around 50 hounds (25 couple). These are kept in kennels and looked after by a professional kennel-huntsman. He is responsible for feeding them, their fitness and their discipline, and he will know each one by name. The same man may also control the hounds or ‘carry the horn’ on hunting days. Different hounds suit different countryside. The variety of hounds to be seen can extend from rough to smooth coated, from white to tri-coloured. The traditional hound in Ireland is the "Kerry Beagle", a familiar sight from Kerry to Cavan.

Hounds do not have to be trained to hunt. They do so by inherited instinct and this is why the breeding of good hounds is such an art. Another feature often commented on by newcomers is how gentle and well disciplined a foxhound can be.

The Masters


Most packs now have several Joint Masters in charge of the organisation and finances. The goodwill of these people, who are all volunteers, is crucial to hunting. Not only do they oversee the management of the hounds and the conduct of the hunt whilst out on private land, they are also responsible for maintaining the area hunted by their hounds. This is called the hunt’s ‘country’. The hunt will often encourage farmers to leave woodland and hedgerows and may help by planting new coverts. The co-operation between the hunt and the farmer is commonplace as hunting can only take place with his co-operation.

The Masters usually have a committee to help them run fund-raising events. Foremost among these, of course, are the hunt ball and the point-to-point races. All Masters must belong to the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association (IMFHA) which governs the sport. They must undertake to abide by the strict rules of the Association, the first of which is:-
"Foxhuntingas a sport is the hunting of the fox in his wild and natural state with a pack of Hounds. No Pack of Hounds of which the Master or Representative is a Member of this Association, shall be allowed to hunt a fox in any way that is inconsistent with this precept."

The Field


In hunting language ‘the field’ is the term used to describe followers. Normally we associate foxhunting with riders and the gallop across open countryside is one of the most exhilarating experiences of hunting. Riding to hounds has been described as one of the last ‘risk’ sports and at the start of a day you never know whether it will all end in the mud at the first fence, or will be the greatest hunt of your life.

Foot followers are always happy to explain the sport to newcomers, just as a new member of the mounted field will soon be made to feel at home. All followers of hunting are united by a love of the countryside, of hounds, of horses and of hunting talk. So, if you have never seen a hunt at work, why not take a look.
The foxhunting season runs from the start of November to the end of March.