Any oracles out there who can answer this question please?

[Rowreach]

Out with the beagles last Saturday with my two young boys and the huntsman mentioned he had 18 and a half couple out. My elder boy asked me why an odd number of hounds is brought out. Blank stare from me as I pondered this and wondered why I'd never asked the same question, then sent him off to ask the master of harriers who happened to be walking along in front of us. He didn't know either, but said he usually hunts 12 and a half couple and traditionally it's always "something and a half". Where I come from it was always 16 and a half (foxhounds)

Can anyone tell me the background to this please? We'd all love to know

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

I always believed it was for good luck?

 

[brown tack]

Good luck

 

[Alec Swan]

It would be the same, as when we're partridge shooting. If we shoot 247 birds, and if we're to be correct, then that would be one hundred and twenty three and a half brace. 247 pheasants would be just that!

With hounds, could it be that when their attached to each other, in couples that that's why a single hound is half a couple? I haven't the faintest idea, to be truthful, but that's the way it is!!

Alec.

 

[Rowreach]

Ok, thanks for that - good luck - I'll take this on a bit further then ... why is it meant to be good luck? There must be a reason for this [ponders thoughtfully ...]

Alec I've always assumed they are "couples" because of couples

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

I'm sure that I've read an old story about why it's lucky, but would think it's like a lot of supertitons really?
And hounds in counted in couples as it often easier to count in twos, am not sure if hound couples are called couples after hounds or the other way round if that makes any sense?? Half a couple beacause it is single, and easier to say 13 1/5 couple rather than 13 couple plus one I would think, and it flows better.

 

[HuntingB]

Perhaps it's to do with the 'one for luck' that goes with a lot of things, hip hip hooraying etc?
I find it easier to cound an odd number of hounds rather than an even, that could just be me though?

 

[Maesfen]

I was always told that originally it started when the huntsman was testing out the new whipper-in; the huntsman would draw hounds out and expect the whip to tell him how many he had got as a test as many would assume they would be couples and never a half added on if that makes sense. Several old huntsman have told a similar tale so I'm inclined to believe them and it's just tradition now that there's always a half.

Of course another old huntsman always said it was the half that always caught the fox!

 

[Rowreach]

Oh I love this stuff Maesfen I like your 2nd theory best

 

[Herne]

Of course another old huntsman always said it was the half that always caught the fox!

That is the reason that I have always heard.

Incidentally, whilst multiple hounds are correctly referred to in couples and half-couples, one hound on its own is always "one hound" and not "half a couple" (in just the same way that you would not refer to one sock as half a pair of socks).

 

[JenHunt]

Maesfen's theory is the one I've heard before.

And also been told that a number of huntsmen believe it's the last hound out of the kennel that catches the fox (obv not now!) so it was often the hound that was borderline for being picked for the day that caught. But I'm not sure how much truth there is in that, and it doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Yep I've heard Maesfans 2nd theory as well, so sort off Good Luck as it gets the fox (or used to)