Foxhounds and Bloodhounds

[11bluewolf]

Hi,
Sorry this has been posted before but I'm still confused... what is the difference between hunting with foxhounds and hunting with bloodhounds? Probably really silly questions...
Would there have been any differences pre ban or is it something that has come about because of this?
Do hunts have both types of hound or do they have one or the other?
Ive read that there is a difference in the pace of the hunt?
Do people prefer one type or?
Really keen to find out more, thanks!

 

[TGM]

Bloodhounds have been bred for centuries to follow the scent of humans. Bloodhound packs follow the natural scent of a human runner, no artificial trail is laid. Bloodhound packs hunt the same way now as they did before the ban.

 

[TGM]

If you are interested in learning more about bloodhounding I suggest you have a look at the website of the Coakham Bloodhounds as there is a wealth of information on there, including details of exactly what is involved, their history, their hounds, various press reports, plus photos and videos of their activities:

www.coakhambloodhounds.org.uk

This Washington Post article on them is also an interesting read:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/12/AR2011011204703.html

 

[Shay]

To finish the question... bloodhounds follow the "clean boot" as TGM says. Other types of hound follow either natural or artificial scents. Fox hounds specifically may be trained to follow an artificial scent - called drag hunting. This has been around since the turn of the 20th Century and is pretty much unchanged post ban. Others are trained to follow a natural scent. Pre ban this scent was laid by the fox. Post ban it is laid by a human runner dragging a scent soaked cloth in pretty much the same way as a drag hunt does. The only difference is that in a drag hunt the scent line follows a pre determined course so the day tends to be faster. For "Fox" hunts - now called trail hunts - the scent line is known only to the runner (subject to consent to cross land) so the hounds work more to locate and follow the trail, making the day slightly slower.

There are other types of hounds bred and trained for other quarry - deer hounds, mink hounds, beagles etc. But I'd be writing you an essay if we got into that. You can find out loads more about the different types of hunts here http://www.countryside-alliance.org/campaigns/hunting/

 

[11bluewolf]

Thank you for the replies, thats cleared a lot up for me!