Hunt Virgin!!

[Morrigan_Lady]

Ive never ever hunted, but would quite like to take my 6 year old one day. Maybe just to hack round and have a look at what goes on. Not too keen on jumping some of those humungous hedge or owt.

So how do I get started? Do I have to join a hunt? Or do I just turn up to a meet?

 

[Ereiam_jh]

I've only recently started riding but I'm hoping to go next year if I progress well enough.

I've just got to get the hang of that headlong gallop....

Maybe a newcomer's day would be the best way to start. I'm sure you'll find them very welcoming. Cubbing might be a good way to start as it's less formal.

Get in touch with the hunt secretary. I'd have thought they would put you with some other like minded riders who don't want to do anything too drastic.

Most of all don't worry about breaking the Hunting Act just concentrate on staying on and safe! LOL

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

What do you mean about not worrying about breaking the hunting act?

Id prob only go drag hunting anyway, as Im not too keen on the idea of chasing a fox!

Whats cubbing? Soz if thats a daft question, but I no nowt about hunting!

 

[Ereiam_jh]

I wouldn't go drag hunting myself, too fast and furious + I'm not sure if they do it much round me.

Cubbing is I believe less formal so might be a way to start they do it before the season starts proper.

All I was saying is that when I go I won't be worrying about the niceties of the law, just not falling off.

 

[k9h]

Cubbing is entering of the young hounds to hunting so alot slower paced & not much jumping.
Also normal packs are not allowed to chase foxes so it doesn't matter which type you go with. Plus echo Ereiam-jh as drag packs do go terribley fast!!

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Also normal packs are not allowed to chase foxes so it doesn't matter which type you go with.

That's true, it's all legal now.

Down my neck of the woods I think they just chase them accidently, so all above board.

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Cubbing is entering of the young hounds to hunting so alot slower paced & not much jumping.
Also normal packs are not allowed to chase foxes so it doesn't matter which type you go with. Plus echo Ereiam-jh as drag packs do go terribley fast!!

Ohhh, I see, I thought it might of ment, chasing baby foxes!! Would NEVER do that!!! Trouble is, if there baby hounds, Ill prob spend more time cuddeling them than riding my horse!

 

[Sidesaddle]

Ohhh, I see, I thought it might of ment, chasing baby foxes!! Would NEVER do that!!! Trouble is, if there baby hounds, Ill prob spend more time cuddeling them than riding my horse!

Hmmm. Are you sure you want to hunt???

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Ohhh, I see, I thought it might of ment, chasing baby foxes!! Would NEVER do that!!! Trouble is, if there baby hounds, Ill prob spend more time cuddeling them than riding my horse!

Hmmm. Are you sure you want to hunt???

No, not really! But I think Id enjoy the ride and I think my horse would like it!

 

[Sidesaddle]

Fair enough!

 

[Ereiam_jh]

I'd go for it then, your conscience is clear!

 

[endymion]

Cubbing is teaching the new hounds to hunt by entering coverts/woods and setting them on that years fox cubs. It is not nice.

I ride and would like to drag but live in the city. I would suggest you try going out with bloodhounds or dragging, have a cpl of mates who do it and they love it. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of 'real' hunting it's probably the best option. A lot of drag/bloodhound hunts are affiliated with fox hunting but your views don't seem too strong so I'm sure you'd get along fine.

I know a lot of riders who would love to go mock hunting. It's a shame there are not more options available.

E

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Whats mock hunting?

I do feel quite strongly about chasing poor defencless foxs, plus I love wild life. But I just want to try it and most of the time you dont even see a fox. Think I 'try' and pull up if we did get on the trail of a fox, Id cry soooo much if I saw it being ripped to peices!

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Erm no actually, that's illegal the Hunts don't do that anymore. Cubbing is just what they call 'Autumn hunting'.

The last time the hunt came round to my place they were trail hunting. There was a trail somewhere and they were searching for it.

The dogs seemed to be very intent on what was going on in one of my coppices. There was also a fox in there, but no doubt all that rummaging around and baying was because they were so excited at the prospect of finding the trail.

Little did they know that no one had laid a trail onmy land at all. I'm very against people dragging smelly socks around.

I don't know if they ever did find that trail.

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Whats mock hunting?

Mock Hunting is trail hunting. The idea is to simulate normal hunting as far as possible. A scent trail is laid and the hunt tries to follow it. No one knows where the trail is laid so they don't know if they are on the scent of a real fox or not.

At the end of the day whatever form of hunting you engage in, some animals will suffer, but it causes far less suffering than say shooting or trapping. Both of which kill and wound far more animals.

If you don't yourself intend to hurt anything then I can't see where the problem is. I never hurt any animals with my dogs so I feel my conscience is clear whatever the law says.

lol

 

[endymion]

I use the term to define a simulated hunt as opposed to chasing live quarry.

I know one or two people who fox hunt and are part of the field. They are pro-hunt but obviously uneasy with it. As members of the field they rarely see a fox at all. I've been a protestor for years now and, unlike the field, I see what happens at the business end of things and it's pretty nasty (my opinion, I don't want to get in to a debate right now everyone!!).

In my experience a fox hunt is far more social, there are plenty stops and chances to chat while drag and bloodhound hunting is much faster.

If you post your area up on one the forums then people should know what fox/drag/mock hunts are available to you. Or try Baileys.

Hope that helps some...

 

[endymion]

They've been calling it Autumn hunting for years now. A benign name for a barbaric act.

Many hunts still hunt cubs and you know it. Thought you didn't care about the law, you wild rebel of the countryside.

Anyway, lets not get into an argument, we'll scare the poor girl off. We need some new posters in here, it's getting boooring.

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Thought you didn't care about the law, you wild rebel of the countryside.

Endy I nthink it was you who said youd couldn't give a t0$$?

I do care about the law! Unlike you I just don't think the Hunts should shoot all the animals they flush out. I'd like to see less animals killed that way.

 

[endymion]

Most of all don't worry about breaking the Hunting Act

Ahh, I see you were refering to flushing to guns and not using dogs to make the kill (yeah right).

I said no arguing, I fear it may be too late and we have scared off our new friend, never to be seen again........

p.s you can write toss you know.

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Im still here!!! Just trying to work out whats going on, reading the Quote post, Im guessing you have a feud going on??!!!

 

[severnmiles]

Firstly I'm not sure you should consider hunting, if you're after a hack around the block but disagree with the principles of hunting pre-ban then its a bit contradictory as you're supporting something which you disagree with. Very few who hunt disagree with hunting as it was pre-ban.

I wouldn't suggest drag-hunting as this is seriously fast and furious with big rails/gates and hedges! If you don't jump and keep up you'll get left behind and lost!

If you do still want to go I'd take him autumn hunting (previously known as cubbing), this is not for cubs, they are by now 6 months and no longer cute, fluffy furballs but since the ban are pretty much safe anyway! There won't be many jumps and most will be optional, its much slower and most of the horses(and riders :smirk are fat and unfit from summer grass and so barely get out of a canter! Also far fewer horses out. The hound 'pups' that are being entered are no longer puppy like so you probably won't even notice which are being entered. (big clue might be the whipper-in chasing one thats gone in the wrong direction :smirk

 

[endymion]

yeah it's an ongoing thing where we argue about the same specific topic over and over. Giles (thats E.R's real name) is secretly in love with me and has invited me down to stay with him in Exmoor. :grin:

The best way to learn about hunting is to get out there and see for yourself. I am certain you will see illegal activity, but who knows, your local hunt may be honest and law abiding (miracles do happen, lol).

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Endy can;t get it into his head that all I want to do is wander round with my dogs and maybe scare off a few of the deer that loiter round. He seems to think I want my dogs to kill them which seems strange as they are collies and wouldn't be capable of doing that.

Most wierdly of all he claims to be an animal lover and yet supports the law making what I do illegal unless I shoot the deer. Fortunately I have no gun and I'm not planning on getting one! lOL

I think you'd have an excellent time hunting/mock/autumn/hunting/cubbing or whatever it's called. I'd just make sure you are morally conent with your own actions and not let what other people say worry you too much. Life is too short....

Most of all have a laugh and don't take it too seriously!

Besides I'm not sure the law comes into what the field do anyway.

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Haha......You gonna go then???

Says your into Hedonism?? That true??? :shocked:

 

[endymion]

Oh don't be like that. Life's too short to b*tch about people....... :grin:

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Oh don't be like that. Life's too short to b*tch about people....... :grin:

Errr??? Just wondered if its true? Im not bitching.

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Haha......You gonna go then???

Says your into Hedonism?? That true??? :shocked:

He says he is, he wants to watch me wandering round my woods with my dogs looking for a deer and then not shooting any that get flushed out.

He's then going to hand the footage of my darstardly deeds to the Chief Constable who isn't going to do anything about it.

He takes not getting the Hunting Act enforced that seriously!

lol

Should be a laugh though, we'll have a few beers but he's not coming anywhere near my ass. lol

 

[endymion]

Yeah, I'll go. I'm always nicking one of my best mates horses for competition so I might take her shire down for a bit of hacking if I get a riding school in Exmoor. Maybe Giles can suggest somewhere?

It'll be interesting.

Erm, I really should change that hobby list. I wrote it after coming home from a music festival and was all thinking I was an earth hippy. I'm not a hippy, I was just trashed. :grin:

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Haha, you two are well funny! Think I could play cilla here!

 

[endymion]

You're just playing hard to get.

....and I wasn't going on about YOUR 'dastardly deeds' I was pulling him about the fact you said they were dis-interested in enforcing the Act.