when does the hunting season start?

[storm123]

as above really, last year i found myself not attending any meets because i simply didnt know they were going ahead! another problem is i never know when they are because theres no why of finding out other than word of mouth with my hunt which is quite frustrating as i really do enjoy hunting!

 

[Shay]

The season has started for most - cubbing at least. Opening meet tends to be around mid October. You need to contact your local hunt secretary and speak to them. If you want to be sure of seeing dates etc you need to either subscribe or join the supporters club is there is one. You may need a current member of the hunt to vouch for you. Few hunts now advertise their meet dates and have to be really careful because of the harassment from a certain area of the community; despite the fact our activities are perfectly lawful.

 

[storm123]

The season has started for most - cubbing at least. Opening meet tends to be around mid October. You need to contact your local hunt secretary and speak to them. If you want to be sure of seeing dates etc you need to either subscribe or join the supporters club is there is one. You may need a current member of the hunt to vouch for you. Few hunts now advertise their meet dates and have to be really careful because of the harassment from a certain area of the community; despite the fact our activities are perfectly lawful.

I'm not quite sure who to get in contact with and how I would? It's a fairly small hunt but ideally I'd like to make the opening meet in October! Could you tell me when the season ends?
Thanks for the reply.

 

[PorkChop]

Which is your local hunt - you can find contact details on MFHA site.

We have been cubbing for several weeks now, our opening meet is the first Saturday of November, and our season finishes the beginning of April.

 

[Beagle]

Traditionally, the opening meet for foxhound packs was the first Monday in November, but over the years changes have come about.
First the importance of the opening meet to the general body of supporters who nowadays are mostly in employment & often cannot spare a Monday off has induced hunts to move it to the Saturday.
Second there has been a tendency to move the opening meet forward into late or even mid October; what has brought that about is rather less clear. Presumably, “market demand” from followers to bring the date forward in the hope of less unsettled weather may have played some part.
It is also difficult to say to what extent the move has been brought about by changes in the farming calendar resulting from global warming. Earlier harvests might appear to suggest that, but, another consequence seems to be that cattle are being kept out later, which would suggest otherwise.

 

[Orangehorse]

OP, if you know someone who hunts, ask them for a contact number and find out who the secretary is. Most hunts have a website and email systems now. Ours sends round an email in the autumn of the week's meets and then later when all the meets for the first half of the season are arranged they produce a card and put the dates on their website.

Opening meet is generally very early November and the season ends at the end of February/beginning of March, although locally might be slightly different, eg. moorland packs. At the moment packs are still Autumn Hunting when the main job is teaching the hounds their job, and the meets are gradually getting later in the morning, it is 8.00 a.m. for ours atm.