Who will be out hunting this season?

[Twizzel]

Before I start I don't want this to turn into a debate!! :cheekywink:


Will be my first season, but I'm super excited, hopefully going cubbing in a couple of weeks then Nov 7th is the opening meet :D

But who else is currently getting very excited, doing lots of fittening work, clipping (cob is super hairy already!) brushing off their hunt coats and getting ready to go hunting??

[Spockky boy]

I would love to go, however I think if I ever took Spock I wouldn't come back alive lol Hes storng in a ride of 3-4 horses... God knows how I would cope with upto if not 50+ horses galloping with and around us!!

Have fun though!

[Cinders]

I wanted to do some cubbing but think it might blow Mol's brains lol definitely want to do some but maybe next year when i've had longer to get to know her lol

have fun!! x

[Teej]

What's cubbing?

[Spockky boy]

Basically hounds + horses follow a scent of a fox. No killing is involved though.

Although you are allowed to kill the fox if its near death anyway aren't you?

[silverbullet]

Cubbing - or hound exercise as its now called - is used to disperse the foxes traditionally, but now is just to get the hounds fit and get the young hounds going.

I may have a day or 2 on Oscar if my mum lets me borrow him. I'm no longer brave enough to hunt Basil - though I used to alot when I was young and stupid!!

[Twizzel]

Cubbing is autumn hunting- it prepares hounds for hunting i.e gets them fit, and introduces young hounds to following a scent. Then come Nov you switch over to proper hunting and change from tweed jacket to hunt coat. Not as fast as hunting I'm told but still good fun :)

[XenaWarriorPrincess]

Im not doing any ridden meets but will try and do a couple on foot.

[Kilota]

I am one of those who will not be joining in with this. Mainly because it is something I don't agree with (but each to their own right).

I have been cubbing once in the past though. I thought it only right to attend one to see what it was like before making up my mind fully (I hated every minute of it).

[coloredred]

I'm hoping to go this year, one leaves from my yard in February and another couple of within hacking distance. I'm already getting magic fit since he's had a couple of months off for one reason or another. Will be my first time and i'm quite excited :)

[CityLights]

Ive never had a horse i would trust hunting, I had one section D i might of had a go on but never went

Dennis was brought from Ireland to hunt and the term 'took two counties to stop him' was quickly applied, his old owner took him out drag hunting once and ended up infront of everyone and then tanking off in the wrong direction as the hunt turned

[My Crazy Clan]

I would love to go hunting BUT without the killing, I think its very good for the horses and the dogs but I don't agree with killing the foxes.

[Spockky boy]

Each to their own, but a similar pattern for wild animals such as lions, hyenas etc killing wilderbeast and zebras out on the plains; there can be a long chase, if not two or threes chases until an animal is caught.

The majority of hunts don't end up catching the fox, and the kill is usually dispatched quickly. Remember foxes can still have a slow painful death if they get hit by a car or caught up in barb wire.

[daytona]

I'm hoping to hunt but I'm a total wimp and dont jump :o

But I really enjoy the meet and getting to know everyone.

I'm lucky as the horse I loan belongs to an ex huntsmaster and he accompanies us with his other horse and its normally a great day.

[chescar]

Me I will be going once a month (can't afford the cap every week)

Drag hunting - so no foxes involved at all. Love it. love it. Love it. And so does my horse.

[My Crazy Clan]

Remember foxes can still have a slow painful death if they get hit by a car or caught up in barb wire.

Yes true buts it's not done on purpose.

[Spockky boy]

Personally the way I see it(And Im no where near having a go), the hounds were bred for their excellent noses and smell, they do what comes most natural to them (Tracking). It's our jobs to fine tune them.

Its very similar to shooting game and using gundogs to flush and retrieve.

[Teej]

Me I will be going once a month (can't afford the cap every week)

Drag hunting - so no foxes involved at all. Love it. love it. Love it. And so does my horse.

Now drag hunting does appeal to me and I think I would totally trust Chip (now that IS tempting fate :)....... I can just see the headlines " ex racer overtakes master huntsmen and dogs " :lol: ). I don't think I would want to jump him though in case of re-injury to his tendon.

I watched a program on TV about the Cheshire Drag Hunt and that looked like GREAT fun !

[Spockky boy]

That's the most hilarious thing ever said... children can also have a slow painful death if hit by a car, as can cats, dogs, etc. etc. Lets hunt them all... why not? Save them getting hit by a car! :evilgrin: Sorry *puts hand across mouth*

I meant there more chance of a fox having a slow death by car than on a hunt lol I do realise how it sounds Soph :lol:

[cocopops]

I'd love to get Coco out, it will either blow his brain or he would be fine.. might go out with my boss so i can try and stick wiht her!

[sarah s]

Was ment to be cubbing the other weekend but had a hang over and could not do the 6.30am start. But will def be going hunting even if only to a few meets due to the caps. Love being out with the hounds and other horses the atmosphere is great. Not been able to hunt for a few years due to not having a sane enough horse but new fella Walter is great. Irish background so should be good ?? (heres hoping)

[My Crazy Clan]

Now drag hunting does appeal to me and I think I would totally trust Chip (now that IS tempting fate :)....... I can just see the headlines " ex racer overtakes master huntsmen and dogs " :lol: ). I don't think I would want to jump him though in case of re-injury to his tendon.

I watched a program on TV about the Cheshire Drag Hunt and that looked like GREAT fun !

same here, I'll join you :worship::lol:

[Loony]

I think I'm going to stay out of this thread :lol: :ashamed:

Just wanted to ask though, I thought hunting is illegal now? So how are most of you still going? Unless you mean drag hunting..

[Kilota]

I think I'm going to stay out of this thread :lol: :ashamed:

Just wanted to ask though, I thought hunting is illegal now? So how are most of you still going? Unless you mean drag hunting..

I thought that too (but was too chicken to ask :ashamed:)

[black crow]

I hope you all have fun!!

I wouldnt take Spud out hunting, but id love to go again some day! :D

[ness]

Poor foxy! (but I would love to try drag hunting!)

[beks the artist]

No hunting round here with horses! Which is a shame as it would do Jakes and Taran the world of good for their confidence! I would have to travel to Ynys Mon (Anglesey) or down to Mid-Wales.

I last went hunting though in the early 90's and fell off!!! lol!

[eeek]

I'm going!!

For the first time ever I have transport, a reliable jumper, an outfit now that my mother has officially retired from hunting, a fit horse AND somebody to keep him ticking over during the winter (I shall be 150 miles away most of the time..). Can't wait!!

Have hunted Vinny 6 or 7 times over the last 7 years and he has been AWFUL every time but once when we bumped into the hunt whilst on a hack and he didn't realise it was a hunt because we'd missed the meet and the hounds were nowhere to be seen... I have noticed him maturing in the last year quite a lot so maybe I'll be able to last more than 2 hours without dying.

Emmalou, the hunting laws were very badly written so there are various loopholes. I have noticed no difference whatsoever in the way my local hunt operates, except that they take a large owl with them who sits on somebody's hand blinking in a bored manner. Apparently that makes all the activity perfectly legal.

[beks the artist]

An owl?? Did I read that right? LOL!

Actaully, I don't like the thought of going after foxes - I thought that it was drag hunting people did nowadays?

[ness]

I'm going!!

For the first time ever I have transport, a reliable jumper, an outfit now that my mother has officially retired from hunting, a fit horse AND somebody to keep him ticking over during the winter (I shall be 150 miles away most of the time..). Can't wait!!

Have hunted Vinny 6 or 7 times over the last 7 years and he has been AWFUL every time but once when we bumped into the hunt whilst on a hack and he didn't realise it was a hunt because we'd missed the meet and the hounds were nowhere to be seen... I have noticed him maturing in the last year quite a lot so maybe I'll be able to last more than 2 hours without dying.

Emmalou, the hunting laws were very badly written so there are various loopholes. I have noticed no difference whatsoever in the way my local hunt operates, except that they take a large owl with them who sits on somebody's hand blinking in a bored manner. Apparently that makes all the activity perfectly legal.:lol:that is funny, Liz!

[Twizzel]

An owl?? Did I read that right? LOL!

Actaully, I don't like the thought of going after foxes - I thought that it was drag hunting people did nowadays?

Nope, you can chase a fox but can't kill it with hounds, so most hunts take out a bird of prey or a gun so I'm told.

Put it this way, there are 7 (I think, no less than this number) hunts in Cornwall, none of which are drag hunts :o

[beks the artist]

Ahhh I see.

Hmmmm... I agree with hunting and it is good fun, brilliant for giving youngsters confidence! However why on earth go after a fox when a man made sent would be just as good. Anyhows - have fun! Just don't catch any foxes ;)

[Loony]

Do you go just to kill a fox?? I would've thought drag hunting would be just as fun and give you that adrenalin rush.. without the needless massacre..

[eeek]

Emmalou - drag hunting is fun in a different way. It's often faster and the jumps are bigger, but it lacks the unpredictable factor which makes fox hunting so much fun. You're hanging around in some freezing field and you have no idea whether you'll still be there 2 hours later or whether you're about to have the run of your life. Drag hunting follows sensible routes, but when you're fox hunting you have to squeeze through gaps you didn't think you could squeeze through, jump ditches you didn't think you could jump, ride through people's back gardens (only with their permission of course) and it's generally much wilder.

Also, I wouldn't really describe it as 'needless massacre'. I have been hunting a good 30 times and only ONCE did we catch a fox.

I certainly don't go because I want to kill a fox, I go for the chase.

But I think hunting is a good way to kill foxes if it must be done. At least the ending is quick and instant, and they're not rotting away in a trap or dying of poisoning or a bullet which didn't kill them instantly. People go on about how much terror the poor animal must feel during the chase, but to them it's just another day, just another run. We don't feel terror crossing the road (usually!) although it could end in a sudden death, because we never know what's in store for us. By the time the fox realises he's had it he only has a few seconds left to live.

It's not nice, and I would prefer not to kill a fox, but I don't think ANYBODY who eats supermarket meat, battery eggs etc can really go on a rampage about cruelty to animals during a fox hunt because it's just hypocritical. If you're a vegetarian, I commend you.

[Spockky boy]

Well said Eeeek.

[sazzy925]

Hopefully *fingers tightly crossed* I will have a horse to hunt on a few times this year. No not shauny lol, I think he'd be dead at the first hurdle. Me and my friend ride these 2 lady's horses a few times a week, and hopefully will be able to take at least one of them hunting a couple of times - always wanted to give it a go.

[Teej]

I'm sure a lot of people don't particularly go on hunts for the kill (but then many do :sad-no:).

I know people have all sorts of b****ks reasons why hunting foxes is a necessity but the thought of a fox, or any other animal being chased, caught and then attacked by a pack of dogs until it dies makes me feel physically sick :sick:

I can't even watch animal programs of lions or any other predator chasing prey and I'm from Africa and have unfortunately witnessed such things first hand !!! I know they have to eat but I hate the violence that goes with it.

[My Crazy Clan]

I don't know how people can class it as fun by chasing foxes around for hours on end, whether you kill the fox or not its still causing unnecessarily suffering.

[Tiaki]

Hopefully I will be taking the Kiwi monster providing I can get transport and can afford the extortionate cap fee :lol: Can't believe it's now £40!!!

I'm not into the killing of foxes at all. If I am out hunting and see a fox running north, I will say it ran south :lol: Not that this works very often. The reason I go - simply as Kiwi loves it. I don't know of any drag hunting round here else I would do that instead. I do want to try and go cubbing as opposed to hunting but will just have to see how things go really.

xxx

[Teej]

We need more people like you on hunts Chunkykiwi - helping the little foxies escape :)

[Kevin Atkins]

This subject always ends one way


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/MADKEV/can-o-worms.gif

But valid points on both sides

Kev

[daytona]

LMAO!!!!

Well put Kev :worship:

[Loony]

Good for you Sam!! I think I would do the same!!

Love the picture Kevin :lol:

[Teej]

It never actually ends at all Kevin...... it's been discussed on this forum at least once every 6 months or so :cheekywink:

[Loony]

Do you remember the one that went on for about 20 pages??

The trouble is, everyone just goes around in circles!! I think hunting debates are just plain pointless, we all have different views and we'll all stick to them, no matter how many times the other person expresses their love/hate for it.

[sugarlump]

I will hopefully be out this season :)

[Teej]

Do you remember the one that went on for about 20 pages??

The trouble is, everyone just goes around in circles!! I think hunting debates are just plain pointless, we all have different views and we'll all stick to them, no matter how many times the other person expresses their love/hate for it.

Yip - I remember that one and not one of us 'changed sides' at the end of it :D

[Twizzel]

I was a bit annoyed this turned into another hunting debate as if everybody actually read my first post I said I don't want a debate, just to know who is looking forward to hunting this season...

[Teej]

Sorry Twizzel.... that's how forums work unfortunately and you have no control over the responses and peoples opinions!

[Twizzel]

I know that, but generally speaking forums work with people discussing the first post in a thread- this one explicitly asked for no opinions, so if people actually read the first post, they wouldn't have taken the thread totally off topic and started yet another debate!

Back to the topic- I am very excited- got my hunt coat back from the dry cleaners yesterday and it looks super smart... they had to dry clean it 5 times! :D

[My Crazy Clan]

Know one has got nasty, This must be the politest post I've ever seen on a Fox Thread :lol::worship:

[loubylou]

I would like to do it one day, just so I can say I have cdone it, however dont know if I trust mine enough to do it!!

[beks the artist]

I know that, but generally speaking forums work with people discussing the first post in a thread- this one explicitly asked for no opinions, so if people actually read the first post, they wouldn't have taken the thread totally off topic and started yet another debate!

Back to the topic- I am very excited- got my hunt coat back from the dry cleaners yesterday and it looks super smart... they had to dry clean it 5 times! :D

There is nothing like a clean jacket!!!!! :D

However I have many a time asked people not to crit some of my picture posts but people do. Thats life. I think it has been a rather nice posting as there hasn't been any arguements at all :evilgrin:

[gwar]

:-( am sooooooooooo jealous!! Our hunt season has just finished in NZ and I'm in major withdrawal lol!! Am coming over to Scotland for 4 or 5 weeks in Dec/Jan so might see if can find a hunt to join in on (and a horse to borrow) while I'm there!

Twizzel, you'll LOVE your first season, it's such good fun!

[Spockky boy]

Know one has got nasty, This must be the politest post I've ever seen on a Fox Thread :lol::worship:

Ditto Rhea politest thread on this subject ever;), although I hold my hands, I know Im guilty to having a bit of a debate lol :evilgrin:

[claire777]

I would like to go but last owners advised me not to take Finn hunting and after doing a so called "Fun Ride" last year I now know why - He's a head case when out with lots of other horses.

Have funn all those of you going out this season

[amandaco]

i am going drag hunting to try to perk Kaya into life!!!

[My Crazy Clan]

Ditto Rhea politest thread on this subject ever;), although I hold my hands, I know Im guilty to having a bit of a debate lol :evilgrin:

Thread! thats what I was supposed to say not post:lol:

[gwar]

Lol Ooooops I hadn't actually noticed how many other posts were on this thread, I just read the first page and posted!! I can understand why hunting is controversial and I'm a vegetarian so don't like the killing part - but it rarely happens on hunts and I think it's much much kinder than poisoning or shooting and just maiming instead of killing. I would be interested to know how many people who are anti-hunting eat battery farmed chickens and pigs?? Because I think everyone would agree that's a lot more cruel than hunting. Just my opinion of course :-)

[My Crazy Clan]

I haven't a clue what I eat, whatever been put on my plate, although my granddad isn't one for cheap/ battery meat, I hate eating meat but I have to eat whatever they buy, I would be anorexia by now otherwise. I don't think its fair foxes are chased for hours on end, given them a fright or heart attack jsut isn't nice.

[gwar]

Lol I been a veggie for about 20 years and there's nothing anorexic about me. Just finished the lemon detox to try and shift some pounds!!!

I was probably against hunting at one stage, until I went along to see what it was all about. Same as rodeo. Was dead against rodeo until I went to my first one a few years ago and was totally converted. There is no cruelty there - the animals know exactly what they're doing and are very very good at it, which is why the same ones are used on the circuits.

[wombat]

if i had a horse that could hunt, then yerp i would be..

[eeek]

Can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!

It will be the one thing keeping me alive in the long months following the end of the racing season..

[Houndsfield]

Yep daughter is taking her 7 year old 17hh ISH for the first time to the Berkeley Hunt Children's meet on Saturday (apparently he's hunted before)...... hope he's not the most naughty one there ).... OMG the shame of it!!!