Fox hunting - with a Golden Eagle!

[AmandaJR]

Out for a walk today in the country and saw the hunt in the distance. Nothing unusual in these parts so stood and watched a while - the hounds fascinate me. Anyhow, there was a quad bike leading which I assumed was setting a trail but we spotted he had some sort of hawk or something with him. Later on the walk we saw a fox quite close, in the open and scarpering fast, and then some of the multitude of vehicles following the hunt - reckon they were on radios saying "he went that way" (cheating surely)! At this point the horses and hounds were a good few fields away.

Asked one of them whether the fox we saw was being hunted as it was illegal wasn't it?! He reckoned they use the bird (Golden Eagle) and it killed the fox

A while later we came across the guy on the quad with his stunning Golden Eagle and kept him talking whilst we hoped foxy got further away.

All a bit surreal as I'm not anti or pro hunt but do love to see foxes and wildlife and it all seemed a bit wrong somehow.

 

[bladeplayer]

We see a good bit of Fox hunting as they use our land for access to the local fox covers ( wooded areas) have never seen or heard of this , i suppose its one way around the ban .. surely if the "fun" is in the hunt as they say it is then there should be no need for the eagle for the kill ..

Usless bit of info , did you know foxes stop giving off scent when they get a certain level of tiredness ..

We use to do alot of shooting growing up , i remember one of the hunt berating us one day for being out with guns on the day of the hunt and we shouldnt be in the way ,, i remember my bro asking how we could be in the way on our own land ..
can be snooty bunch the city slicker hunters over here , wouldnt mind but the most land some of them ever owned was a window box

 

[AmandaJR]

We did wonder if the eagle was just a cover and used to sight the fox then let the hounds at it...can't be sure but it was a big bird and very regal looking! Asked the guy if his arm ached and he said he was used to holding the bird on one and lugging the quad bike with the other!

So, when foxy got tired he would stop letting of as much scent?? They did seem to go the wrong way which we were pleased about although then heard one of the hounds really yelping so hope it wasn't getting the blame...

 

[CMAC]

We see a good bit of Fox hunting as they use our land for access to the local fox covers ( wooded areas) have never seen or heard of this , i suppose its one way around the ban .. surely if the "fun" is in the hunt as they say it is then there should be no need for the eagle for the kill ..

Usless bit of info , did you know foxes stop giving off scent when they get a certain level of tiredness ..

We use to do alot of shooting growing up , i remember one of the hunt berating us one day for being out with guns on the day of the hunt and we shouldnt be in the way ,, i remember my bro asking how we could be in the way on our own land ..
can be snooty bunch the city slicker hunters over here , wouldnt mind but the most land some of them ever owned was a window box

they are the same over here.

Amanda, maybe ask snelley, he might know as he does the hunt

 

[harpo_72]

I was told birds that size would take a wolf, at which point I said "really??" Apparently they break the neck on the way in from height. I cannot imagine foxy stood much chance being hounded out of cover and then being attacked from the air. I personally don't seethe sport in any of this, there is only one loser and they were not willing participants.
Would have been hilarious if the eagle took a hound though

 

[Snelly]

The bird of prey (often an Eagle Owl actually) is purely there as a means to get around the hunting ban. In theory, the huntsman is using his hounds to flush a fox from cover so that it can be taken by a bird of prey. This is legal and enables the hunt to still function.

That said, the birds rarely, if ever, get to fly at the fox for a variety of reasons. In practice, the hounds often "accidently" catch the fox before it can be flushed to an open space where the bird can be loosed.

This is clearly quite farcical and another example of how badly drafted this law is.

As for a bird taking a hound, no chance. Foxhounds are big dogs! Interesting to read that you think this would be hilarious? I would not find it funny personally but each to their own.

 

[AmandaJR]

The bird of prey (often an Eagle Owl actually) is purely there as a means to get around the hunting ban. In theory, the huntsman is using his hounds to flush a fox from cover so that it can be taken by a bird of prey. This is legal and enables the hunt to still function.

That said, the birds rarely, if ever, get to fly at the fox for a variety of reasons. In practice, the hounds often "accidently" catch the fox before it can be flushed to an open space where the bird can be loosed.

This is clearly quite farcical and another example of how badly drafted this law is.

As for a bird taking a hound, no chance. Foxhounds are big dogs! Interesting to read that you think this would be hilarious? I would not find it funny personally but each to their own.

Thanks Snelly. I had thought that might be the case and when I asked one of the followers "they're not hunting that fox are they" he looked flustered! Is it usual to have so many cars following the hunt? What is their role? Seems a bit like cheating if they say "foxy went that way"?!

I love watching the hounds and talk about long tongues lolling out of their mouths! They stink a bit though and not quite so cuddly as Max is

 

[Snelly]

Thanks Snelly. I had thought that might be the case and when I asked one of the followers "they're not hunting that fox are they" he looked flustered! Is it usual to have so many cars following the hunt? What is their role? Seems a bit like cheating if they say "foxy went that way"?!

I love watching the hounds and talk about long tongues lolling out of their mouths! They stink a bit though and not quite so cuddly as Max is

Hi,

Yes it is normal to have that many people - they are known as foot followers. On Boxing Day, our local hunt had over a hundred riders and more than that on foot. They have to travel in cars as the hounds can do 40 miles in a day and move quickly so if they want to see any hunting then they need to be mobile.

Primarily, foot followers are there to see the hounds work which can be very interesting indeed. The only way they can indicate if they have seen a fox is usually by shouting a loud holler to the huntsman or whipper-in and not many do this as they are usually too far away or nervous about re-directing everyone and disturbing the hounds at work.. Additionally, the hounds don't listen to anyone except the huntsman (sometimes!) and are going on scent at the expense of just about everything else anyway.

And yes, hounds do pong a bit don't they?! But they are impressive animals and make the one of the best noises in the countryside when 40+ of them are all in full cry. Unless you are a fox, obviously...

 

[AmandaJR]

Hi,

Yes it is normal to have that many people - they are known as foot followers. On Boxing Day, our local hunt had over a hundred riders and more than that on foot. They have to travel in cars as the hounds can do 40 miles in a day and move quickly so if they want to see any hunting then they need to be mobile.

Primarily, foot followers are there to see the hounds work which can be very interesting indeed. The only way they can indicate if they have seen a fox is usually by shouting a loud holler to the huntsman or whipper-in and not many do this as they are usually too far away or nervous about re-directing everyone and disturbing the hounds at work.. Additionally, the hounds don't listen to anyone except the huntsman (sometimes!) and are going on scent at the expense of just about everything else anyway.

So the huntsman shouts/calls to the hounds? We did say "it's a foreign language - what's he saying" at times so must have been hound-speak. Is the horn sounded for the other riders or to indicate a fox or something else? I wanted foxy to stay safe but the spectacle is always stunning - everyone so smartly attired and fit, healthy hounds and horses.

Edit - I was out with Max once and suddenly we came across a pack of hounds. He didn't know which way to turn but to be fair they totally ignored him. It was then I realised how much they ponged!

 

[Foxholer]

...
And yes, hounds do pong a bit don't they?! But they are impressive animals and make the one of the best noises in the countryside when 40+ of them are all in full cry....

Fantastic sound and sights - when there's something actually going on. Plenty of standing about.

Still unconvinced about the benefits of Hunting, though I'm dead against anyone telling anyone else that they can't do something - without a very good reason. There are certainly more foxes killed on roads than by hunts. But there are certain parts of the country where hunt related activity is a considerable percentage, if not the majority, of the economy, directly and indirectly.

My ex was decidedly in favour of hunts, having ridden many, and it was always necessary to keep an eye and ear on her in National Trust properties!

Jamaica Inn meet on Boxing Day was part of the tradition. Met a 76 y.o Lady on a slightly naughty 6 y.o Chestnut and was impressed following them later to see them bound over a wall onto a road, then up a bank and over another wall.

Always was a ridiculous - and immensely expensive piece of legislation, all over a bit of class warfare that never really existed. Makes me laugh to see how simple it has been to bypass!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

As a sport I do not have a problem with fox hunting.
It is just a crazy way of killing foxes.

My uncle was a gamekeeper who would call on his two brothers and a couple of nephews when he wanted to get rid of foxes.
He knew where all the dens were and either used gas of terriers to kill them.
Saw my dad kill two foxes once whilst falling down between shots, quite impressive shooting.

 

[Andy808]

When I was young and living in north east Hampshire there was a lot of fox hunting going on during the winter months.
Over the five years attended hunts, both on foot and riding, I only saw 7 foxes with one kill which I was blooded from. Living in an area that was blighted with a very large fox population and seeing the devistation first hand that they could do I had no problem with the method or the out come.
We had a fairly large chicken house at home and one night a fox got into the coop and killed all 30 chickens but didn't take one. If it had got in, killed a chicken and taken it my views would probably be different but the fact it killed all and took none gave me a very different outlook to them.
I killed far more foxes shooting than I ever saw hunting with hounds.
I have never heard of hunting with an eagle but it does sound intriguing.

 

[Foxholer]

When I was young and living in north east Hampshire there was a lot of fox hunting going on during the winter months.
Over the five years attended hunts, both on foot and riding, I only saw 7 foxes with one kill which I was blooded from. Living in an area that was blighted with a very large fox population and seeing the devistation first hand that they could do I had no problem with the method or the out come.
We had a fairly large chicken house at home and one night a fox got into the coop and killed all 30 chickens but didn't take one. If it had got in, killed a chicken and taken it my views would probably be different but the fact it killed all and took none gave me a very different outlook to them.
I killed far more foxes shooting than I ever saw hunting with hounds.
I have never heard of hunting with an eagle but it does sound intriguing.

If you keep chickens, then keeping foxes out is your problem! It's widely known what happens when a fox gets in a chicken house. Sympathy, but don't change your attitude to foxes just because of what happens in the unnatural environment of a chicken house! No idea why it happens though!

As Snelly posted, the use of the bird is to work around the stupidly expensive, yet ineffective piece of Class Warfare legislation that was meant to ban it. It did put a stop to Hare Coursing in most places though, something i'm pleased about.