What’s the best way to go about finding a hunt for a complete newbie? Is there a website that lists them by state and county?
I’m in north central PA (beautiful country but not really historical hunting area) and have never ever hunted or really known anyone who did. However, I’ve always been fascinated by foxhunting and figure, you only live once, why not look into it.
Do people travel a fair distance to find a hunt? Any advice welcome!
The Masters of Foxhound Association(mfha.com) has an index to packs by state, and a number of packs in Pennsylvania although I have no idea if any of them are close to you. But its a good place to start.
Look on the MFHA website, find a hunt close-ish to you and contact the secretary. He or she or them should be able to give you advice and put you in touch with a member that can help you. PA is very much hunt country so shouldn’t be too hard. Some members of hunts do travel quite a ways. I know some of our members travel over four hours. Good luck! Most hunts are welcoming. Maybe you could look for a couple and ask back here.
Thanks for sharing! I grew up in Lancaster County, that part of PA has lots of foxhunting around but I was never involved. Now I’m quite north, much more mountainous terrain, but according to MFHA I’m about 1.5-2 hours from Rose Tree Blue Mountain Hunt, Beaufort Hunt, and a bit further, Andrew’s Bridge Foxhounds.
longlanefarm --you may have to be persistent. I hunted from age 15-40 --then moved. I knew there was a great hunt not far from me -even had a web page (this would have been late 1990s). I wrote a note, asking permission from the secretary to ride out. Nothing. No reply. Ok. I called. No answer. Every fall [at the start of hunt season when I felt I really wanted to be out with the hounds] for the NEXT FOUR YEARS I persisted --sent letters, called --nothing --now where I was raised, one just did not show up at a hunt --one had to be invited (formally) to ride out and have a member sponsor you on the hunt (stay with you). I visited the nearby (1 hour) hunt facility in the summer (even showed a horse or two up there). But could NEVER find anyone who knew how to contact anyone at the hunt directly. FINALLY, a friend was teaching in a school close to the hunt and said, “I wish I knew how to contact the hunt club.” Another teacher in the lounge said, “I’m a member. Why don’t you come ride out with me?” Since she didn’t have a trailer, she called me, we did hunt with him, and I have been a member every since (as a former MFH, I was fast tracked to membership as a courtesy).
Eventually, I asked WHY no one ever responded to my letters or calls. As it turned out the secretary (quite elderly, a gentleman), had never been too good about anything secretarial --but no one wanted to tell him he wasn’t doing a good job. And no one really wanted the job —just because people hunt, doesn’t make them want to do secretarial work --and so any correspondence simply did not get answered. There was a machine on the hunt club phone, but no one ever looked at the messages (because it wasn’t anyone’s assigned job). While the club was delighted that I found them, and welcomed me warmly, there wasn’t really a need to overtly recruit new members.
I am sorry to say the same problem continues today. I am on facebook and frequently post about the hunt. Random people have contacted me to say they have tried to contact someone at the hunt club through the “contact us” email on the Hunt Club Web Page and the number listed, and the address --again, the member “in charge” of the web page doesn’t up-date it often (or appear to even check on it). And it’s pretty clear no one is answering emails. But should I complain? If I do, I feel I would have to offer to do the job --and I don’t want to. It appears no one does. So do be persistent! If Master’s emails are listed --try them directly . . .Happy Hunting!
Contact the closest hunt on the MFHA site, they may also be able to suggest unrecognized packs even closer to you.
Great idea! I will do that. Thanks for the suggestion. What is the major difference between recognized and unrecognized packs?
PS. WOW, your artwork is incredible!
Thank you!! I hope to make a career out of it once the kids are off to school.
Recognized packs are registered with the MFHA and have to adhere to their standards. I don’t know what the requirements are for registration. On average they are larger, more hounds and more members, more formal and traditional with longer histories.
Unrecognized packs, some called farmer’s packs, are less uniform. It could just be a dozen people with a dozen hounds going out weekly in normal outerwear or it could be every bit as structured as any recognized hunt. Some folks hunt with multiple hunts of different types. In my small corner of Maryland I can drive to fixtures of 5 recognized hunts and 4 unrecognized packs within an hour’s drive.
Yes, I’m spoiled, I’ll add that when I lived in Missouri the closest hunt was an hour and a half trailer ride. The next closest was across state lines and 2+ hours.
If you have trouble getting in touch with a hunt, there is a “Foxhunters on Facebook” group that you could post in. There’s 10k members so it’s likely someone is near you and can connect you directly with a master. Right now the group is named Fox-unters on Facebook due to some sort of drama that I ignored!!
173, are you serious? That is hilarious. Grown people, behaving like children…
If you want to start hunting, is it best to begin in the fall or in the summer? Is it best to contact the hunt or identify a trainer if you are needing to lease or buy a seasoned hunt horse?
I want to start hunting but my current horse at 27 is not a candidate. I plan to relocate to a hunt area in the Southwest.
@FatDinah Each club has a different feel about them, different people, different style of hunting from the huntsman, different breed of hound, different territory. If it’s possible to participate in some of the social events, car follow, participate in work days, etc. it will give you a chance to get a feel for a particular group and hopefully you are able to find a good fit near you.
You might be able to contact the secretary of the club who would then be able to advise you as to what might work out best.
My club, has cocktail parties each month for perspective members. It gives a chance for a meet and greet. From May to October we have trail rides (weather permitting) that are well attended by membership and I think it’s a $10 guest fee. We don’t allow non members to hunt outside before the middle of Oct to try to provide the new entry the best opportunity possible.
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