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Heartbroken about the Hounds

Hunting
#61

Second the Idea That

The person who posted that fox were trapped and released for a hunt obviously has no clue what they are talking about.

Since I was injured a couple years back, I have been truck hunting. I have been fortunate enough to make friends with several members of the hunt who have retired from following on horse. These people know where the huntsman will start casting for fox and go to the point where the hunt will most likely go. They know the fox in the territory too. I have had them say as the hounds strike, “you know there is a vixen who lives over in Cldye’s pasture and if she is running, she will go to X’s field via Y’s pasture.” We will go to X’s field and the fox, hounds and fields show up shortly. A newly released fox will not know where to go and will subquently be killed. In 3 years, the only dead fox I have seen have been run over by cars.

Speaking of cars and knowing your fox, was talking to the hunt secretary of a major hunt (she does not ride) one day and she was telling us about being in radio contact with the Huntsman. One day they were out and the Huntsman called her and said we are chasing “Old Sparky” and he is heading as usual to a major road. Would you head over there and block the road so the hunt can cross the road safely. So she races in her car over to the major road and just managed by inches to miss running over “Old Sparky”. I commented that it probably would have been a major faux pax to run over the fox and she agreed. Fox, hounds and hunt continued safely that day.

#62

I’m a bit confused by somebody who wears mink, and then pronounces the treatment of hounds unacceptable.

#63

[QUOTE=JSwan;4572879]

I remember the first time I went in the kennel and found a dead calf. Died of natural causes, poor thing. Farmer brought it to the kennel to feed to the hounds.

Anyway - I turn the corner and I’m like - WHOA! Surprise! Then I’m like - oh yeah. Duh. Of course. Stupid me. And I left the hounds to their dinner.
…[/QUOTE]

And I would like to thank you for showing me the same thing!!! :slight_smile: I capped with Casanova after doing the summer rides last year, and you showed me the hounds having a nice calf lunch! I thought it was fantastic!

#64

Our hunt tries to place retired hounds into homes and most of them do quite well. The pups are all hand raised in homes for the first 4 to six months so they are quite tractable and have some experience with home life before they ever move to the kennels. Some however are not adoptable and are PTS. The way I see it they are hounds who have gotten to spend the better part of their life doing what they love to do best in the world (that being hunting) and otherwise extremely well kept in a beautiful kennel. If that ends with being PTS, I guess I don’t see that as a horrible fate at all. That is the eventual end for my horses as well, it’s the quality of life I give them before the end that really counts in my book.

#65

HI!!!:slight_smile:

Hey - why not come out basseting with the footpack! Send me a PM if you’d like to come out - it’s a hoot!

I gotta say what Wheel Whip posted is pretty spot on - and reminds of why I was so frothy about another newcomer’s unfortunate post.

All the hunters I’ve met have pretty upfront type of folks, once they get to know you. Doesn’t mean we’re all best girlfriends and go shopping together or anything - just that folks know each other.

#66

Venturing into the fray here: I’ve brought retired hounds from the kennel into my home since 1987. I am on my third. The first lived to be 18 years old lasting longer than my marriage, which only goes to prove the enduring value of a good hound—but that’s another post. Hear me. Please. It takes an incredible amount of hound sense to make the transition successful for the hound. It is time consuming and can be difficult and frustrating for hound and human. After countless generations of breeding for a specific purpose and way of being and a lifetime of living and working as a part of the pack, hunting hounds are what they are.

If you have never worked or lived closely with them you cannot possibly comprehend the (almost mystical) connection they have with the pack and the huntsman. They are not happy unless they are with the pack hunting—hounds left in the kennel on hunting days are a pitiful and sorry lot—or working for the huntsman. If I am lucky I can get a hound to bond with me in some pail imitation of this, which some have called “the golden thread.” It takes patience and adaptation and an ability to be benevolently in charge at all times, as hounds will do an unending variety of unexpected “naughty” things simply because they are hounds. In my experience, most people who want pets, so not want to adapt themselves, their thinking and lifestyle to accommodate a hound.

These are intelligent, wise, noble, honorable creatures who do not deserve the indignities of being misunderstood and mishandled after years of hard work. They deserve honorable retirement in a hunt kennel if they are able, in a hound-wise private home if that rare commodity can be found, or they deserve to cross the bridge humanely, young entry again, to hunt Diana’s eternal fields with her pack most honorably retired.
Ol’Hound

#67

[QUOTE=houndsRus;4573215]
… to hunt Diana’s eternal fields with her pack most honorably retired.
Ol’Hound[/QUOTE]

Most especially to you dear houndRus for this post, but to all the others as well who did not get “frothy” with me and provided the good guidance and sensible discussion when I had been unable to get it outside the forum, I thank you.

Signing off for good.

Happy Holidays and most especially, Happy Hunting.

#68

[QUOTE=riding4fun88;4572686]
HuntNewbie, I am sorry for what some here do for recreational activities, it’s obvious that they have nothing better to do.:frowning:

Your heart is in the right place, and some here will give you good sound advice, ignore the others.

If you do not like being a part of this, the answer is to quit. There are other things to do on a horse, and you will most likely meet people that are more like yourself.:slight_smile:

We cannot save all animals,:cry: but I would never put one down just because he could no longer keep up. Not to mention how the hunters get the fox. Some hunters buy the fox from trappers and yet some complain about people making a living trapping.:confused:

Can you imagine what the poor fox has to endure while waiting to be picked up by the trapper. Then he is driven to to a hunt and released so that some can chase him on a horse.

I am not against hunting, but because of my feelings I will not be apart of this either. I love to trail ride with friends, that is where I get my kicks.:slight_smile:

Please do not let some here hurt your feelings, they know not what they do.:frowning:

You are a wonderful person,:wink: wishing you a Merry Christmas!:)[/QUOTE]

Your statement that foxes are trapped to be carried to a hunt to be run by the hounds is an out and out misrepresentation of the truth.

There are so many places that you can find out the truth that I am sure you say this on purpose. Another AR troll.

In fact, the MFHA will peel the ass of any huntsman that belongs to their organization for so doing.

This statement brands you as not a foxhunter, not knowledgeable and not qualified to discuss this particular subject with anyone.

But then when has complete and total incompetence in a subjects kept the fools from running their mouths.

CSSJR

#69

cssutton beat me to it. What he said.

I think the OP needs to do a little reading up on the sport before they start kennel fights that they cannot finish.

#70

[QUOTE=Jaegermonster;4573378]
cssutton beat me to it. What he said.

I think the OP needs to do a little reading up on the sport before they start kennel fights that they cannot finish.[/QUOTE]

Thanks.

Hunting a bagged fox is specifically forbidden by the MFHA.

Several years ago, a now very famous huntsman and master caused a big uproar essentially because they did not get the hounds away from an earth quickly enough.

I forget the exact wording, but the MFHA has a time limit on how long hounds can mark the den.

How times have changed.

When I was young, fox were considered vermin and the farmers would get really ill if you did not catch a reasonable number during the season.

That was in the day when most farmers had chickens free ranging during the daylight hours. Also many of them hunted birds and the bird hunters could never be convinced that the fox is really not that hard on birds.

A fox is like a crow. If it is easy, he will grab it. If it is hard, he will trot on to the next opportunity.

But I digress. The present day game laws, MFHA rules, the fact that many in the field are not really that close to nature and hunting; all result in a totally different approach to hunting.

CSSJR

Protect your privacy. Replace Google with IXQUICK at www.ixquick.com.

If we do not wish to lose our freedom, we must learn to tolerate our
neighbor’s right to freedom even though he might express that freedom
in a manner we consider to be eccentric.

#71

Just for a warm-n-fuzzy feeling, a photo of the two hounds who retired at my urban home.

Sam was younger but lame & Weps was old and couldn’t keep up anymore. He’s at the bottom of the photo. They were constant companions & did as well as they could to adjust to house life.

After Sam was PTS due to illness, Weps lived in our backyard, where she was happier. She didn’t like being crated during the day.She had a hound hut, a big covered porch, a huge bucket of fresh water, and all the dirt she could dig hollows into.

They were obedience trained before I got them, so we worked on that every day. It gave them a job. Sam was very proud of himself. Weps did it because I asked.

However, if it was a “soft” morning & she could sneak out the door, Weps would go bunny hunting in the neighborhood. All my dead-duck bleats on the hunting horn meant nothing to her. She’d come home when she was done. That drive never, ever left her.

She was PTS a little over a year ago due to cancer and I still cry like a baby that she’s gone.

weps.sam_nap.jpg

#72

whay does “OP” mean?

#73

I have been wondering myself, I think it might mean original poster.

#74

It does.

CSSJR

#75

Aha! Awesome! Now if I could just figure out some of the others!

#76

[QUOTE=rivenoak;4573611]
J
She was PTS a little over a year ago due to cancer and I still cry like a baby that she’s gone.[/QUOTE]

Damnit, you’re going to make us all cry, Rivenoak! :cry:

#77

:sadsmile:

That’s a great photo - thanks for sharing their stories.

One of our retired hounds is featured in the Horse Country catalog - he’s quite a ham.

He also has his own couch - it is HIS thank you very much will you please sit elsewhere. He still walks out in the summer and want to go in the kennel - then looks over at HIS truck and jumps in. Time to go home to HIS couch!

#78

[QUOTE=Equibrit;4573114]
I’m a bit confused by somebody who wears mink, and then pronounces the treatment of hounds unacceptable.[/QUOTE]
She did say “vintage” mink coat. I have one of these. It was originally my great-grandmother’s, and it has quite a story behind how she acquired it from my great-grandfather.
Now, I would never purchase a new mink, but I’m not throwing this one out, either.

#79

LOL, Trinket thinks it is HER couch! If one of the other dogs is on it, she will bug the heck out of you until you get them off of it. She will immediately jump up on it, curl into a ball, and give a HUGE sigh, as if to say, “Just LOOK at what I have to put up with…”
I don’t know if these will show up, but here is Trinket:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=686754744#/photo.php?pid=4352581&id=686754744
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=686754744#/photo.php?pid=4352582&id=686754744&fbid=260296049744

She is just a doll baby, and we feel so lucky to have her.

#80

Can’t resist one more photo

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AZNGLli3aOGMO

Baby BillyBob & his “Weppie.”

She loved hiding under that coffee table.

And she gave me funny looks when “the puppy” cried and she didn’t think I was moving fast enough to soothe him. :lol:

:sadsmile:

Thanks everyone for listening to me go on about them. I’d take another hound in a heartbeat.

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