| Using scenthounds to track prey dates | | | | abolished, which meant anyone could |
| back to Assyrian, Babylonian and ancient | | | | obtain a permit to take rabbits, hares |
| Egyptian times, and is known as venery. | | | | and gamebirds. |
| In England, hunting with hounds was | | | | Although viewed as a typically |
| popular before the Romans arrived, using | | | | traditional rural British activity, |
| the Agassaei breed. The Romans brought | | | | hunting with hounds takes place all over |
| their Castorian and Fulpine hound | | | | the world. Hunts in the United States, |
| breeds, along with importing the brown | | | | Canada, Ireland and India are legacies |
| hare (the mountain hare is native) and | | | | of the British Empire to some extent, |
| additional species of deer as quarry. | | | | although some claim that the first pack |
| Wild boar was also hunted. The Norman | | | | devoted to hunting only fox was located |
| hunting traditions were added when | | | | in the United States. According to the |
| William the Conqueror arrived, along | | | | Masters of Foxhounds Association of |
| with the Gascon and Talbot hounds; | | | | America (which also covers Canada)[6], |
| indeed, the traditional hunting cry | | | | Englishman Robert Brooke introduced fox |
| 'tally ho' derives from the Norman | | | | hunting to Maryland, America in 1650 |
| French equivalent of 'il est haut' (he | | | | when he imported his horses, his slaves |
| is up); ie. the stag has started | | | | (not hunt servants as has been |
| running. By 1340 the four beasts of | | | | suggested) and a pack of fox hounds. It |
| venery were the hare, the hart, the wolf | | | | has also been suggested that he imported |
| and the wild boar. The five beasts of | | | | 24 red foxes from England[citation |
| the chase were the buck, the doe, the | | | | needed] (since red fox was not |
| fox, the marten and the roe. | | | | indigenous to North America). In 2006 |
| The earliest known attempt to hunt a fox | | | | the Masters of Foxhounds Association of |
| with hounds was in Norfolk, England, in | | | | America included 168 registered packs in |
| 1534, where farmers began chasing down | | | | the U.S. and Canada, and there are many |
| foxes with their dogs as pest control. | | | | additional farmer (non-recognized) |
| By the end of the seventeenth century | | | | packs. |
| many organised packs were hunting both | | | | In Australia, the European red fox |
| hare and fox, and during the eighteenth | | | | (Vulpes vulpes) was introduced solely |
| century packs specifically for fox | | | | for the purpose of fox hunting in 1855. |
| hunting were appearing. The passing of | | | | Native animal populations of a "critical |
| the Enclosure Acts from 1760 to 1840 had | | | | weight range" have been very badly |
| made hunting deer much more difficult in | | | | effected by the spread of foxes. Some |
| many areas of the country, as that | | | | state governments have offered bounties |
| requires great areas of open land. Also, | | | | per fox to help with the problem. In |
| the new fences made jumping the | | | | Tasmania, which until 2001 has been fox |
| obstacles separating the fields part of | | | | free, a large reward of $1000 per fox is |
| the hunting tradition. With the onset of | | | | offered and $50,000 for information of |
| the Industrial Revolution, people began | | | | the introduction. Generally foxes are |
| to move out of the country and into | | | | controlled with baits or spotlighted by |
| towns and cities to find work. Roads, | | | | farmers, who identify foxes by the |
| rail and canals split the hunting | | | | eyeshine signature (from the tapetum in |
| country, but also made hunting | | | | the eye), body shape and silhouette. |
| accessible to more people. Shotguns were | | | | Many other Greek- and Roman-influenced |
| improved during the nineteenth century | | | | countries have their own long tradition |
| and game shooting became more popular. | | | | of hunting with hounds. France and Italy |
| To protect the pheasants for the | | | | for example, have thriving fox hunts. In |
| shooters, gamekeepers culled the foxes | | | | Switzerland and Germany, where fox |
| almost to extirpation in popular areas, | | | | hunting was once popular, the activity |
| which caused the huntsmen to improve | | | | has been outlawed, although Germany |
| their coverts. Finally the Game Laws | | | | continues to allow deer to be driven by |
| were relaxed in 1831 and later | | | | dogs to guns. |