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