| Fox hunts are the setting for many | | | | United States variations |
| social rituals, but the hunting itself | | | | In America, fox hunting is sometimes |
| begins when hounds are put into rough or | | | | called fox chasing, because the purpose |
| brushy areas called "coverts", where | | | | is not to actually kill the animal but |
| foxes often lay up during daylight hours | | | | to enjoy the thrill of the chase. The |
| or when they hear domestic dogs moving | | | | American fox population is |
| toward them. If the pack manages to pick | | | | well-controlled, partly because of the |
| up the scent of a fox, they will follow | | | | prevalence of rabies, so hunting is not |
| it in a "chase" wherein the dogs pursue | | | | needed to keep the species in check. |
| the fox and the hunters follow, by the | | | | This disease is not present in Britain. |
| most direct route possible. Since this | | | | The rare animal that is killed by an |
| may involve some very athletic skill on | | | | American hunt is usually old or |
| the part of horse and rider alike, | | | | unhealthy. American hunters have also |
| foxhunting is the origin for | | | | been strong supporters of land |
| steeplechase and other National Hunt | | | | conservation to support fox populations, |
| racing, as well as other equestrian | | | | and some even provide dog food for the |
| sports such as hunt seat riding. | | | | animals in the winter.[citation needed] |
| The hunt continues until either the fox | | | | American hunts often end up chasing |
| evades the hounds, "goes to ground" | | | | coyotes when the hounds pick up the |
| inside of a burrow or is overtaken and | | | | scent. Many of the farmers and ranchers |
| usually killed by the hounds. In the | | | | who allow fox hunting on their property |
| case of Scottish hill packs or the gun | | | | do so because coyotes that have been |
| packs of Wales and some upland areas of | | | | chased by a pack of domestic dogs appear |
| England, the fox is flushed to guns. | | | | to learn to keep their distance from |
| Hunts in the Cumbrian fells and some | | | | domestic animals in the future. Those |
| other upland areas are followed by | | | | farms and ranches which have allowed fox |
| supporters on foot rather than on | | | | hunting have seen the number of |
| horseback. | | | | predations of their livestock by coyotes |
| In the UK, where the fox goes to ground, | | | | decrease as a result of the activities |
| terriers may be entered into the earth | | | | of the local hunt.[citation needed] |
| in order to locate the fox so that it | | | | In the United States, George Washington |
| can be dug down to and killed. | | | | and Thomas Jefferson both kept packs of |
| Sometimes, the fox will bolt. In the | | | | fox hounds before and after the |
| U.S., terriers are not used, and once | | | | Revolutionary War. The last U.S. |
| the fox goes to ground, he is left | | | | president to hunt was Ronald Reagan, and |
| alone. | | | | the last First Lady to do so was |
| Because of the change in the law, the | | | | Jacqueline Kennedy. |
| kill is no longer emphasised in England. | | | | Variation: Drag hunting |
| A number of social rituals used to | | | | In some countries drag hunting is also |
| follow the hunt. One of the most | | | | popular, either instead of or in |
| colourful was the act of "blooding." | | | | addition to quarry hunting, in which a |
| This is a very old ceremony in which the | | | | scented bag is dragged over a |
| master or huntsman would smear the blood | | | | pre-determined course. Bloodhounds are |
| of the fox or coyote onto the cheeks or | | | | used in some areas to hunt a human |
| forehead of a newly initiated hunt | | | | runner, the sport of "Hunting the Clean |
| follower. Some conjecture that the | | | | Boot". |
| ceremony goes back to the similarly | | | | Shooting foxes |
| stylized medieval hunting of the high | | | | In some places- notably Australia- the |
| middle ages. By 2000 the practice had | | | | term "Fox Hunting" is used to refer to |
| largely been abandoned though some say | | | | the hunting of foxes with firearms, much |
| it continues to this day . | | | | the same as deer or rabbit. Foxes are a |
| Autumn or cub hunting | | | | serious problem for farmers in |
| In the autumn of each year, hunts take | | | | Australia, and the expedient (and |
| the young hounds out "cub hunting". They | | | | humane) removal of foxes is a higher |
| teach the puppies to hunt while they are | | | | priority than the pomp and circumstance |
| teaching the young foxes to run from | | | | surrouning a traditional fox hunt as |
| hounds. In Britain "cub hunting" | | | | practiced in the UK. Typically, the |
| consists of training the young hounds in | | | | hunter will either call foxes in with a |
| hunting by firstly surrounding a covert | | | | fox whistle- sometimes to within 20m or |
| and then 'drawing' it with the puppies | | | | so of the hunter- at which point they |
| and some more experienced hounds, | | | | are then despatched with a shotgun, or |
| allowing them to hunt within the | | | | else hunt at night with a spotlight and |
| surrounded wood. A young hound is | | | | a rifle (known as spotlighting). Some |
| considered to be 'entered' into the pack | | | | areas offer bounties on foxes- the state |
| once he or she has successfully joined | | | | of Tasmania, for example, offers a |
| in a hunt in this fashion. Once the | | | | bounty of AUD$1,000 per fox in an effort |
| season proper starts (usually from early | | | | to combat the fox's re-introduction to |
| November in the northern hemisphere, or | | | | the state, and the state of Victoria has |
| May in the southern hemisphere), the | | | | also offered bounties on foxes in the |
| idea is to drive the fox from the covert | | | | recent past. |
| and chase it over open countryside. | | | | |