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