Ever wondered what it's like to go hunting?

Then read on to gain an insight into a typical days hunting, what to expect, & how to get involved.

A day spent foxhunting can be one of the most exciting & exhilarating experiences, & one of the best ways to see & get to know the Duhallow countryside.

A Typical Days Hunting ->

    During the main hunting season, which typically runs from early November to the end of March, the hunt will meet Monday, Wednesday & Saturday mornings at 11:00am until the 1st of February & at 11:30am from then until the end of the season. The meet will either be in a town or village, or it will be by invitation at a privte house, hotel or pub. These are referred to as lawn meets, & it is customary at these for participants to enjoy a small tipple before setting off.

    Once the meet is over, usually after 20-30 minutes, the huntsman will sound his horn & move off with hounds to the first covert where he will cast his hounds and encourage them to search for their quarry. Sometimes a fox may be found immediately & the chase begins in earnest, or the huntsman may have to move on from covert to covert, recasting his hounds several times before a fox is found. The unpredictability of hunting is one of the elements taht adds to its appeal. Once the hounds are on a scent, they 'give tongue' or 'make music', & once the hounds have left the covert, the field master will lead the mounted field in hot pursuit. Once on a run the control which the huntsman has over his hounds, & the respect & trust the hounds have in the huntsman, is a pleasure to behold. A run may be brief & fast if scent is good, or may be long &slow with hounds having to work hard to keep on the line. The hounds may kill the fox, they may put it to ground or they may lose it. In any event the huntsman will recast & the day will go on until 4 or 5pm, depending on how strenuous the day has been - though of course anyone can pull out at any time & head for home. 

CAN I ONLY ENJOY HUNTING IF I CAN RIDE? ->

    Quite simply - no. There are probably as many keen followers off horses as on them who come out regularly. To the consternation of the mounted field they very often seem to follow the hunt as ably as them! Foot followers not only come out on hunting days, but also participate in all the other aspects of running the hunt. For everyone who wants more than just a days sport, the hunt has a very active social calender.

    Foxhunting is a field sport whose primary function is to control the fox population. The truth is that when a fox is caught by the lead hound, it is killed instantly. If the fox goes to ground it is dug out as quickly as possible and shot with a humane killer - this is not part of the days sport but on occasions a necessary adjunct to the hunt as we are required to control foxes adequately. Despite claims by our critics, hunting has been recognised for years as the most humane method of controlling the fox population. At the end of a days hunting you can go home confident in the knowledge that the fox is either alive or dead - it is not suffering from gunshot or trap wounds - it will not have suffered anything to which it has not subjected its prey every day of its life in order to survive. It is nature. Any question of cruelty rests with the argument of whether foxes need to be culled at all. In any event the hunt follower, whether mounted or on foot, will rarely witness the death of a fox. The main pleasures of the day will be the joy of riding a powerful horse cross country, admiring the skills of the huntsman working his hounds; the fascination of the hounds working a scent, and sharing good comradeship with like minded people.

    Whether you want to come on horseback or on foot, just telephone one of the joint secretaries listed below. They will tell you all you need to know - where the meets are, what you need to wear, what it will cost etc., and we will give you a special introductory discount if you contact us through this web site.

    Don't be intimidated - it is quite untrue that hunting is exclusive to the so called "upper classes" - we are a very friendly hunt and if we cannot guarantee you the most exciting day of your life - tho' it just might be - we can assure you of a very warm welcome.

Call one of the joint hon. secretaries

CAPT. PAT COLEMAN  tel: 022 29350

mobile: 086 8586278

DAVID O' MEARA tel: 022 42022

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