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Tuesday 13 October 2015

Early mornings in an attempt to preserve the trails

Those who oppose hunting often claim that early in the season we set out very early to avoid their scrutiny. This is not the case. Our hounds are scent-hounds not gaze-hounds. The latter hunt or course by sight. For scent-hounds - beagles, foxhounds and staghounds - to operate as a pack they need scent or smell! On the bookcase above this desk there are two books about scent and hunting. 400 pages trying to explain the mystery. The two views do not always concord but on one point they are unanimous - scent rises with temperature. In the early part of the season (August/September until the end of October) the temperature is usually too high for scent to remain near the ground except early in the morning. This is as true now with man-laid trails as it was before 18/2/05 with live quarry. So no, we do not hide in the early morning mists but seek to give our wonderful hounds a chance to hunt a line.

Having written this the last few mornings have been darned cold!

Photographs

These and many more may be found at The Gather's Field Sports page - HERE





 


 


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