hunts

Local Hunts to monitor or Sab (when they break the law!)

A to Z of Devon Hunting Foxhound Packs
[ Cornwall Foxhounds ] [ Others ] [ Map ] [ Types of hunts ]

Axe Vale Foxhounds

Wooded hilly country bounded by Lyme Regis on the east, Sidbury to the south, Axminister to the north west and Honiton to the west. Kennels: Lower Downhayne, Colford, COLYTON, Devon. Tel: 01297 552363 (24 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday.

Cotley Foxhounds

Adjacent to Axe Vale, hounds have been owned by the Eames family for more than 100 years. Kennels: Cotley Wash, Membury, AXMINSTER, Devon. Tel: 01460 220269 (25 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday.

Dartmoor Foxhounds

Wild country, half moorland and half in-country with much of the 22 mile long country contained within the rivers Tamar and Dart. Kennels: at Monksmoor Farm, Tel: 01752 892478 (25 couple). Meet Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Dulverton East Foxhounds

Country on the Devon and Somerset border. All grass, hilly with wooded combs and enclosures. Kennels: East Anstey, TIVERTON, Devon, Tel: 01398 341229 (31 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

Dulverton West Foxhounds

Varied country, which extends from Hawridge on Exmoor to Barnstaple and Ilfracombe on the coast. Three main areas, coastal, moorland and wooded area near kennels.
Kennels: Stoke Beera, Stoke Rivers, BARNSTAPLE, North Devon, Tel: 01598 710470 (30 couple). Meet Monday and Friday

East Devon Foxhounds

Large country, 28 miles north to south, 15 mile wide. Some moorland but mainly in-country. London - Exeter railway cuts through centre of country. Kennels: Higher St. Andrews Wood Farm, Dulford, CULLOMPTON, Devon. Tel: 01884 266277 (35 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Eggesford Foxhounds

One of the largest countries, extends from Barnstaple to Crediton. No moorland but small enclosures. Kennels: The Kennels, Wembworthy, CHULMLEIGH, Devon EX18 7QR. Tel: 01769 580230 (45 couple). Meet Monday, Thursday and Saturday

Exmoor Foxhounds

The main foxhunt on Exmoor, mainly moorland, bogs and valleys with some coverts. Kennels: Balewater, Simonsbath, MINEHEAD, Somerset. Tel: 01643 831254 or 01643 831335 (45 couple). Meet Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

Lamerton Foxhounds

Extensive country on Devon-Cornwall border of rolling farmland with small enclosures. Much wire and fencing, chief hazard is A30 and reservoir at Roadford. Kennels: Stowford, Lewdon, OKEHAMPTON, Devon. Tel: 01566 783346 (30 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

Mid Devon Foxhounds

Country consists of the north-east of Dartmoor. Kennels: Factory Cross, Chagford, Tel: 01647 432280 (32 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Silverton Foxhounds

Bounded by the east by the M5, mainly hilly, once a bank country, it is now wired. Saturday country is largely arable with Wednesday’s country heavier, with more pasture. Kennels: Drew’s Cleeve, Stoke Hill, EXETER, Devon. Tel: 01392 841216 (25 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

South Devon Foxhounds

Country divided into two-thirds in-country, the rest Dartmoor. Meet centres around Widecombe-on-the-moor. Kennels: The Kennels, Pulsford, Denbury, NEWTON ABBOT, Devon TQ12 6EG. Tel: 01803 812229 (37 couple). Meet Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Spooners and West Dartmoor Foxhounds

Long narrow country, 23 miles north to south. 60% moorland. Hunting centres are Okehampton and Postbridge. Kennels: The Kennels, Marston Gale, Sampford Spinney, YELVERTON, Devon PL20 6LK. Tel: 01822 852178 (25 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Stevenstone Foxhounds

Large country in North-west Devon, bounded by the Atlantic at Hartland Point and the River Torridge. Mainly grass, small farms and woodland. Kennels: Old Kennels, TORRINGTON, Devon - A Sing - (25 couple). Meet Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

Tiverton Foxhounds

Country to west of Taunton and M5. Kennels: Hensleigh, TIVERTON - Tel: 01884 252670 (30 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

Torrington Farmers Foxhounds

Small country, predominantly grass, small fields and little woods. Kennels: Stevenstone Park, St. Giles-in-the-wood, Tel: 01805 622326 (40 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

A to Z of Cornwall Foxhound Hunting Packs
[ Devon Foxhounds ] [ Others ] [ Map ] [ Types of hunts ]

Cury Foxhounds

The most southerly country, bounded by sea on 3 sides. The country is south of the A394 running from Falmouth in the east to Portleven in the west. Kennels: Grigland Green, Cury Cross Lanes, Cury, HELSTON, Cornwall TR16 6LL, Tel: 01326 240634 (18.5 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

East Cornwall Foxhounds

This hunt has amalgamated with what was the Bolventor Harriers. Kennels: Little Gimble,
St Cleer, LISKEARD, Tel: 01579 320905, (25 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

Four Burrow Foxhounds

One of the largest countries, it comprises mainly grassland and some arable. Kennels:
The Kennels, Pink Moors, St. Day, REDRUTH, Cornwall TR16 5PG, Tel: 01209 820487.
Meet Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
(Four Burrows hunt follower guilty of sexual assaults)

North Cornwall Foxhounds

Kennels: The Kennels, St. Breward, BODMIN, Cornwall PL30 4LZ, Tel: 01208 850223
(25½ couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

South Cornwall Foxhounds DISBANDED

(Has been disbanded after cruelty case against hunt master)

South Tetcott Foxhounds

Long narrow country running from west to east, in North Cornwall and West Devon. Much grassland plus much forestry. Kennels: Tetcott, HOLSWORTHY, Tel: 01409 271240
(25 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Tetcott Foxhounds

Country to the north-west of the Cornwall-Devon border, comprises heavy clay and grass. Kennels: Rowden Farm Kilkhampton, BUDE, Tel: 01288 321398, (30 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Western Foxhounds

Bounded by the sea on 3 sides, the country runs from Land’s End to Portleven in the south and Portreath on the north. Kennels: E. Bailey, Madron, PENZANCE, Tel: 01736 62667 (25 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Other Hunting Packs
[ Devon Foxhounds ] [ Cornwall Foxhounds ] [ Map ] [ Types of hunts ]

Britannia Beagles - Kennels: Britannia Royal Naval College, DARTMOUTH, Devon
Tel: 01803 832141 Ext 297 (20 couple). Meet Wednesday and Saturday

Cheriton Minkhounds - Secretary: H L Barrett, Netherleigh, Torrs Park, ILFRACOMBE, Devon EX34 8AZ, Tel: 01271 862634. (No hounds kept at present) Meet occasional Wednesday and Saturday

Culmstock Minkhounds - Jt. Masters: Mr & Mrs Norman W Barlett. (10 couple)
Secretary: Mrs T Baker - 01458 250941. Meet Wednesday and Saturday

Dart Vale and South Pool Harriers - Kennels: Little Oak Farm, Halwell, TOTNES
Tel: 01803 712405 (41 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday (Foxes), every 2nd Thursday (Hares)

Devon and Cornwall Minkhounds - Main mink hunt in the South-west. (10 couple)
Meet Tuesday, Saturdays and bank holidays

Devon and Somerset Staghounds - Kennels: Exford, MINEHEAD, Tel: 01643 83262
(57 couple). Meet Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Modbury Harriers - Kennels: Flete, Ermington, IVYBRIDGE, Tel: 01752 830266 (23 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

North Dartmoor Beagles - Kennels: East Cheldon, Cheldon, CHUMLEIGH, Devon EX18 7JA (25 couple). Meets Saturday and alternate Wednesday
(North Dartmoor Beagles upset local farmer)

North Devon Beagles - Kennels: Beer Mill, Heddon Mill, BRAUNTON, Devon EX33 2NQ
Tel: 01271 814306. Meet Saturday and occasional Wednesday

Stoke Hill Beagles - Kennels: c/o Silverton Foxhounds (25 couple). Meet Saturday

Taw Vale Beagles - Kennels: Cannington, Witheridge, TIVERTON, Devon EX16 8PT
Tel: 01884 860524. (25 couple). Meet Tuesday and Saturday

Tiverton Staghounds - Kennels: Mouseberry Farm, Worlington, Tel: 01884 860577. Meet Wednesday and Saturday

There are also some unregistered packs and destruction packs.

General information about types of hunting packs
[ Cornwall Foxhounds ] [ Devon Foxhounds ] [ Others ] [ Map ] [ Types of hunts ]

Foxhunts

Foxhunting does not just consist of a pack of hounds and a few riders riding calmly and carefully through the countryside, it is a more manic ritual which also involves hunt officials, riders and supporters. A pack of foxhounds will number between 25 and 40 hounds (20 couple), these may be all dogs, all bitches or a mixture of both depending on the huntsman’s choice. The hounds, as with all hunting packs are bred for stamina and not speed, thus prolonging the agony of the hunted animal and giving the hunt supporters something to watch.

The Huntsman is the person who carries the hunting horn and controls the hounds, he/she can normally be seen with the pack at all times and will decide where to go and what to do. The hunts also have Whippers-in, these are basically assistants to the huntsman and most hunts will normally have two or three. It is the whippers-in’s job to keep the pack together whilst the hounds are being hunted. They also collect stray and straggling hounds and help in the sighting of foxes.

The Terriermen and Fence-menders may also be employed by the hunt and it is the job of the terriermen to dig out any foxes that go under ground whilst being chased. They will send down a terrier type dog into the fox earths and badger setts (which is now illegal) to locate a fox and once this has been done they will dig down into the earth or sett and pull it out. Where it may be shot or occasionally thrown to the pack. The fence-mender will simply drive around with the hunt fixing fences which are knocked down and destroyed by them.

Along with all the hunt staff there are also a number of different supporters, these are; the mounted ‘field’, foot followers and car followers. The Mounted field are the followers who ride on horseback, each rider has to pay a sum of money to ride with the hunt and many show little interest in the hounds but are more interested in the ‘social’ side of fox hunting, such as the Hunt Ball. (NOTE: A red ribbon on the tail of a mount (horse) signifies that the horse is a ‘kicker’ and a green ribbon on the tail signifies that the horse’s rider is a novice).

As the name applies, Foot followers are people who follow the hunt on foot, they are normally the most knowledgeable of all the supporters and are always there at the kill before anyone else. Most foxhunts have at least a few of these followers and many are quite old and have followed the hunt for years, therefore gaining a great deal of knowledge about the hunt and its country. The Car followers can number from between 10 to 100 but most spend the day stuck in traffic jams trying to get a glimpse of the hunt as it races past. Most of these supporters know little about hunting and spent most of their time staring at hedges and empty fields.

Harrier Packs

Harrier packs operate in virtually the same way as fox hunts except that they hunt hares instead of foxes, although some hunt both. They have the same type of officials, riders and supporters and a days hunting with a pack of harriers is very similar to a days hunting with a pack of foxhounds. The dogs used (Harriers) are similar to foxhounds but slightly smaller in size and build, so built for speed for hares as well as stamina for fox hunting.

Beagle Packs

Unlike the hunt officials and supporters of foxhunts and harrier packs, beagle packs hunt and follow on foot. There are no horses involved in Beagling and the whole event is a lot smaller. These hunts are attended by about 10 to 30 supporters who follow on foot through the fields, some supporters are keen to try and keep up with the hounds but most will just walk casually behind them. There is still only one huntsman who hunts the hounds and whipper-ins are still employed. The beagles are trained to hunt hares but many will chase foxes and deer, they are a lot smaller than foxhounds and have a friendly appearance, bred for speed.

Bassett Packs

These packs are run in exactly the same way as beagle packs and have the same hunt staff and supporters. They are hunted on foot but go much slower than beagles due to them being very low to the ground. They do not attract as much support as beagle packs and are quite boring to watch.

How Devon ‘hunts’ differ from other areas

The Devon pack’s style of hunting differs from that adopted by hunts in other areas, which have been forced to adapt to cope with rapid urbanisation, motorways and increased traffic on other classes of road. Intensified agricultural practices; chemical fertilisers which foil scent and new crops such as winter strains of wheat and barley which are seeded and growing during the hunting season, so closing off large areas of land to the hunt and the changing makeup of land ownership and usage. In contrast, much of Devon remains rural, with minor roads and few obstructions of any kind.

But the fox has plenty to contend with, just as the countryside is largely divided into small farms, it is also divided into over twenty hunting ‘countries’. The most significant way in which the ‘average’ Devon pack compares with its counterparts elsewhere is in its tally of foxes killed each season. On average, Britain’s fox hunts kill on average sixty foxes per season - in Devon, practically every pack kills over a hundred. Devon’s mounted harriers - all hunt for the fox alone with one exception - which is more than double the tally of harrier packs elsewhere. In Devon hunts exist for one reason, to kill foxes - provided ‘good sport’ is second to their killing ability.

In most other areas, earths are rigorously ‘stopped’ - blocked before the hunt so the fox cannot take refuge and must keep running to provide a lengthily chase. In Devon most hunts earth stop on an extremely casual basis. It is usually only badger setts which are stopped - if at all. Once the fox goes to ground it is almost invariably dug up and shot, few packs bother to bolt and give the fox ‘law’.

The Devon country side lends itself to three distinct types of hunting:

Moorland - “One may almost venture to say that on Dartmoor there is always a scent...” wrote Edward Tozer in 1916, the moor has changed little since. Although there are few coverts on the moor itself, foxes tend to lie in the open, either in bogs or on the rocks which the face of the moor is strewn. As a result, the fox often jumps up at the last moment in full view of the hounds, fleeing with the pack on its back. With less food available on the moor, there are correspondingly fewer foxes, thus a moorland foxes’ territory is larger. Whilst a fox will almost always choose to run around it’s familiar territory, the home range of a moorland fox is larger, thus moorland foxes range further when hunted.

The ‘In’ Country - Much of Devon is grass and old pasture which holds scent very well. Terrain is characterised by small hills and coombes (valleys), with think hedgerows and many small coverts. A dense fox population and plenty of food means foxes tend to have smaller territories. Thus the style of hunting is often fast and close, with coverts usually holding a fox. Devon packs rarely hunt far from where they meet, quite simply because most meets are in proximity to huntable coverts which harbour plenty of foxes.

The Arable Country - Some areas of Devon resemble other arable countries and hunts here face the same kinds of problems and pressures. The East Devon’s country which borders the Exeter/Exe conurbation’s is crossed by major roads and railway lines, is flatter and far more intensively farmed. Despite the problems these obstructions cause when the hunt meets nearby, the East Devon also hunts the commons around Woodbury, an open expanse of heath land which again holds plenty of foxes.

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