Hunting and shooting in Britain
*******************************

In the United Kingdom hunting without qualification generally refers to hunting with hounds - normally 
fox hunting, beagling, stag (deer) hunting or mink hunting - whereas shooting is the shooting of game 
birds. What is called deer hunting elsewhere is deer stalking. Hunting and shooting have been practised 
for many centuries and, in some areas, are a part of British rural culture. Opponents of hunting and 
of shooting dispute how deep and cultural the roots of hunting and shooting are in modern rural culture.

In Britain hunting with hounds was popular in Celtic Britain before the Romans arrived, using the 
Agassaei breed of dog. The Romans brought their Castorian and Fulpine hound breeds to England, along 
with importing the brown hare (the mountain hare is native) and fallow deer as quarry. Wild boar was 
also hunted, eventually to extinction.

Shotguns were greatly improved during the 18th and 19th centuries and game shooting became more popular. 
To protect the pheasants for the shooters, gamekeepers culled vermin such as foxes, magpies and birds 
of prey almost to extirpation in popular areas, and landowners improved their coverts and other habitats 
for game. 

Game Laws were relaxed in 1831 which meant anyone could obtain a permit to take rabbits, hares and 
game-birds.

Hunting was formerly a royal sport, and to an extent shooting still is, with many Kings and Queens 
being involved in hunting and shooting, including King Edward VII, King George V (who on 18 December 
1913 shot over a thousand pheasants out of a total bag of 3937), King George VI and the present 
day Prince Philip, although Queen Elizabeth II does not shoot. Shooting on the large estates of 
Scotland was particularly popular. This trend is generally attributed to the Victorians who were 
inspired by the romantic imagery of the Scottish Highlands.


Shooting
********

The shooting of game birds, in particular pheasant, is a popular sport in the UK, on large, traditional 
driven shoots on estates and on small-scale rough shoots. Shooting of game birds is carried out using 
a shotgun, most often 12 and 20 bore or a .410, often on land managed by a gamekeeper.

Game birds are shot in different ways. In driven game shooting, beaters are employed to walk through 
woods and over moors, and drive game towards a line of standing guns. The day may be very formal, and 
the head gamekeeper or a shoot captain will oversee proceedings. Pickers-up with dogs are also employed 
to make sure all shot or wounded game is collected. Rough shooting, where several guns walk through a 
woodland, moor or field and shoot the birds their dogs put up, is increasingly popular. It is less 
formal and may be funded by several people grouping together to form a "syndicate".

Wild-fowling is often a lonely and uncomfortable sport. A single gun sits in pursuit of wildfowl by a 
body of water, or on the coastal foreshore, often at dawn or dusk, and waits for birds to "flight" in. 
This is sometimes undertaken in total darkness or by the light of the moon. Duck are also shot by the 
two methods described above.


Deer stalking
*************

High-powered rifles are normally used for deer stalking. This may take place high on moors, or from 
a "high seat" in woodland. Venison is also a highly popular meat. Victorian era English dramatist 
W. S. Gilbert remarked, "Deer-stalking would be a very fine sport if only the deer had guns."


Other Game animals
******************

In the UK "game" is defined in law by the Game Act 1831. Other (non-game) birds that are hunted for 
food in the UK are specified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. UK law defines game as 
including:

  Species	Season (England, Scotland and Wales) 	Season (Northern Ireland)
  Pheasant 		October 1 - February 1 		October 1 - January 31
  Partridge, Grey 	September 1 - February 1 	September 1 - January 31
  Partridge, Red-legged September 1 - February 1 	September 1 - January 31
  Black Grouse 		August 20 - December 10 	N/A
  Red Grouse 		August 12 - December 10 	August 12 - November 30
  Ptarmigan 		August 12 - December 10 	N/A
  Brown Hare 		No closed season 		August 12 - January 31

Although there is no close season for hare outside Northern Ireland, the Hare Preservation Act of 1892 
makes it illegal to sell, or offer to sell, hare between 1 March and 31 July. Additionally the Hares 
Act and Hares (Scotland) Act prohibit shooting hares at night.

Deer are not included in the definition, but similar controls provided to those in the Game Act 
apply to deer (from the Deer Act 1991). Deer hunted in the UK are:

    Red Deer
    Roe Deer
    Fallow Deer
    Sika Deer
    Muntjac Deer
    Chinese Water Deer
    Hybrids of these deer

Other birds and animals shot in the UK include:

    Duck
    Mallard
    Pigeon
    Teal
    Shoveler
    Pintail
    Common Pochard
    Common Goldeneye
    Gadwall
    Tufted Duck
    Goose
    Greylag Goose
    Canada Goose
    Pink-footed Goose
    White-fronted Goose (England and Wales only)
    Wood Pigeon
    Woodcock
    Snipe
    Rabbit
    Golden Plover

The aforementioned species are those primarily pursued for game shooting. To this list can be added 
Feral Pigeon, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook and Collared Dove, which are shot in the 
interests of vermin control rather than as game birds. Black Grouse are no longer shot regularly, 
due to a continuing decline in numbers and those that are shot are most likely to be females mistaken 
for Red Grouse. Capercaillie are no longer shot in the UK, as they are now protected due to a long-term 
decline in population. Eurasian Coot and Moorhen are also shot, but not as much as in the past; they 
have a closed season that follows the wildfowl season and are classed as game.


Fox hunting 
***********

Fox hunting has been occurring in different guises worldwide for hundreds of years. The practise of 
using dogs with a keen sense of smell to track prey has been traced back to ancient Egypt and many 
Greek and Roman influenced countries. However it is believed that the custom for a fox to be tracked, 
chased and often killed by trained hunting hounds (generally those with the keenest sense of smell 
known as 'scent hounds') and followed by the Master of the Foxhounds and his team on foot and horseback, 
originated from a Norfolk farmer's attempt to catch a fox using farm dogs in 1534.

Whilst foxes were widely regarded as vermin and farmers and other landowners had hunted the animals 
for many years as a form of pest control (both to curb their attacks on farm animals and for their 
highly prized fur) it wasn't until the eighteenth century that fox hunting developed into it's most 
modern incarnation and was considered a sport in its own right as a result of the decline in the UK's 
deer population.

The decline in the deer population and subsequently the sport of deer hunting, or stalking as it is 
also known, occurred as a consequence of the Inclosure Acts passed between 1750 -1860, particularly 
the Inclosure (Consolidation) Act of 1801, which was passed to clarify previous acts of inclosure. 
These acts meant that open fields and common land where many deer chose to breed were fenced off into 
separate, smaller fields to cope with the increase in the demand for farm land. The birth of the 
Industrial Revolution saw the introduction of new roads, railways and canal paths which further 
reduced the amount of rural land in the United Kingdom, although conversely this improvement in 
transport links also made foxhunting more popular and easily accessible for those living in towns and 
cities who aspired to the life of the country gentleman.

For those hunters who had previously tracked deer, which required large areas of open land, foxes and 
hares became the prey of choice in the seventeenth century, with packs of hounds being trained 
specifically to hunt. England's oldest fox hunt, which is still running today, is the Bilsdale Hunt in 
Yorkshire, established by George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham in 1668.

The sport continued to grow in popularity throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and in 
1753 the 18-year-old Hugo Meynell, often called the father of modern foxhunting, began to breed hunting 
dogs for their speed and stamina as well as their keen scent at Quorndon Hall, his estate in North 
Leicestershire. The speed of his pack not only allowed for a more exciting and extended hunt, but it 
also meant that the hunt could begin later in the morning, which made it immensely popular with the 
young gentleman in his social circle amongst whom late nights were de rigueur.

Foxhunting continued to grow in popularity throughout the nineteenth century, particularly because of 
the inroads made by the Great British Railway which provided rural access to the masses. Despite the 
banning of the sport in Germany and other European countries from 1934 onwards, foxhunting in the 
United Kingdom remained popular well into the twentieth century. Indeed a shortage of foxes in England 
led to a demand for foxes to be imported from France, Germany, Holland and Sweden.

These days however, foxhunting in the UK is much better known for the controversial views of those who 
champion the sport and those that oppose it. The debate between hunters and anti-hunting campaigners, 
who believe the sport to be cruel and unnecessary, eventually led to a Government enquiry in December 
1999 into hunting with dogs, named the Burns Inquiry after the retired civil servant Lord Burns who 
chaired the enquiry.

Whilst the Burns Inquiry report noted that hunting with dogs "seriously compromises" the welfare of 
the foxes, it did not categorically state whether or not hunting should be permanently banned in the 
UK. That was to be Parliaments decision. So whilst in many parts of the world such as Australia, 
Canada, France, India and Russia the sport is still going strong, the resulting new Hunting Act 2004, 
passed in November 2004, saw the outlawing of any hunting with dogs in England and Wales from 
18 February 2005 (the Scottish Parliament had already banned foxhunting in Scotland in 2002 and in 
Northern Ireland the sport is still legal).


Fox Hunting etiquette
*********************

Fox Hunting has evolved over many hundreds of years, and although many items of dress and actions 
might appear antiquated, they are all there for a good reason...

Perhaps the most frequent complaint against hunting folk is how rude they have been, and this applies 
equally to riders and foot followers. Whether it is for not saying thankful to a car that slows down 
for you on the road, or for blocking the road as somebody wants to get past to go about their business, 
or for ignoring somebody who has held a gate open for you to go through. A smile and polite thank you 
go a long way to helping keep the day happy.

When negotiating a hazard such as a slippery bridge, don't gallop off as soon as you have crossed it. 
This will excite the horses of those following. Wait until a few more have crossed before catching up 
the rest of the field. Do not do more than a trot through gateways and always walk through stable and 
farm yards. Be very careful to help ensure that gates are closed and that headlands are kept to when 
requested. Acknowledge and greet people you see in the countryside or in farmyards. They well be the 
landowner, over whose land you are riding!

At the beginning of the day you should always go and find the Master and say good morning. Equally if 
you go home before the end of the day, you should always say goodnight to the Master or at least let 
them know that you have gone home. That way they will know that you have not got lost somewhere in the 
countryside.

The red Hunt Coat
The origin of the red hunt coat that everybody associates with hunting is not easy to pin down. Old 
prints show many of the men, more than today attired, in red coats. The Dictionary of Phrase and 
Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894, gives the following explanation "The red coat in fox-hunting (or 
scarlet) is a badge of royal livery, hunting being ordained by Henry II. a royal sport". Nowadays 
the red coat is worn by hunt staff, male Masters and men who have been given their hunt button.

The hunt button is given by the Masters to members for helping in the field and with the running of 
the hunt. It is an honour to be awarded the button and it is a recognition of service and helpfulness. 
Before being awarded the button, both men and women may wear a plain black coat with black buttons. 
On receiving the button a man is entitled to wear a red coat with brass buttons, and ladies continue 
to wear a black coat with the hunt button and the hunt collar.

Buttons
One way of telling who Masters, hunt staff and other members are is by the number of buttons on their 
coat. There are always exceptions, but generally the number of buttons worn on the front of the coat, 
and certainly with the OSBWK, is as follows:

3 buttons - normal hunt subscriber
4 buttons - Master
5 buttons - huntsman and whippers-in (hunt staff)

During the autumn hunting season and before the Opening Meet, a traditional tweed jacket or ratcatcher 
is worn. This can also be worn by visitors and guests who are not regular hunters. Traditionally once 
the Cheltenham Festival is finished we revert from hunt coats back to Ratcatcher again.

Hats
A variety of hats can be worn out hunting, either with or without chinstrap. Gentlemen may wear a top 
hat, a bowler or hunting cap, and ladies may wear a bowler or hunting cap, unless they are riding side 
saddle when a top hat may be worn. The tassels on the back of the hat should only be worn down by 
Masters, hunt staff and farmers. All other subscribers should either sow the tassels up or remove them. 
This is another easy way to help identify who people are in the field. We expect all children to wear 
a hat with a safety chin strap done up at all times.

Boots
Butcher boots are plain black, without tops. Top boots with 'mahogany' tops are worn with a red coat. 
Top boots with black patent leather tops or mahogany tops are correct if one is wearing a silk (top) 
hat and a black coat. Butcher boots should be worn with a black, blue or grey coat. Brown boots should 
not be worn except perhaps for autumn hunting. Spurs - Should be worn with the neck (points) down. They 
should always be worn with top or butcher boots. Optional with jodhpur boots.

Plaiting
Horses and ponies do not need to be plaited during the autumn hunting season, or again once Cheltenham 
is over. After the Opening Meet however, they should always be plaited for a Lawn Meet. Some people 
choose to plait every day, and a plaited horse always looks more handsome!

Tack
Tack should always be clean, never muddy from a previous day. It should also be black or brown, not 
any of the garish new colours available. Tack will obviously last a lot longer if it is looked after 
properly. Numnahs should be black or white. Garish coloured brushing boots are to be avoided.


Poaching
********

Poaching is the illegal taking of wild animals, fish or plants. It dates back to the Middle Ages, 
when the first laws were enacted to prohibit the act. Though there was a time when poachers were 
thought of as heroes, taking from the rich to give to the poor, that perspective seems to be a thing 
of the past.

A journalist in 1826 noted that it was "difficult to make an uneducated man appreciate the sanctity 
of private property in game when the produce of a single night's poaching was often more than the 
wages for several weeks' work", while Roy Campbell has noted that "the drift of legislation from the 
eighteenth to the early nineteenth centuries to preserve game for the proprietor led to increased 
resentment at the ensuing damage to crops, especially by rabbits, and to the sympathy already felt 
for tenants being extended to poachers".

Poaching ­has been illegal for hundreds of years, but it was during the Late Middle Ages that poaching 
became a punishable offence. During this time, the right to hunt was limited to landowners and nobility. 
Peasants usually did not have weapons, skills or the extra time to hunt, so in order to provide food 
for their families they devised another way to bring meat to their tables, including snares.

Poaching was forbidden by contradictory laws in the 14th Century. Some poachers did it for a profit 
by supplying food to the Black market. It became illegal to trade game and this resulted in the Black 
Market. Other people poached not to sell but to provide food for their family.

The aristocracy saw poaching as an attack on their own right and as an invasion of their property.
The aristocracy owned the game so they thought that it was only them that could hunt it no-one else.

Poaching was not dealt with as a harsh offence because there was no intrusion into a house (Burglary) 
or a person's clothing (Pick Pockets) and perhaps it was also that aristocracy poached against each 
other. The Punishment normally imposed was imprisonment or a fine.
 
The two main reasons for poaching after 1750 were Need and Greed. Rural poverty continued to become 
widespread. The 'enclosure' movement of the 18th Century deprived people of land, because of this 
many became labourers. Wages were low and their diet was worse, and many turned to poaching to survive. 

Poachers were thought of as heroes, people rescued poachers from the hands of keepers and police and 
intimidated people who took poachers to court.

Another point of view was that poaching could never be justified. The police and Estate owners believed 
that there was no connection between poverty and poaching. They thought the profits from poaching were 
spent in the pubs rather than on food. 

Many poachers made plans in the pubs and did spend their money in the pubs. Gangs based in London 
organised poaching and did most of the poaching business in the pubs.  These gangs grew steadily in 
size between 1830 and 1870. Representatives would make contact with actual poachers in rural areas.

Poaching became more tempting as Estate owners were building up their game and fish stocks for angling 
and shooting groups who were prepared to pay well for the popular pastime.

The authorities introduced a variety of man-traps and spring-guns, the purpose of which was to kill, 
mutilate or break the poachers legs, this was mainly as a deterrent to poachers. Punishments for Poachers 
became worse. Poachers were sentenced to longer terms of imprisonment. The less fortunate were, from 
1816, transported to places like New South Wales (Australia) for fourteen years.  Between 1750 and 1820, 
more poachers than before were  hanged, particularly those convicted of using a firearm or wounding a 
gamekeeper.

During 1830s man-traps and spring-guns were made illegal, and a Act in 1883 allowed tenants to kill 
rabbits and hares on their own farms, so ending one of the most hated parts of the old game laws. On 
the other hand, the law remained heavily on poachers.  Poachers could still be transported to penal 
colony, or imprisoned for up to seven years.  By the Poaching Prevention Act of 1862 anyone suspected 
of carrying poaching implements could be stopped and searched by the police. poachers were treat more 
harshly than any other people accused of other types of theft in the 19th Century, this shows that the 
views on poaching changed more slowly than many other forms of theft on property since 1750. 

­While hunting was reserved for the privileged, it was illegal to buy and sell wild animals. It remained 
illegal to do so until the mid-1800s. Gangs of poachers formed outlaw bands and sold animals through 
the black market. Buyers of black-market food even included wealthy people, who could not or chose not 
to hunt on their own.


Strange facts
*************

The Parliamentary name "Chief Whip", which is given to the MP whose role it is to keep the Prime 
Minister informed of any back bench revolts and general party opinions and to ensure party members 
toe the party line refers to the role of the "Whipper-in", who has the responsibility of keeping the 
hounds in check during a hunt. 

The iconic ritual of smearing ceremonial blood on the cheeks of a new member of a clan or society 
which is depicted in many books and films also has its roots in Hunting, whose act of 'Blooding' 
was introduced by King James I in the sixteenth century and involved the Hunts-master rubbing the 
blood of the prey onto the cheeks of newly initiated member of the hunt.




Sources:
www.blakeston.stockton.sch.uk
www.osbwk.co.uk
www.historic-uk.com
en.wikipedia.org
adventure.howstuffworks.com
www.oxfordscholarship.com