Great Huntsmen

[DIDO.1 22,846]

 

Iv seen a bad whip almost destroy a pack of hounds before the season even started, just on hound exercise. Think he only had 2 days cubbing and became a kennelman!

 

Again I think it all depends on the country. In some areas a bog standard huntsman and a fantastic whip can provide fantastic sport and is maybe the best combination!. In other areas the weight of the world is on a huntsmans shoulders and his decisions and actions are all that count.

 

What was he doing so wrong mate ?

 

Got over excited constantly. A cat would cross the road in front and he would get so giddy that the hounds picked up on it and...well... he might as well of stood there and give a holla! lol

 

I have never seen a man that hounds disliked as much. Takes years to teach manners but bad habits can be learned in days I suppose

[R.A.W 1,987]

 

 

Iv seen a bad whip almost destroy a pack of hounds before the season even started, just on hound exercise. Think he only had 2 days cubbing and became a kennelman!

 

Again I think it all depends on the country. In some areas a bog standard huntsman and a fantastic whip can provide fantastic sport and is maybe the best combination!. In other areas the weight of the world is on a huntsmans shoulders and his decisions and actions are all that count.

 

What was he doing so wrong mate ?

 

Got over excited constantly. A cat would cross the road in front and he would get so giddy that the hounds picked up on it and...well... he might as well of stood there and give a holla! lol

 

I have never seen a man that hounds disliked as much. Takes years to teach manners but bad habits can be learned in days I suppose

 

 

i'll bear that mind in the future .

 

Is he still kennelman ?

[DIDO.1 22,846]

doubt it. unfortunately some shiit staff have been given good references just to make getting rid of them easy so anything is possible!

[Guest Leveller]

It never ceases to amaze me the low standard of some staff in some good positions.

[stando 177]

One of the main problems is that in the past, to become a huntsman you had to start at the bottom and work your way up until you became the huntsman to one of the smaller pack's, do a few seasons and "if" you showed "good sport" you then had a chance of a job with a bigger/better pack,,,,,,,,,,,, not be recommended by one of the "old boy's network" and walk straight into a good huntsman's job like nowaday's, half of the huntsmen now have no knowledge of how to run a kennel's properley, hound's,or whip in

 

Half the problem lie'swith amateur huntsmen being able to pay thier way into a job, not getting it on how good they are

[gonetoearth 5,144]

Some of the best are AM dont judge any one till ive seen them then it might have been a poor day or other reasons. Hounds are not robots and the qarry tTHEY hunted was certainly not so many things can develop during a day But once again thats only my humble opinion ,

[DIDO.1 22,846]

One of the main problems is that in the past, to become a huntsman you had to start at the bottom and work your way up until you became the huntsman to one of the smaller pack's, do a few seasons and "if" you showed "good sport" you then had a chance of a job with a bigger/better pack,,,,,,,,,,,, not be recommended by one of the "old boy's network" and walk straight into a good huntsman's job like nowaday's, half of the huntsmen now have no knowledge of how to run a kennel's properley, hound's,or whip in

 

Half the problem lie'swith amateur huntsmen being able to pay thier way into a job, not getting it on how good they are

 

 

I dont think its a modern problem, the history of hunting is one of masters wanting to hunt hounds in their own way ( some who want to get on , some happy just plodding round a big cover) and causing rifts/splits and arguments in different packs. Some hunts need an amateur who brings money with him and to be fair for every bad one their are dozens of good ones and amateurs have been some of the best. I take your point though.

 

Also with regard to young lads starting at the bottom and working up....yes things have changed but thats just the nature of the beast many packs now with just one professional kennel huntsman would once of had 3 grooms plus a boy, 1 or 2 kennelman, 1st and 2nd whips and a huntsman/kennelhuntsman so there is isnt room to work ones way up spending years in each job. Hunts just cant afford it.

[DIDO.1 22,846]

It never ceases to amaze me the low standard of some staff in some good positions.

 

To be honest iv seen more good dedicated hunt staff than bad ones, in fact I can think of very few bad ones. Living in the west country you prob get to see more hunt staff than I do though! I like to visit a lot of different packs but that only lets me get a brief chance to see each 'in action' so I cant really comment on them.

 

The worsted staff I see tends to be amateurs with beagle packs, I find it stressful watching them constantly nagging hounds and making a fuss. I subscribed to one north country pack a few years ago and it was total bedlam, 3 whips were taking turns blowing for hounds. I only went 4 times and couldnt stick it any more. I think that was a great shame, it should of been a breeding ground for young staff but nobody was willing or able to teach them basis rules or right from wrong. Again I dont want to tar everyone with the same brush as Iv seen some fantastic amateur beagle packs/staff and its just a relatively small random sample that have made up my experiences.

[Born Hunter 17,813]

I don't pretend to know shit about hounds but first person that comes to mind is JH of the Ullswater, a gentleman and hell of a huntsman with experience in Canada as well as the UK. A true gent!

Edited June 19, 2013 by Born Hunter

[gonetoearth 5,144]

I don't pretend to know shit about hounds but first person that comes to mind is JH of the Ullswater, a gentleman and hell of a huntsman with experience in Canada as well as the UK. A true gent!

to hunt a foot pack mate you need to be chief cook and bottle washer dont compare a fell or foot foxhound pack with a mounted bit like cheasea and accrington stanley no less profesional but miles appart in many ways

[Born Hunter 17,813]

 

I don't pretend to know shit about hounds but first person that comes to mind is JH of the Ullswater, a gentleman and hell of a huntsman with experience in Canada as well as the UK. A true gent!

to hunt a foot pack mate you need to be chief cook and bottle washer dont compare a fell or foot foxhound pack with a mounted bit like cheasea and accrington stanley no less profesional but miles appart in many ways

 

 

The jobs different I know, but surely a fell huntsman has to produce a better more independant pack for than his mounted counterpart where he's often well out of contact? Like I said i know feck all. The bit of experience I have in hunting I know which I prefer, probably biasing me.

[spindolero 1,111]

whist on this subject, whats the role of the kennel huntsman? is it just to step in as required?

[Guest Leveller]

Basically a kennel huntsman will be employed by the hunt and do all the work with hounds in kennels and then somebody else hunts them usually an amateur/master and the KH generally whips in but sometimes you get non-riding KH's who might do terriers etc etc there are many different set ups all over the country

[Linton Lad 90]

Quite a few ex Pro huntsmen taking on the job of Master/ Amateur Huntman with a Comittee backing and little financual input getting packs now.

Suits some hunts as He will do kennels and organise the country, leaving finance to the comittee'

 

At least these lads have a bit of knowledge on hounds and hunting( or should have).

 

I heard at weekend the Tynedale have got that idiot(Born with a silver spoon in his mouth) that was at the Haydon, as there new Master/Huntsman.

[DIDO.1 22,846]

dont think its right to use terms like 'born with a silver spoon in his mouth'. without some people like that many hunts couldnt afford to exist, using class terms just lowers us to the level of the antis.

 

I'm not saying he isnt an idiot though, I dont know anything about him. Things not go well when he was at the Haydon then?