Tradition
Mounted hunting with hounds has existed in North America since the colonial days. Hounds were imported to the United States as early as 1650.
This timeless field sport relies on the sacred bond between the horse, rider, and hounds…in the pursuit of coyote. The chase is the “thing”. Coyotes leave their scent on the ground, through the pads of their paws. The hounds then detect this scent, and chase it as an invisible “line” of where the quarry has been, or is going. Horses and riders then follow the hounds across farms, through timber, over creeks and fences. The result is an exciting, and beautiful display of natural sport – where the animals, and the land are respected and celebrated in the chase.
Founded in 1880, the Iroquois Hunt is the third oldest foxhunting club in America and one of the country’s most active and enduring hunts.
Sport
The group of hounds work like detectives using their sense of smell to trail the quarry. They bark or give cry when they find the scent, their crescendo of voices allows the riders to know where they are and keep up with them. The hounds are trained to stay in a group and respond to the sound of the huntsman’s horn.
The coyote, also a hunting animal, most often eludes the hounds by cleverly taking a path difficult for the hounds to follow. The hunt ends when the hounds can no longer find the scent or the huntsman and riders are ready to call it a day.
Hounds, horses and riders love the thrill of the chase. Few breeds of dogs get to do what they were actually bred to do as the foxhound does. In hunting, horses get to move together in a herd as they do in a pasture so it’s a natural activity to them. And families and their friends enjoy the camaraderie of riding together over the Bluegrass countryside, following the unscripted path of hounds and quarry.
Stewardship and Conservation
The Iroquois hunt is an integral part of the farming community. It assists area landowners in the management of the increasing population of coyotes that, when emboldened, prey upon new born calves, house pets, and livestock. The mounted pursuit of coyote with hounds disperses them away from houses, and farm animals-which humanely controls the population, as opposed to shooting or trapping.
Our sport follows the ecological balance of the seasons, beginning in the fall after the harvest, and finishing in the spring, when crops are planted and wild animals have their young.
Fox hunters are active in land conservation. Hunts work directly with landowners to clear trails, promote wildlife habitats, and maintain fences, gates, and other farm infrastructure essential for a healthy rural landscape. In North America alone, fox hunting clubs have helped place more than a million acres under conservation easements, preserving farmland, timber, and open country from development.
Currently, there are some 149 registered fox hunting clubs in America. To be a registered hunt, a club must meet the standards of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, the sport’s governing body. The MFHA has been recognized by the Department of Labor as a professional sporting organization, alongside baseball, basketball, and football.
