Coursing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coursing is the pursuit of game or other animals by dogs—chiefly Greyhounds and other sight hounds— running by sight, not by scent. Coursing was a common hunting technique practiced by nobility with Greyhounds and by commoners with Lurchers. In its oldest recorded form in the Western world, as described by Arrian the sport was practiced by all levels of society, as remained the case until Carolingian hunting law (Forest Law) appropriated hunting grounds, or commons, for the king, the nobility and other land owners.
Animals coursed include hares, rabbits, foxes, deer of all sorts, antelope, gazelle, jackals, wolves. Jackrabbits and coyotes are the most common animals coursed in America. Competitive coursing in the UK has two dogs run together, but in America three dogs are run together.
The competitive version was developed when the first set of English rules for hare coursing was drawn up in the reign of Elizabeth I. The object is to test the dog, not to kill the hare, and today in Ireland (but not in Great Britain or America) the dogs are muzzled. Muzzling allows a few hares to escape that might otherwise have been caught, but many that are not able to elude the hounds are battered and severely injured by the hounds in their frenzy. It is generally more humane to increase the law (headstart distance) given the hare to minimize the chances of a catch. The rare catch is nearly always an instant death of the hare. In this way it is only a very slow or poor hare that is ever caught, leaving the best hares to breed and multiply. The very best mid-winter hares in America (jackrabbits) are simply uncatchable by even the best hounds, the hare increasing its lead with every bound from the start.
The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act and the Hunting Act 2004 (in England and Wales) made it illegal to course hares under any circumstances or to course rabbits without the landowner's permission.
[edit] See also
| Bloodsports |
|---|
| Baiting • Bullfighting • Cockfighting • Dog fighting • Falconry • Sport fishing • Fox hunting • Hare coursing • Hunting • Pigsticking |
