Beagling

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Beagling is the hunting of hares with beagles. It has been referred to as "the poor person's fox hunting", as a beagle pack (30-40 hounds) is followed on foot, not horseback. Equally true, beagling is often enjoyed by 'retired' fox hunters who have either sustained too many injuries or lost the agility to ride horseback, or who enjoy the outdoors and the camaraderie of the hunt.

When beagling, the usual quarry is the hare. Beagles are admired by some for their "music" which they emit when in full pursuit. Beagling, like fox hunting, was banned in England and Wales by the Hunting Act 2004. The Act bans the hunting of wild mammals with certain strictly limited exemptions, none of which permit the chasing of hares with beagle packs.

Hunts are managed very similarly to fox hunting packs - generally governed by one or more Masters, who typically take much of the financial responsibility for the overall management of the hunt. Hunts typically employ a huntsman who is responsible (in conjunction with assistants, known as "whippers-in" or "whips") for directing the hounds in the course of a hunt. However, more beagle packs than foxhound packs are 'amateur' hunts, where the master hunts hounds himself.

Some parliamentary systems (including the Westminster system and the Congress of the United States) have adopted the term "whip" to describe a member of parliament nominated by his or her party to enforce party discipline and ensure the attendance of other members at important votes.

Further reading: "Beagling", W. Lovell Hewitt