Beagling is the hunting of hares, rabbits, and occasionally foxes with beagles. A beagle pack (20-40 hounds) is usually followed on foot. However, there is one pack of beagles in the U.S. which are distinguished as being the only hunting pack to hunt fox and be followed on horseback. 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. It was also traditionally a way for young men to learn how to handle hounds on a smaller scale before they went on to hunt with foxhounds, and many famous public schools and universities had a pack of beagles. Now, however, only four schools (Ampleforth, Eton, Radley and Stowe) have a pack, whilst only three university packs remain (the Christ Church and Farley Hill Beagles of Oxford University, the Trinity Foot and South Herts Beagles of Cambridge University, as well as the Royal Agricultural College Beagles). Some packs of beagles also have associations with the military, such as the Purbeck and Bovington Beagles (Tank Regiment); the Pimpernel (Royal Signals) Beagles; Per Ardua Beagles (RAF) and Britannia Beagles (Navy).
When beagling on foot, the traditional 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 some wild mammals with certain strictly limited exemptions, which include the retrieval of hares that have been shot.[1]
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.
Beagle packs that hunt fox offer educational opportunities to young riders who may not be ready for the regular hunt field. As such, children and young people learn the rules and traditions of fox hunting, but in a more relaxed atmosphere. They enjoy special privileges such as being allowed to follow directly behind the huntsman, and are often recruited to 'whip in' for the day.[2]
The attire for traditional beagling on foot consists of a green coat and stockings, white breeches and a cap (similar in style to those worn when riding a horse). Many packs have a coloured collar to distinguish themselves from other packs. For following on horseback, the usual attire is 'ratcatcher' (tweed jacket, light breeches) for the formal season, and polo shirts and breeches for the cubbing season.[2]
In the United Kingdom, there are also a handful of basset hound packs. Bassets work much slower than beagles but are admired by many for their strong and deep voice, however they are much more independent hounds. Most packs have opted to breed the 'English Basset', which are considerably longer in the leg and lighter boned than the traditional variety. This gives them greater speed and endurance when hunting but have a slightly higher pitch when speaking on a line (scent).