The New Forest Hounds have shifted to clean boot hunting, focusing on human scent instead of traditional quarry, making it a unique experience.
New Forest: The New Forest Hounds have made a big change. They’ve switched from chasing foxes to tracking humans. It’s called clean boot hunting, and it’s pretty interesting.
Instead of using animal scents, these hounds now follow the sweat of runners. They’re trained to ignore other animals and focus only on the scent of the Quarry Club members.
This group was started by Will Day, one of the hunt’s joint masters, after they stopped participating in trail hunting. Runners, aged 14 to 66, cover a lot of ground during their hunts.
Will shared how they get the hounds ready. “We give them our scent in the morning with cuddles. It makes them think, ‘These are the folks we’re after.’” It’s all about building that connection.
At the end of the hunt, the hounds get treats and praise, just like any good pet. Will describes the thrill of the chase, saying it gives an adrenaline rush that’s hard to beat.
Fox hunting was banned in England and Wales back in 2004, leading many hunts to switch to trail hunting. But now, that’s also facing a ban from the new Labour government.
Some hunts have been known to use animal urine to lay trails, which has raised concerns. The government is pushing for stricter animal welfare laws, aiming to end practices that harm wildlife.
The New Forest Hounds decided to embrace clean boot hunting in 2022, wanting to adapt to changing times. The League Against Cruel Sports supports this move, as it doesn’t involve harming any wildlife.
