fox scent

[neil cooney 10,415]

A good post Footman.

Also IMO if you see a fox leaving covert and looks like he's not under pressure you can bet your life scent is bad, then you'll notice him doddle along in front of the pack at his own pleasure as hounds try to work out the line.

On the other hand if he leaves covert as if his arse was on fire scent should be good.

The fox being a hunter himself knows good scenting days from bad.

[fidodido 30]

A good post Footman.

Also IMO if you see a fox leaving covert and looks like he's not under pressure you can bet your life scent is bad, then you'll notice him doddle along in front of the pack at his own pleasure as hounds try to work out the line.

On the other hand if he leaves covert as if his arse was on fire scent should be good.

The fox being a hunter himself knows good scenting days from bad.

pressure equals sscared fox more scent from glands or more scent through higher activety like most animals not sure if foxs sweat tho but there`l be hundreds of factors that go in to it i would imagine y.i.s. fido

[weasle 1,119]

so many books have been written on this subject and stil it can not be understood fully. If you can smell it hounds can not. Think that scent is like a piece a string if the weather is bad for scent then the string will raise up quickly, if good scenting day the string will stil low for ages and hounds will hunt well.

In a windy it is hard for hounds to hear others and hear you. Scent can be great on some windy days

 

Good Hunting. Let me know if you want some titls of books

 

Johnny

That sounds good advice,I just tried it,put a bit of string in the garden and it didnt rise at all,so going to see if sent is good now.

[weasle 1,119]

A good post Footman.

Also IMO if you see a fox leaving covert and looks like he's not under pressure you can bet your life scent is bad, then you'll notice him doddle along in front of the pack at his own pleasure as hounds try to work out the line.

On the other hand if he leaves covert as if his arse was on fire scent should be good.

The fox being a hunter himself knows good scenting days from bad.

pressure equals sscared fox more scent from glands or more scent through higher activety like most animals not sure if foxs sweat tho but there`l be hundreds of factors that go in to it i would imagine y.i.s. fido

How come the dogs can be screaming on fox,until he gets headed,especially if he gets a fright and dogs cannot hunt him from that point.

Edited February 8, 2011 by weasle

[fidodido 30]

A good post Footman.

Also IMO if you see a fox leaving covert and looks like he's not under pressure you can bet your life scent is bad, then you'll notice him doddle along in front of the pack at his own pleasure as hounds try to work out the line.

On the other hand if he leaves covert as if his arse was on fire scent should be good.

The fox being a hunter himself knows good scenting days from bad.

pressure equals sscared fox more scent from glands or more scent through higher activety like most animals not sure if foxs sweat tho but there`l be hundreds of factors that go in to it i would imagine y.i.s. fido

How come the dogs can be screaming on fox,until he gets headed,especially if he gets a fright and dogs cannot hunt him from that point.

not sure what headed means new to hounds .so no irea what you mean i hunt terrier and lurcher pal

[neil cooney 10,415]

You stole my words Weasel.

Headed means to be turned. When a fox is running at his own speed on his own ground he gives of a scent for hounds to follow. Let's just say he goes out a gate and someone lets a shout which turns the fox you will see when hounds reach this spot they'll lift their heads and check.

It's a good way to be asked not to come again by keep turning the fox, LOL.

 

It can also be used to a whipper-ins advantage when hounds riot.

[fidodido 30]

You stole my words Weasel.

Headed means to be turned. When a fox is running at his own speed on his own ground he gives of a scent for hounds to follow. Let's just say he goes out a gate and someone lets a shout which turns the fox you will see when hounds reach this spot they'll lift their heads and check.

It's a good way to be asked not to come again by keep turning the fox, LOL.

 

It can also be used to a whipper-ins advantage when hounds riot.

my personal opinion is its due to the ground that has been broken up by the foxs feet on vegitation and suddenly changes direction.i read some thin bout police tracker dogs and they scented and tracked mainly through ground that had been broken by foot fall could hounds not hunt and scent in this manner coupled with scent off foxs feet . just a thort :hmm:

[scalesntails 118]

Theres a field near me that stinks of fox. I was walking around it on Sunday and there was a massive ginger fox just ahead of me, didn't even slink off into the bushes until I was 8-10 yards from it. Even then it just walked away cocksure. Even if fox was legal my dogs are too young, I don't have permission on that land, fox hunting with dogs is illegal and more importantly I don't kill anything that doesn't get eaten. I have no problems with anyone that does though.

[Johnny85 50]

A fox losses its scent when headed just as a vixen in cub has no smell at all. Its nature protecting them. Weather and type of land been hunted add up to alot to do with scent. However a lot has to do with the actual fox your hunting. On a days hunting you may find a fox and do little with it and blame scent, however you may find one a half hour later and scream on it.

You will have great hunting when the scent is a little high. If you ever hear hounds on the line of a deer, people often say they screamed on it. The reason for this is actually the scent if a foot higher then a fox. So when running the hounds can carry their head high while following scent and in return their voice is projected up and out. If following a fox they have their heads down and the cry is projected down in to the ground.

Also people often talk about the three o clock fox. And often hunts will have a good hunt at this time of the day. This is because at this time in winter on some days the dew/frost/chill of the evening comes in and the temperature drops and moisture increases on the sod. Hence scent will improve and hounds can hunt it easier and with more drive to pressure the fox.

On the topic of heading foxes noisey car followers and the mounted field have ruined more good hunts than anyone can remember. Its a serious pet hate of mine.

 

Good Hunting

 

Johnny 85

[desertdog 149]

" Nowt so queer as scent, sept a woman "

thats proper, my grandad used to say that, how true.

[desertdog 149]

scent is proper queer, every huntsman has his theory, car followers are bain, but in this day and age with the diesel and petrol fumes as they are, its a wonder there is any scent, trust your hounds, they know more about the job than we ever will and know your quarry,charlie is very crafty,disapearing up his own ass in a heartbeat and leaving every huntsman in the country wondering if its his fault his hounds cant own the line, a very useful tip i was once told always cast forward,and as for the 3oclock fox well if you find him,you,ll probably need a change of horse,scent always seems better later in the day, ican remember one hunt whislt out with the e,essex, we got hounds stopped at 9 at night and they ran a seven mile point, happy days.

[Rocky2 14]

A few weeks ago we were hunting and a frost started coming down in the evening. I thought this would cause scent to be less strong but one man said the hounds would hunt better as the scent would stick to the ground. Is this true?

Edited February 8, 2011 by Rocky2

[desertdog 149]

i think its all due to temperature, if only there was a way to tap the info from a hounds nose, well maybe hunting would,nt be a challenge then,a cracking little book to read is "thoughts on hunting", by peter beckford,, it throws some light on it.

[xydeb 2]

this thread has turned up far more info than expected some good posts

some earths stink on arrival

but some holding dont

i guess the male smells stronger, i quite often watch the dogs air scenting flatout across the fields but doesnt end as youd hope love watching dogs hunting on a good scent ground or air,this subject is something i will be paying particular interest in when out from now on :search:

[superfurryanimal 91]

good post with some good replies