- When Does SCF Hunt?
We hunt on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Cubbing season is early September through November. Formal hunting season begins the first Saturday in November, after Thanksgiving. - What Time are the Hunts?
Wednesday hunts are in the afternoon, while Saturday hunts are bright and early in the morning. - What is the Dress Code?
EFFECTIVE THE 2017-2018 SEASON:
On ratcatcher days, RED shirts are reserved for STAFF only! Please be respective of this rule.
Attire for cubbing is rat catcher.
A. Earth tone colored breeches; which for SCF is defined as buff, beige, tan, rust, canary and light grey only
B. Black, Brown hunt cap with safety harness (no white helmets). Dark Blue is reserved for Lady Masters and Former Lady Masters.
C. Adults – tall Black or Brown boots (field or dress); children – paddock shoes are acceptable.
D. Solid color shirts with collars (NO strips, plaids, sleeveless shirts of any kind etc.) or traditional rat catcher shirts.
E. Cold weather – tweed or black jacket; solid colored sweater.
* Optional hunt attire includes spurs, hunt whip, sandwich case for ladies, flask for gentleman, wire cutters. Cell phones may be carried for use in the event of an emergency.
Attire for Formal Season is full traditional dress on Saturday, rat catcher on Wednesday (unless otherwise noted on the fixture card). Formal Season begins with Opening Meet on Thanksgiving weekend.
Gentlemen (with colors) white shirt and white stock tie with a plain gold safety pin, canary or tattersall vest (optional), white breeches, black boots with brown tops, 3-buttoned pinque (red) coat with rounded front corners (square corners for Masters or professional huntsman), tan string gloves, black hunt cap with harness. Pinque coat should have confederate grey collar.
Ladies (with colors) black jacket with confederate grey collar, tan, light grey or canary breeches, white shirt and white stock tie with plain gold safety pin, canary or tattersall vest (optional), black boots with patent leather tops, tan string gloves, black hunt cap with harness. The hunt buttons for ladies are black buttons with white letters. (Dark Blue jackets are reserved for Lady Masters and Former Lady Masters only.)
Gentleman and Ladies (without colors) black jacket, white shirt and white stock tie with plain gold safety pin, canary or tattersall vest (optional), tan, light grey or canary breeches, black boots without tops, black hunt cap with harness, tan string or black gloves.
Juniors (with colors) same as above but includes grey collar with red piping. Juniors may wear their colors until their 2 5th birthday. Juniors (without colors) same as gentleman and ladies without colors. Paddock boots are acceptable for juniors only.
- How Much are the Capping Fees?
Any non-member wishing to hunt with South Creek Foxhounds must contact one of the Joint Masters to receive permission. Capping fees are $125.00 for adults and $25.00 for juniors. Cappers need to sign a Waiver of Liability and present capping fee to Field Secretary upon arrival at the Meet .
Conduct and Protocol
Before The Hunt
Be Prompt
When arriving at the meet, and you have a guest, introduce your guest to the Honorary Secretary, pay the capping fee (if applicable), and then go to the Masters for an introduction.
Greet the Huntsman while he or she is gathering hounds and greet the Field Master before he or she gathers the Field. Thank them both at the end of the day.
Your horse and tack should be clean, neat and in good repair.
You should be neat and clean as well. Do not wear anything that could get caught in trees or obstacles and cause injury to your or your horse.
During The Hunt
If you choose to ride in First Flight Field, please maintain the pace of the Field Master. Those who wish to pick and choose their jumps should ride in the back of First Flight.
When jumping, don’t approach the take-off area until the preceding horse and rider have taken the jump safely and advanced 3 or 4 strides.
If your horse refuses to jump, circle away from the jump to the right or left and go to the back of the field or if there is a gap in the approaching horses “get a tow”. Slip in behind a willing horse and follow it over. Never go around a jump as it is being jumped.
Conduct In The Field
The Master, Hunt Staff and hounds should be given the right of way at all times. Always turn your horse’s head so that it is facing the hounds, Master or Staff as they pass.
Stay behind your Field Master at all times.
Please be quiet while hounds are being hunted. Speak in a low tone. All hallooing (calling out to and attempts to give direction) to a hound by members of the Field are not only bad manners, but apt to spoil sport for everyone.
However, if hounds come in between horses or you can see that a hound will be coming close to other horses, let others know by calling “hound please” to alert members to give the hound the right of way. If the hound does not appear to be in a position to encounter horses, NO CALL is necessary.
If you see a danger to another rider, such as a hole or a low branch, you should call out “ware hole” or “ware branch”.
If a Whipper-In or Huntsman is coming from behind or ahead and will need to pass through the field of riders, let others know by calling “Whip please” or “Huntsman please”.
If you view a fox and the hounds are on the line, do nothing to interfere with the hounds or the fox. If you view a fox as he breaks covert and the hounds are not on the line, do not make a sound. Wait for him to be well away from the covert, then signal the Field Master by raising your cap so he/she may choose whether to “Tally Ho” or send a rider to the Huntsman. Do not lose sight of where the fox broke covert. You may be asked to show the huntsman exactly where you viewed.
NO SMOKING IS ALLOWED ON ANY OF OUR FIXTURES
Staff Rules
Master/Joint Masters
The Masters are the ultimate authority on any hunting day. His or her word is the law. The Masters are responsible for the kennels and keep in close touch with the Huntsman on all matters relating to the hounds. The traditional greeting for a Master is “good morning,” whatever the time of day.
Greet the Masters politely upon arriving at the meet. Thank him/her at the end of the day.
Huntsman
The huntsman is responsible for the hounds. The huntsman walks, trains and hunts the hounds.
Whippers-in
The Whippers-in are the Huntsman’s assistants on hunting and hound-walking days. They help control the hounds by moving hounds back to the Huntsman should the hounds stray and the whippers-in monitor game movement for the Huntsman. Whippers-in are known as honorary when they are volunteers.
Field Masters
The Field Master(s) are appointed by the Master(s) to lead the Field. Each Field Master is responsible for showing sport to his/her Flight and is the liaison between the Huntsman and the Field. He/she also has to make sure that the Field does not interfere with the hounds. Stay behind your Field Master at all times and follow his or her line. Follow but don’t press your Field Master. He or she is constantly revising their planned route based on how hounds are running, what the huntsman is doing, and how the terrain is unfolding.
BE QUIET WHEN THE FIELD MASTER STOPS. HE/SHE IS LISTENING FOR HOUNDS.
Never pass the Master or ride an alternate route without his or her permission. If he or she crosses a field by hugging the edge, do likewise. Keep up with the Field Master, since leaving gaps can interfere with the day’s sport. If you are on a narrow ride, keep in single file on the same side as the Field Master.
Never leave the Field without informing the Field Master.
Be sure to thank the Masters and Staff at the end of every hunt.