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In South West France stag hunting
is held in high esteem and people are passionate about its
pageantry and ceremony.
Traditional costumes are worn and the rousing
sound of the French horn, a large circular instrument carried
over the shoulder while hunting, reverberates through the
forest. Our stag hunting days offer a rare chance to ride
with one of the two oldest and most famous packs hounds
in France while following a live quarry. The hunt takes
place across the perfect terrain of La Landes, with its
thousands of hectares of deep forest, sandy tracks and hundreds
of ditches to jump.
On a typical hunt day we arrive
at the hunt club for a traditional grand picnic-style lunch
and a few glasses of wine. After mounting up, the hunt begins
and the safety rules and etiquette are explained while underway.
The most important feature of a stag hunt is the work of the
hounds; the organisation and direction of the pack are considerably
more complicated than in other forms of hunting and most hunters
are more interested in watching the hounds in action than
making a successful kill.
Experienced riders will enjoy
the pace of the hunt: from the moment the master blows his
horn it can be a full gallop over a variety of ditches and
banks that would tax the most hardened follower. However,
for the less experienced the pace can be slower.
A stag hunt normally lasts
for up to five hours and can require a fair bit of stamina.
For novices we would expect to say goodbye after a couple
of hours while the experienced can complete the whole day
or take their leave when they choose. |
