Editing Fox hunting (section)

==Current status==
{{see also|Fox hunting legislation|List of foxhound packs of the United Kingdom}}

===United Kingdom===
[[File:Daniel Gardner Sir William.jpg|thumb|The Rev. William Heathcote (1772–1802), on horseback (son of the 3rd Baronet); Sir William Heathcote of [[Hursley]], 3rd Baronet (1746–1819), holding his horse and whip; and Major Vincent Hawkins Gilbert, M.F.H., holding a fox's head. The Heathcote's family seat was [[Hursley House]]. [[Daniel Gardner]] portrayed the three gentlemen on the hunt in 1790.]]

Fox hunting is prohibited in Great Britain by the [[Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002]] and the [[Hunting Act 2004]] (England and Wales), passed under the ministry of [[Tony Blair]], but remains legal in [[Northern Ireland]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Hain lambasted over website backing hunting|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2360161.ece|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070404204148/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2360161.ece|archive-date=4 April 2007|last=Hookham|first=Mark|date=15 March 2007|access-date=22 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Northern Ireland bans hare coursing, and fox hunting could be next|date=24 June 2010|access-date=29 March 2011|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland-bans-hare-coursing-and-fox-hunting-could-be-next-14852888.html}}</ref> 
The [[Coming into force|passing]] of the Hunting Act was notable in that it was implemented through the use of the [[Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949]], after the [[House of Lords]] refused to pass the legislation, despite [[the Commons]] passing it by a majority of 356 to 166.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=CNN|title=Protesters storm UK parliament|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/09/15/fox.protest/|access-date=27 October 2008|date=16 September 2004|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041118064259/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/09/15/fox.protest/ |archive-date = 18 November 2004}}</ref>

After the ban on fox hunting, hunts in Great Britain switched to legal alternatives, such as [[drag hunting]] and [[trail hunting]].<ref name="auto1">{{cite web| url=https://thehuntingoffice.org.uk/what-is-trail-hunting|title=What is trail hunting?|website=thehuntingoffice|access-date=10 July 2022|archive-date=12 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712141512/https://thehuntingoffice.org.uk/what-is-trail-hunting|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.huntingact.org/hunting/trail-laying|title=Trail Laying|website=huntingact.co.uk|date=25 August 2016 |access-date=10 July 2022}}</ref> The Hunting Act 2004 also permits some previously unusual forms of hunting wild mammals with dogs to continue, such as "hunting... for the purpose of enabling a bird of prey to hunt the wild mammal".<ref>Stephen Moss, ''[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/07/hunting.ethicalliving The banned rode on: Eighteen months ago hunting was banned. Or was it?]'' from ''[[The Guardian]]'' dated 7 November 2006, at guardian.co.uk, accessed 29 April 2013</ref>

Opponents of hunting, such as the [[League Against Cruel Sports]], claim that some of these alternatives are a smokescreen for illegal hunting or a means of circumventing the ban.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2020-11-24/what-is-trail-hunting-and-is-it-legal|title=What is trail hunting and is it legal?|website=itv.com|date=24 November 2020 |access-date=10 July 2022}}</ref> Hunting support group [[Countryside Alliance]] said in 2006 that there was anecdotal evidence that the number of foxes killed by hunts (unintentionally) and farmers had increased since the Hunting Act came into force, both by the hunts (through lawful methods) and landowners, and that more people were hunting with hounds (although killing foxes had become illegal).<ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4724028.stm|title='More foxes dead' since hunt ban|date=17 February 2006|access-date=13 October 2007}}</ref>

Tony Blair wrote in ''[[A Journey (memoir)|A Journey]]'', his memoirs published in 2010, that the Hunting Act of 2004 is 'one of the domestic legislative measures I most regret'.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/blair-regrets-hunting-ban-21293|title=Blair regrets hunting ban|date=1 September 2010|website=Country Life|access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref>

===United States===
In America, fox hunting is also called "fox chasing", as it is the practice of many hunts not to actually kill the fox (the red fox is not regarded as a significant pest).<ref name=usmfha1/> Some hunts may go without catching a fox for several seasons, despite chasing two or more foxes in a single day's hunting.<ref name=Smart/> Foxes are not pursued once they have "gone to ground" (hidden in a hole). American fox hunters undertake stewardship of the land, and endeavour to maintain fox populations and habitats as much as possible.<ref name=Smart/> In many areas of the eastern United States the coyote, a natural predator of the red and grey fox, is becoming more prevalent and threatens fox populations in a hunt's given territory. In some areas, coyote are considered fair game when hunting with foxhounds, even if they are not the intended species being hunted.

In 2013, the [[Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America]] listed 163 registered packs in the US and Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mfha.com/memb.htm |publisher=Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America |title=Geographical listing of hunts |year=2013 |access-date=5 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714232532/http://www.mfha.com/memb.htm |archive-date=14 July 2009 }}</ref> This number does not include non-registered (also known as "farmer" or "outlaw") packs.<ref name=Smart>{{cite book|last=Smart |first=Bruce |title=A community of the horse |chapter=9 |chapter-url=http://www.acommunityofthehorse.com/images/pdfs/ChapIX.pdf |year=2004 |access-date=9 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823130127/http://www.acommunityofthehorse.com/images/pdfs/ChapIX.pdf |archive-date=23 August 2006 }}</ref> Baily's Hunting Directory Lists 163 foxhound or draghound packs in the US and 11 in Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bailyshuntingdirectory.com/directory/|title=Directory of Hunts|publisher=Baily's Hunting Directory|access-date=5 April 2013}}</ref> In some arid parts of the [[Western United States]], where foxes in general are more difficult to locate, [[coyote]]s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arapahoehunt.com/history.asp |title=Arapahoe Hunt Club History |publisher=Arapahoe Hunt Club |access-date=12 February 2008 |year=2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208202017/http://www.arapahoehunt.com/history.asp |archive-date=8 February 2008 }}</ref> are hunted and, in some cases, [[bobcat]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.chronofhorse.com/index.php?cat=123009040576283|title=Recognized Hunts|magazine=Chronicle of the Horse|access-date=12 February 2008}}</ref>

===Other countries===
[[File:Hunting in the USSR (3530725667).jpg|thumb|upright|Lithograph. Tourism travel poster issued 1922–1959 (approximate)]]
The other main countries in which organized fox hunting with hounds is practised are Ireland (which has 41 registered packs),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://irishfoxhunting.com/|title=Welcome to the IMFHA- representing Irish Fox Hunting|publisher=The Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association| access-date=27 December 2016|archive-date=2 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202094113/http://irishfoxhunting.com/}}</ref> Australia, France (this hunting practice is also used for other animals such as deer, wild boar, fox, hare or rabbit), Canada and Italy. There is one pack of foxhounds in Portugal, and one in India. Although there are 32 packs for the hunting of foxes in France, hunting tends to take place mainly on a small scale and on foot, with mounted hunts tending to hunt red or roe deer, or wild boar.<ref name="Venerie">{{cite web|date=9 June 2000|publisher=Venerie|title=Venerie-the Organisation representing hunting with hounds in France |url=http://www.venerie.org/}}</ref>

In Portugal fox hunting is permitted (Decree-Law no. 202/2004) but there have been popular protests<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publico.pt/2017/03/03/sociedade/noticia/cidadaos-organizam-manifestacao-a-pedir-fim-de-caca-a-raposa-pratica-cruel-e-barbara-1763966|title=Cidadãos organizam manifestação a pedir fim de caça à raposa, "prática cruel e bárbara"|website=PÚBLICO|date=3 March 2017 |access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref> and initiatives to abolish it. A petition<ref>{{cite web|url=http://peticaopublica.com/pview.aspx?pi=PT84351|website=Petição Pública|title=Pelo Fim da Caça à Raposa em Portugal }}</ref> was handed over to the Assembly of the Republic<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parlamento.pt/ActividadeParlamentar/Paginas/DetalhePeticao.aspx?BID=13005 |title=Petição No. 324/XIII/2|website=Parlamento |language=pt}}</ref> on 18 May 2017 and the parliamentary hearing held in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parlamento.pt/ActividadeParlamentar/Paginas/DetalheAudicao.aspx?bid=107725|website=Parlamento|title=Audição Parlamentar No. 59-CAM-XIII |language=pt}}</ref>

In Canada, the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America lists seven registered hunt clubs in the province of Ontario, one in Quebec, and one in Nova Scotia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mfha.com/hunt-map/ |publisher=Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America |title=Hunt Map |year=2022 |access-date=18 November 2022 }}</ref> Ontario issues licenses to registered hunt clubs, authorizing its members to pursue, chase or search for fox,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/980665 |publisher=Ontario.ca |title=Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 |access-date=18 November 2022 }}</ref> although the primary target of the hunts is coyotes.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Connor |first=Joe |date= 11 December 2018 |title=Horses, hounds and coyotes — Meet Canada's only woman employed as a huntsman |url=https://financialpost.com/financial-post-magazine/horses-hounds-coyotes-meet-canadas-only-woman-employed-as-a-huntsman  |work=Financial Post Magazine |access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref>