how is the chasse going in your area so far

[odile]

?

[Gardian]

Difficult to tell, because there's an area of at least 30km2 going out from the back of our place. Their dogs go bonkers twice a week and you can hear them afar off, but I think that's just the way they are rather than any particular result on their part.  I think that the local blokes are more interested in the social barbeque that precedes matters every session.

I wish them continued lack of success, even if the sangliers do root around in my potager on a regular basis. 

[Anton Redman]

Given the 11th November fell on a Wednesday they were going at it hammer and tongues by 8 am however it did fall silent brieflly between 10:50 and 11:15

[odile]

some Armistice!

[Âme]

Isn't it Tuesday today?

[Anton Redman]

Sorry yes it is Tuesday, assumed as the day opened with a barage and scruffy white vans and Niva 4x4s were about it must be Wednesday.

[Âme]

[quote user="Anton Redman"]...assumed as the day opened with a barage and scruffy white vans and Niva 4x4s were about it must be Wednesday.[/quote]

Groundhog day tomorrow, then [;-)]

[Boiling a frog]

Chassing away here to their hearts content.

[Bugsy]

A bit of commotion with the rabbits the other night caused me to venture outside to find a bedraggled 'chasse' dog lying on the lawn. Soaking wet and looking pretty fed up, we dried her off, gave her some food and water and an old duvet under the patio for the night. She was a Beagle cross and quite a nice little thing really.

I phoned the marie the following morning and within an hour we got a visit from her owner. He arrived in a white van (of course) with several other dogs on board. She looked quite pleased to see him, so I guess that they were all well looked after, he said thank you and drove off, shouting a promise that some meat, of some sort, would shortly be heading our way.

This is the third dog we've had turn up at night, I guess it's our house lights in an otherwise area of darkness that attracts them.

[odile]

my parents found one years ago - whilst mushroom hunting. They found the address on the collar, stopped at a shop to give him food and water - and drove 20 miles to the owner's house. He barely said thank you, didn't offer them a cup of coffee or whatever- and mumbled grumpily about the dog not being a very good retriever. Unfortunately they were both working at the time- but they were very tempted to take him back with them! Shame.

[Boiling a frog]

The same thing happens in any country , different people ,different reactions.

We came accross a chasse dog 2 years ago, obviously lost, tracked down the owner who came round with a large smile and a couple of pheasants . He has become a best friend who is always dropping off the odd bit of game

[odile]

that's great boilafrog. It does seem however that SOME people, including SOME hunters,  love their dog only depending on their ability to do whatever tricks they have taught them - and are very quick not ot love them so much if they don't. Terriermen whose dogs are confiscated when caught badger baiting for instance, are often heart broken - but are still prepared to leave them to get their faced ripped to bits- so do dog fighters. They will claim they truly love their dogs. An ex neighbour of mind is a Cruft's agilty champion - she tried to give me one of her dogs because she would'nt retrieve a dumb bell and therefore was 'useless' to her. I agree there are all sorts of dog/pet owners, hunters or otherwise, and I am glad your new friend is a good owner with a happy dog.

[Pickles]

Unfortunately, according to Midi Libre, at least three hunters have been killed thus far in Languedoc-Roussillon.

Be careful out there!

Regards

Pickles

[Gardian]

They're supposed to wear their hi-glo jackets, but half the time the silly sods don't bother.

Mark you, with what I'm given to understand is consumed at breakfast, anything is at risk.

[odile]

whatever we feel about hunting - at the very least booze should be banned before and during. guns and booze should never mix. Before somebody writes back to give evidence of chasse+booze - please, don't bother. thanks

[Christine Animal]

Why?   [:D]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH2GdDrJpKg

 

[odile]

I meant - to ask me to give evidence that some/many (not all, I know) do drink, often excessively and dangerously!

[Maricopa]

Just been a report on TF1 that showed the Gendarmes in company with the national organisation responsible for hunting carrying out contrôles on hunters, including breath tests.  Looked pretty thorough, so the authorities appear to be taking the matter seriously.[:)]

[Gardian]

On reflection, it was wrong of me to suggest that La Chasse is frivolous over the consumption of alchohol, or for that matter the wearing of hi-vis jackets.  In general, I'm sure (at least I hope I am!) that 99.9% of those involved are responsible when it comes to safety - they'll have seen and heard of too many accidents.

The problem is that shooting at prey with powerful rifles, when other things are around, is bloody dangerous and hunting is carried out by a very large number of people.  Result: a number of fatalities annually.  Sadly, just some may have been brought about by the above factors.

   

[Jacqui Too]

Hunting evokes very strong feelings with people on both sides of the channel, some for some against! but what I can never quite understand is whether it is the actual act that is so abhorrent or a disdain for the people who do it or that it is just an inconvenience?? or may be all three.

I will say straight away that I do not promote or bash hunting in anyway but I do have a great understanding of it and therefore I accept that people have the right to hunt in any form that is legal.

That understanding comes from personal experience, both with foxhunting and shooting (neither I must say do I participate in now) in England.

It seems to me that their are very little cultural differences between the average 'Hunter' in UK v France (at this point I have to say I only have my own observations as to the French plus descriptions from many on this forum)

Typical UK hunter/shooter (as perceived by others!): Rich, posh,  cruel, callus, rides a big horse or drives a 4 X 4 dressed up to the nines with a hip flask and shouting tally ho...........

Actual typical UK hunter/ shooter: average country folk/farmers following hundreds of years of tradition, animal carers, works hard for a living..........

Typical French hunter/shooter (as perceived by others!): Poor, cruel, inconsiderate, drunkard, drives a old white van, totally dangerous, scum of the earth, to stupid to wear a reflective jacket and shoots at anything that moves...

Actual/probable typical French hunter/shooter: average country folk/farmers following hundreds of years of tradition, animal carers, works hard for a living...

Now this post could go on and on... but at the end of the day as the saying goes: 'if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen' a thread like this is only perpetuating the bitching, move on and let people live their lives.

Mild rant over [:-))]

[Russethouse]

To my mind there is a very big diference in hunting in France and the UK - in the main the French eat what they hunt - I have yet to hear of fox being turned into a tasty dish !

[Jacqui Too]

On the contrary RH I can assure you the fox hunting goes on in France in the same way as it did in the UK and not much goes to waste after shooting in UK there is a very good market for game and rabbits! 

Following on from 'Gardian's comet about high powered riffles, they are strictly controlled here and are not used for shooting small game, our farmer neighbour was refused a licence for a .22 because non of his land was large enough to fire it and be certain as to where it would end up ( up to 2 miles) needed,  shotguns are used for small game.

Please don't get me wrong I am not glorifying hunting I just hate these provoking treads aimed merely to perpetuate the hate between law abiding people.

[Christine Animal]

Then bite the bullet, not the bait.   [:D]

[Tancrède]

[quote user="Russethouse"]To my mind there is a very big diference in hunting in France and the UK - in the main the French eat what they hunt - I have yet to hear of fox being turned into a tasty dish ![/quote]

But references to this (to my mind unattractive) possibility are commonplace  -  Peter Mayle, Jean Giono, etc…

Samuel Chamberlain in his Epicurean Tour of the French Provinces gives some helpful information as to the culinary procedure:

Not that all natives of Provence are gastronomically minded. Take, for example the exposed citizen who watches over the flocks of sheep grazing on the hills of Camargue and in the swampy lowlands of the Scamandre. It's a hard life, and the famished shepherd will eat about anything. Herons, gulls, or any available fowl, even though it gorges itself on fish and tastes accordingly, is acceptable. He will eat fox when he has to. He soaks the carcass of the fox in the Rhône to make it tender, then hands it in a strong wind for a few days until it loses some of its strong perfume. Finally, after soaking it in vinegar, he cooks it in wine.

[Russethouse]

Nearly 60 years on - do you think they still do it  ?

In anycase, let me clarify, foxes hunted and caught by hounds are not eaten by humans. [:)]