About Us – South Devon Hunt

Our History

The South Devon has a rich history going back to the early 1800s, and continues to keep the tradition of riding to scent-hounds alive over two centuries later.

South Devon Hunt

The South Devon has a rich history going back to the early 1800s, and continues to keep the tradition of riding to scent-hounds alive over two centuries later.

George Templer

George Temper
George Templer was a major local landowner, inheriting a range of important local industries from his father James Templer and grandather, also James Templer. The Templer family had made their fortune when the older James won the contract to rebuild Plymouth dockyard, using granite from Haytor. He built the grand Stover House (now the location of Stover School), and the younger James continued the family business, expanding into ball clay and building the Stover Canal.

George was the third generation into the family business, and still owned the quarries at Haytor, building the Haytor Granite Tramway to transport rocks from the quarry down to his Stover Canal, and onto the docks he owned at Teignmouth.

As a keen sportsman, George kept a pack of foxhounds at Stover from the early 1800s, and these were the basis of the South Devon Hunt. He learnt much from the sporting parson, Jack Russell (later of terrier fame), and by 1810, South Devon hounds were being drafted to the prestigious Belvoir Hunt, which is a mark of some distinction and must have indicated their quality.

Much like the modern hunt, Templer was focused on the sport, rather than the killing of foxes. Whilst the modern hunt follows a scent and call off when live quarry is found, in those times George would catch and release foxes the hounds came upon, rather than kill them. One fox – the Bold Dragoon – was noted as being caught no fewer than thirty-six times.

He was a better sportman than businessman, and ended up having to sell most of his estate to the Duke of Somerset, although he remained the company’s main agent, and still managed to sell the granite for London Bridge.

This did mean the sale of Stover, of which he wrote this poem.

Stover, farewell! Still fancy’s hand shall trace
Thy pleasures past in all their former grace;
And I will wear and cherish, though we part,
The dear remembrance ever at my heart.
Not as the hare whom hounds and horn pursue
In timid constancy I cling to you;
But, like the bolder chase, resolved, I fly,
That where I may not live I will not die.

George Templer

He later returned to the area after a few years abroad and built the large Sandford Orleigh house only a couple of miles from his old estate at Stover. He also returned to the hunt, but sadly died at home in 1843, following an accident whilst hunting.

The South Devon Hunt conducts its activities within the confines of the Hunting Act 2004, and has successfully done so since it came into force in February 2005.

The traditional hunting of foxes for which our hounds have been carefully bred for centuries is now banned, but trail hunting allows us to legally simulate it as closely as possible.

We lay multiple ethically sourced animal-based scent trails across our country, which our hounds then find and follow throughout each day’s hunting. By kind permission of landowners and farmers, our Trail Layers operate throughout the day on foot, horseback, ATVs or a combination of all three. They lay trails to best replicate the challenges and excitement of the traditional hunting of live quarry, including in woodland and gorse, over, along and through hedgerows, banks and stone walls, into farm yards, across rivers, bogs, ditches and minor roads, and over fields and open moorland. The term for competing scents that might confuse hounds is “foil”. Good trails make the hounds work hard, and the hounds’ ability to follow these trails depends on a number of environmental factors known as scenting conditions.

Though the Huntsman and his Staff know where the Hunt has permission to operate, they do not know the precise routes taken by the Trail Layers. Using his voice and hunting horn, the Huntsman “draws” known start points, referred to as “coverts”, encouraging his hounds to find and follow the trail, whilst the Whippers-In use their voices and very occasionally the sound of their whips to help keep the hounds safe and under control. The hounds also use their voices, known as “speaking”, “giving cry” or “giving tongue” when they find and follow the scent. If hounds lose the scent, known as having “checked”, they are encouraged to “cast”, that is to fan out and relocate the line.

On the rare occasion that hounds find and follow the scent of a live fox, the Huntsman and Whippers-In will stop the hounds as soon as they are made aware. Other than that, the sights and sounds of legal trail hunting today are barely distinguishable from those of traditional hunting that took place in South Devon for 200 years before ceasing in 2005. Trail hunting is just one of multiple legal hound sports approved and regulated by the British Hound Sports Association and Hound Sports Regulatory Authority.

The South Devon Hunt’s country lies entirely within South Devon and incorporates the eastern quarter of Dartmoor National Park.

Each registered hunt has a country, the territory within which it is licenced to operate by its governing body, in our case the Masters of Foxhounds Association. A hunt can only operate in another hunt’s country by invitation. Some hunts breed their hounds or select their horses to suit the terrain within their country.

The South Devon Hunt’s country lies entirely within South Devon and incorporates the eastern quarter of Dartmoor National Park. It is bounded by the River Dart between Dartmouth and Dartmeet, and the East Dart River between Dartmeet and Postbridge to the west, the B3212 between Postbridge and Exeter to the north, the River Exe and Exe Estuary to the east, and the English Channel to the south. Our neighbours are the Dart Vale, South Pool and Modbury Harriers to our southwest, the Dartmoor Hunt to our west, the Spooner’s and West Dartmoor Hunt to our northwest, the Mid Devon Hunt to our north, the Silverton Hunt to our northeast, and the East Devon Hunt to our east.

Our country is subdivided into its moorland and in-country areas. Our moorland country consists of small fields and lanes between more open expanses of high moor. This country generally provides excellent viewing of hounds working, be that from horseback, on foot or in a car. There is very little jumping on the moor. A half-bred horse is considered most suitable, though most Thoroughbreds also cope well. The in-country is mainly grassland and lies predominantly south of the A38 between the Rivers Dart and Exe. Consisting of many small fields bounded by traditional Devon hedge banks, this is considered one of the prettiest parts of Devon.

The South Devon Hunt keeps a kennel of approximately 30 couple of modern English Foxhounds.

The majority of foxhounds are registered in the Foxhound Kennel Stud Book (first published in 1841), and their breeding lines can be traced back over centuries, some as far back as the early 1700s. The South Devon Hunt keeps at least 30 couple of hounds. Hounds are counted in couples, because it’s quicker and more accurate that way, so 30 couple equates to 60 hounds. This allows us to take out around 20 couple two days a week throughout the hunting season whilst resting any bitches in season or hounds with minor injuries. Though pack animals, each of our individual hounds has their own name. The first letter or two of the names given to all the whelps in a litter will correspond to the first letter or two of their dam’s (mother’s) or occasionally sire’s (father’s) name. Most of our current hounds are pictured on this page. See how many hounds you can name at the next meet you attend!

Like the majority of foxhound packs in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the South Devon Hunt’s hounds are predominantly Modern English Foxhounds. The Modern English Foxhound was first developed in the Welsh Border countries in the late 1920s by crossing English Foxhounds (now known as Old English Foxhounds) with Welsh Hounds. Old English Foxhounds, which are black and tan and of a particularly strong build, were generally considered to stand out for speed, courage, pack sense, stamina and drive; whereas the Welsh Hound, which is broken coated or “wooly”, was better renowned for its nose, tongue and persistence. Being a judicious blend of both breeds, the ideal Modern English Foxhound has all these qualities combined. It is lighter in build and faster than the Old English Foxhound. Bitches are generally considered more tenacious and persistent in poor scenting conditions, whereas dog hounds are generally considered more driven in good scenting conditions. The South Devon Hunt uses a mixed pack to suit our mixed scenting country.

In hunting terminology, hounds are always referred to as hounds, never dogs, and a dog other than a hound is referred to as a “cur”. Male hounds are known as doghounds, female hounds are known as bitches, and newborn puppies are referred to as whelps. Their tails are referred to as “sterns” and their feet are referred to as “pads”. Rather than barking or howling, they “speak”, “give cry”, “give tongue” or make “music”. Hound colours are black and tan, white, blue mottled, “badger pye” and “lemon pye”.

Puppy Walkers

The South Devon Hunt breeds a number of litters each year. A young hound’s education is started when they are sent out to “walk”. At about eight weeks of age, they leave the Kennels and go to live with one of our volunteer Puppy Walkers. Whilst at walk, our puppies learn about cats and curres, poultry and livestock, horses, children and cars. The puppies return the following winter or spring to “enter” the pack and continue their education under the Huntsman’s charge. They become part of what is known as the “young entry”, but will generally remember and recognise their puppy walker if they see them out hunting later in life. Please contact the Master Huntsman if you would like to learn more about becoming a Puppy Walker.

The Puppy Show

The Puppy Show is held each summer by invitation of the Masters and is an opportunity for them to thank the Puppy Walkers. The Kennels are freshly painted and all the guests dress up for the occasion. Two visiting judges, at least one of whom will have hunted hounds themself, will watch the Huntsman show the Young Entry and decide which puppies are best bred and raised. Breeding is only part of the story though, so prizes will also be awarded to the walkers of hounds entered the previous season who have proven the best workers. The Puppy Show is also an occasion for visiting Masters and Huntsmen to view older hounds and study their breeding, perhaps to influence their own breeding plans for the future. However, for many in attendance, the best part is the Puppy Show Tea!

Hound Sponsors

We will launch our Hound Sponsorship for the 2023-2024 season at our Festival of Hounds Open Day on Saturday 24^th June. You can find out more about the Festival HERE. Hound Sponsorship is a fun and affordable way of supporting the South Devon Hunt in caring for our hounds, the costs of which include vaccination, worming, bedding and veterinary care. Hound sponsorship costs £25 per hound per year, for which you will receive a collectable Hound Sponsor badge and professional photograph of your hound. All the hounds pictured on this page are available for sponsorship.