Committee Updates. (30 December  2014)

The Master of Game.

As 2014 comes to a close it is a time to reflect on the past year and look towards 2015. The progress achieved to date is attributable to many facets of a growing federation. The diverse nature of the committee, the foresight of a dedicated membership and the close links established with many organisations is just a start. As the challenges we face in the coming years from aspects of a misguided media, delusional Anti hunting groups or environmental planning strategies it has always proved useful to learn from history.

600 years ago some of the earliest organised hunters had the same concern for the nature of game and the health of their dogs that we have today. They put pen to paper to establish rules for hunting that we can examine and adapt, it was titled “The Master of Game”

This book was based primarily on Gaston III, Count of Foix, (also known as Gaston Phoebus) Livre de chasse, which was originally composed in 1387. The Master of Game was written by Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York, between 1406 and 1413 mostly while being held prisoner for having treasonous designs against his cousin, Henry IV. The majority of the book is almost an exact translation of Livre de chasse, he added five chapters of his own detailing hunting and coursing in England.This is widely regarded to be the oldest English language book on hunting. Published in its modern format in 1909 by William A. Baillie-Grohman, and F. N. Baillie-Grohman. The original translation contains reference to terriers and digging out and represents the earliest organised use of dogs below ground. For those interested in the history of  conservation and land management this is a major part of the movement which protected wildlife habitate on these islands. The introduction by American president Theodore Roosevelt forms a link to the environmental achievements of the hunter in America, achievements that could be applied here. Roosevelt was a man who “walked the walk” and his text alone is worth studying for its insight.