The Old Chatham Hunt Club is the most unique in the country because it is the only one that combines both in one club. The foot beaglers use beagles to track rabbits on foot while fox hunters use fox hounds to track fox and coyotes on horseback.

The biggest benefit of being a member of OCHC is joining a community of wonderful people who share a love for the countryside and have been carrying on the tradition since 1928. Members range in age from a few months old to our oldest member who is 103 (and she still comes to meets!). All members are invited to a variety of year round club social events which include a moveable feast, Easter egg hunt, puppy show, landowner’s appreciation dinner, annual meeting, hunt ball and dog ball. After hunts, members typically gather for a tea or breakfast at a member’s home that can range from an informal potluck or tailgate to a party with fine china. Members are also invited to trap shoot in the spring and fall.

Prospective members fill out an application and are sponsored by two current members of the club. If you do not know anyone in the club, please contact Norm Levine (foxhunting) or Nora Tuttle (beagling). You may be invited to participate as a guest and you’ll have an opportunity to get to know club members. Please see our website for membership categories, fees, and application forms.

Some events such as our trail rides, Mix and Match horse show, hunter pace, and fox hunting clinic are open to the public. For hunts and social events you must be an invited guest with permission from a Master.

Members of the club are allowed to invite guests with permission of a Master of Foxhounds or Beagles. Guests pay a capping fee for meets.

No, lands hunted by OCHC are privately owned and trespassing outside of OCHC sanctioned events are not permitted.

For beagling during the formal season sturdy boots or walking shoes, comfortable, warm clothing is recommended. Members without their colors often wear khaki pants and tweed jackets. Members with their colors and hunt staff might wear white or tan britches, green knee socks, and hunter green jackets with a yellow collar.

Fox hunting members wear polos and tan britches during roading and informal Autumn hunting season, field boots, tan britches, and tweed jackets during Autumn hunting season, and black jackets or scarlet coats and stock ties during formal season. For more information on the proper dress for fox hunting please read X (LINK).

The term “foxhunting” is a bit of a misnomer. It is more like fox and coyote “searching” and on occasion fox and coyote “spotting.” The terms “sly as a fox” came about for a reason. Foxes are incredibly intelligent and athletic animals. A healthy fox can easily outsmart even the most talented of hounds.

One of the joys of foxhunting is experiencing how cunning these animals are. On the rare occasion when a fox is spotted, riders have observed foxes leading the pack in circles only to trot off in the opposite direction or sitting and waiting for the hounds to catch up before sprinting off.

The Old Chatham Hunt Club has been hunting the same territory for over almost 90 years. Generations of foxes have learned how to avoid the hunt on Wednesdays and Saturdays or if they are feeling particularly cheeky, how to lead us all on a wild goose chase.

No guns are used and a live fox is never released. The hounds are specially trained to track only fox and coyotes and not to bother other game such as turkeys or deer. Some hunts are “drag” hunts, meaning they drag a scent along a predetermined route. This is necessary for areas where there isn’t a lot of land and the hunt has to stick to a particular place. We are lucky here at the Old Chatham Hunt that there are large tracts of undeveloped land that landowners have been kind enough to give us permission to ride on.

The hounds and beagles of the Old Chatham Hunt Club are a friendly and well behaved bunch! Each dog is walked every day and given lots of love and attention by the kennelmen, masters, and club members. Each spring children and other club members work individually with puppies to teach them commands in preparation for the spring puppy shows. Each spring and fall OCHC hounds show with other clubs across the nation. Our hounds are known for their attention to their handler both on and off leash. If you are interested in hound walking, training, or a tour of the kennels, please contact a Master.

Beagling season runs from September through January (weather permitting) and picks up again in March.

May through July members are invited to join the huntsman exercising the hounds (roading). Riders use this opportunity to condition and introduce their horses to the hounds. August and September members accompany the huntsman who is training new hounds and exercising seasoned ones at a bit faster pace (Autumn hunting). October and November are formal hunting months and scarlet or black coats are worn.