The Countryside Alliance Guide to Boxing Day Meets

Boxing Day meets will be taking place across the country on Thursday, 26 December 2024.

Large crowds gathering in town centres and on village greens on Boxing Day are familiar scenes which are an essential part of the hunting year, enabling hunts to demonstrate the important part they continue to play within local communities.

If you want to check the location of the nearest meet to where you will be on Boxing Day this year - whether it be for your regular local pack or one where you will be away visiting family and friends - then you can do so by checking our interactive Boxing Day meets map on our dedicated website page.

Boxing Day meets also offer the perfect opportunity to showcase trail hunting and other lawful hunting activities to those who may only visit on this one occasion each season. For those who want to find out more about trail hunting, please read our Q&A here.

For those who haven't hunted before, our Newcomer's Guide to Hunting contains an in-depth Q&A about trail hunting as well as a helpful and informative video.

What to expect

Boxing Day tends to be a very sociable day and the meets can last up to about half an hour. During this time, you may be offered a warm drink or some nibbles to keep you going.

Some of the more inquisitive hounds may mingle amongst the crowd but generally they're all kept together with the huntsman and a member of staff known as the whipper-in. You are welcome to stroke the hounds and horses, although it's a good idea to approach horses from the front rather than from behind so as not to spook them and for obvious safety reasons.

When it is almost time for the hounds to move off, there may well be a speech made by a joint-master or other hunt representative. The acoustics are not always ideal, however generally speaking, the speaker will thank everybody for attending and showing their support. They may also thank the meet host and the landowners for allowing the hunt to cross their land.

You may hear the phrase "Hounds please" which is a polite request for everyone to clear the way to allow hounds and horses to leave the meet safely. Once the hounds and any mounted followers - known as "the field" - have left the meet, some people continue to socialise on foot although many will find their vehicles and head home. Others however, will try to follow and watch the spectacle. If you do decide to follow, please try to keep roads clear when slowing down or parking up to watch and ensure you don't inconvenience those who aren't following the hounds.

Are dogs allowed?

You are usually able to take your own dog along but please make sure they stay on a lead and are unable to slip their collars otherwise it might be difficult to relocate them among the crowds. If they aren't used to large numbers of people including children, other dogs and of course horses, then it is suggested they're left at home on this occasion.

Getting there

The scheduled time of the meet is when hounds and those following on horses should arrive by. If you are planning to come on a horse, the local hunt secretary will be able to advise where best to park to ensure your day runs smoothly. It is generally wise to tack up your horse or pony before arriving to prevent any difficulties with this upon arrival.

Some people turn up well in advance of the meet while others arrive bang on time, but it is etiquette to be prompt - plus it would be a shame to miss out on the festive spirit that Boxing Day always brings!

For those showing their support on foot, it is a good idea to arrive in plenty of time too, to ensure you don't miss hounds and horses arriving, and to find time to mingle before securing a good viewing spot.

With large numbers of supporters attending most Boxing Day meets, it may mean you are unable to park right at the meet so leave enough time to ensure you are not rushing. Sometimes the police or local councils operate one-way systems or there are road closures in the immediate vicinity around where the hounds are gathering, so make allowances for those possibilities too.

What to wear

It is advisable to wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear - you are likely to be standing around at the meet for a while and most meets are in fields rather than on hard-standing so the chances are it will be muddy or wet underfoot.

Weather conditions

Boxing Day meets are rarely cancelled because of inclement weather. Even if it’s frosty or snowy, hounds tend to meet at the scheduled time, although it is more likely it will be without people mounted on horses. If the ground conditions are unsuitable for hunting after the meet, hounds will be loaded up and return to kennels afterwards.

Action for Hunting

If you want to help secure the future of Boxing Day meets to ensure they can continue for future generations to enjoy, please sign up to our Action for Hunting initiative where you can find out how you can make a difference.