Safeguard
Small Pack Beagle Hunt

I. MASTER OF HUNTS

  • A Master of Hunts will be appointed by the Continental Kennel Club (CKC) and be in charge of beagle hunt events for a designated region. The Master of Hunts or an Alternate Master of Hunts must be present for each hunt within his region. An Alternate Master of Hunts shall have the same authority as a Master of Hunts, if appointed by CKC to preside over a hunting event in the absence of the Master of Hunts. If an alternate Master of Hunts is present at a hunting event presided over by the Master of Hunts, he shall have no authority as a Master of Hunts.
  • The duties of the Master of Hunts will be to:
    • Post current CKC Beagle Hunt Rules, hunt entry deadlines, and hunt deadlines.
    • Make sure that dogs entered in the hunt are registered with CKC or have applied for CKC registration.
    • Organize hunting casts and distribute the cast scorecards.
    • Collect the completed scorecards from the cast judges and resolve any questions that may have arisen in the field.
    • Determine the hunt winners, post the results of the hunt, and distribute the winners' awards, and
    • Provide Continental Kennel Club with a record of each dog entered in the hunt, his score and any awards earned.
  • The Master of Hunts must remain at the clubhouse through the duration of the hunt.

II. JUDGES

  • The Hunting Club that sponsors the hunting event will pick the cast judges.
  • Cast judges must be responsible, fair-minded, knowledgeable of CKC Hunt Rules, and show no favoritism to any dog or handler.
  • The authority of a judge will begin when the Master of Hunts officially hands him the scorecard for his cast.
  • The authority of a judge ceases when he returns the signed, completed scorecard to the Master of Hunts.
  • A judge is responsible for carrying the scorecard for his designated cast and entering all points earned or lost for each dog of the cast. He should also record time lost for time outs taken during the hunt. He must score in plain view of all, and he shall inform any handler of the score for any dog and/or time-outs recorded, upon request.
  • If there is a question about the score, the judge should score with a question mark (?) and present the question to the Master of Hunts immediately upon returning from the hunt. No questions will be considered if not made known to the Judge during the hunt at the time the question arises.
  • A judge may also have a dog entered in the hunt and serve as a handler for his dog. If a Judge scratches his dog from the hunt, he may continue to judge or pass the scorecard to another cast member capable of judging the rest of the hunt.
  • Judges are to keep hunters and spectators at a safe distance to keep them from interfering with the dogs. A judge shall have the authority to scratch a dog if the dog's handler or a spectator with the handler interferes with the hunt.
  • Judges may instruct handlers to call in their dogs when necessary to keep the cast hunting together.

III. HANDLERS

  • Each Handler who wishes to enter a dog in the hunt shall be responsible for registering his dog in the hunt as well as registering it with Continental Kennel Club either prior to the hunt or at the time of the hunt.
  • Each Handler must disclose any peculiarities to his cast judge about his dog prior to the commencement of the hunt. The Handler will also be responsible for knowing his dog's voice and nature so as to be able to tell the judge when the dog opens on strike.
  • The Handler may give no verbal or hand commands to his dog, nor is he allowed to call his dog in unless instructed to do so by the cast judge in order to keep the pack hunting in the same vicinity.
  • Each Handler must remain with his cast judge at all times unless given permission by the judge to leave.
  • Any handler who is unable to complete the hunt must pick up his dog unless the judge gives permission for another handler who is familiar with the dog to finish the hunt.
  • It is the Handler's responsibility to make known to his cast judge any questions which may arise in the field and to check the scorecard before it is signed over to the Master of Hunts.


IV. HUNTING CASTS

  • All Beagles registered with Continental Kennel Club, measuring 15 inches or less at the withers shall be eligible for CKC Beagle Hunting Events.
  • The Master of Hunts shall organize the Hunting Casts and enter the dogs for each cast on the scorecards.
  • The casts shall be made up only after all the dogs have been entered in the hunt, and the deadline for entering dogs in the hunt is past.
  • Casts will be grouped in a random manner; not by the dogs' sex, age, or size. However, owners having multiple entries must have their dogs placed in different casts.
  • The dogs should be grouped to form 4-dog casts. A cast may contain a minimum of 3 dogs or a maximum of 5 dogs if necessary.
  • There shall be one handler for each dog in a cast and only one dog for each handler.
  • The Winners Cast shall be made up of the winners of each cast with Plus Points.

V. TIME SCHEDULES

  • The Hunt Entry Opening Time, Hunt Entry Deadline, Hunt Starting Time, & Hunt Ending Time will be posted in plain view for all hunters 30 minutes before Hunt Entry Opening Time begins.
  • All those already in line at the time of the Hunt Entry Deadline will still be allowed to enter the hunt.
  • The Master of Hunts will record the Hunt Starting Time and Hunt Ending Time on each scorecard before it is handed to the cast judge.
  • All casts except the Winners Cast must hunt for a minimum of 2 full hours, excluding time outs.
  • The Winners Cast will hunt for 1 or 2 full hours depending on the number of Winners Casts. The Master of Hunts will post the length of the Winners Cast hunt (1 or 2 hours) before the Hunt Entry Deadline.
  • The cast judges must accurately record all Time Outs and Time Outs must not exceed 30 minutes.
  • Any handler that is not ready to resume the hunt after a Time Out is over, shall have his dog scratched from the hunt.
  • A judge or the majority of the cast may call a Time Out under the following conditions:
    • Dogs have trailed onto a highway, posted land, or a dangerous area.
    • Other hunters get too close and dogs are mixing with other groups of dogs.
    • New ground must be found to finish the hunt and there is more than 15 minutes remaining in the hunt.
    • The cast becomes lost or out of hearing distance in different directions.
    • An accident or sickness occurs among the hunters.

VI. SCORECARDS

  • All information recorded on the scorecard by the Master of Hunts and by the Judges must be legible.
  • The Scorecard must be completed in the field by the judge and signed by each handler, even if he is protesting the Judge's decision about a score, or his dog will be scratched.
  • Only the Master of Hunts can make changes on a scorecard after the Judge and Handlers have signed it.
  • The sponsoring Hunting Club must keep the scorecards and make them available to hunt contestants or Continental Kennel Club upon demand.

VII. SEARCH & JUMP

  • The Hunt is to take place in a non-enclosed area except in the Winners Cast.
  • Dogs are to be freely cast and walked in the direction of the hunt.
  • Rabbits and other game are not to be killed and no holes or places of refuge are to be disturbed.
  • After the first 3 minutes of the hunt,
    • Each dog has 5 minutes to make an effort to hunt with no other dogs barking or he will be scratched.
    • If a dog barks 3 times his handler must strike his dog or his dog will be scratched.
  • Dogs must open before being declared struck, & each dog's handler must inform the Judge when his dog opens on strike.
  • Dogs have 1 minute to strike in after a dog has opened on a trail or he will not be awarded strike points for that rabbit.
  • Dogs are to be awarded Strike Points in the order that the dogs open as indicated by the handler striking his dog according to the following:

    1st - 120 2nd - 100 3rd - 80 4th - 60 5th - 40

  • Only one set of Strike points may be awarded for each rabbit.
  • Strike Points will be Plus Points if the rabbit is seen by the majority of the cast.
  • Handlers and Judges may not help the dogs search for and/or jump rabbits.
  • If handlers jump a rabbit accidentally, dogs may be released on track for split strike points. See Scorecard for split point distribution.

VII. SPEED & DRIVE

  • Dogs may pursue rabbit as fast as scenting conditions allow but must maintain good line control.
  • The Judge is to score the dogs on Speed & Drive at the point the rabbit is seen by a cast member. At least one other cast member must be present as the Judge scores the dogs on Speed & Drive.
  • Dogs are to be scored as they come through on the line at the approximate location that the rabbit is seen according to the following:

    1st - 120 2nd - 100 3rd - 80 4th - 60 5th - 40

  • After the 1st dog is scored for Speed & Drive, the remaining dogs have 1 minute to come through on the line for points.
  • Dogs must be open on the majority of the chase and dogs must be within 2 feet on either side of the line to score points.
  • Dogs may not be turned in on another rabbit until they have been scored at least 4 times for Speed & Drive on the current rabbit or the rabbit they are running has been lost.
  • If any of the dogs catch the rabbit, dogs will keep all their existing points for that rabbit (provided the rabbit has been seen), and then move on to hunt for another trail. However, if the rabbit has not been seen, all points must be circled.

IX. LOSSES & RECOVERIES

  • If a Loss occurs such that all the dogs lose the trail and become quiet, the Judge shall begin a 1-minute countdown to give the dogs a chance to recover the trail.
  • After 1-minute, Check is open, and the first dog to bark within 3 minutes will receive 10 Check points.
  • If no dog barks within the 3-minute time period, and the rabbit has not been scored on Speed & Drive, then Strike Points will be circled.
  • If no dog barks within the 3-minute time period, and the rabbit has been scored on Speed & Drive, then each dog will keep his Strike Points.
  • If the dogs lose the rabbit and a dog(s) come out, that is not considered quitting. However, if the dog(s) pick up the rabbit and make reasonable forward progress, the dog(s) will be minused 25 points and the handler(s) will be given a warning. The dog(s) have one minute to return to the pack, or the dog(s) will be scratched. If after returning to the pack, the dog(s) come out again, the dog(s) will be scratched.

X. RULES ON SPLIT TRAILS

  • A cast judge shall declare a split track if the cast of dogs is split for more than 2 minutes.
  • If the dogs are trailing a rabbit which has already been scored on Speed & Drive, and a split occurs, then the Judge shall instruct all of the Handlers to catch their dogs, regroup, and go on to another rabbit.
  • If the dogs are trailing a rabbit which has not been scored yet on Speed & Drive, and a split occurs, the Judge shall instruct the Handlers of the dogs closest to the Judge to catch their dogs and turn them in on the trail of the other rabbit. The Strike points should be circled for all the dogs and new split strike points recorded for each dog.

XI. GROUNDS FOR SCRATCHING A DOG

  • After the first 3 minutes of the hunt any dog will be scratched,
    • If he does not attempt to hunt, or
    • If he remains silent on the trail while other dogs are barking for any continuous 5-minute time interval, or
    • If his handler refuses to strike him when he opens, (If dog barks 3 times he is considered to have opened) or
    • If the dog has left his handler's side for the second time "babbling", (Babbling is defined as when a dog opens at least 3 times on a track or is struck in, and there is no track evident), or
    • If a dog quits a track for a second time, he will be scratched from the hunt. (See Losses & Recovery section of VII. THE HUNT for first offense penalties.
  • Dogs that run after or threaten handlers, spectators, livestock, or other game other than rabbits will be scratched on the first offense.
  • Dogs that backtrack on a trail will be scratched from the hunt on the second offense. On the first offense, the judge shall instruct the handler to catch his dog and wait for further instructions.
  • Dogs will be scratched for "rough running", "cutting", or "slashing" on track. Rough running is attempting to run the front of the pack faster than scenting conditions allow or without regard for the actual line. Cutting is attempting to run the front by routinely overshooting the line to lead other pack members astray or by avoiding heavy cover and other obstacles. Slashing describes a dog running in a hit or miss fashion as a result of gambling without any regard for the actual line.
  • Dogs that initiate dogfights during the authority of a cast judge will be noted the first time and scratched from the hunt on the second offense. If the dog that initiated the fight is not known, then all dogs involved will be allowed to continue the hunt until the aggressive dog is found. No handler will be allowed to scratch his dog to avoid his dog being scratched for fighting.
  • Bitches in season that are attracting other dogs, or dogs that are bad about bothering bitches, even when they are not in season, will be scratched from the hunt.
  • A dog will be scratched if his handler is drinking or stirring up trouble.
  • A dog will be scratched if his handler allows him to hunt over or under the posted hunt times.
  • A cast will be scratched if the cast judge allows the cast to hunt over or under the posted hunt times.
  • A dog will be scratched on the second offense if his handler calls another handler's dog.
  • A dog will be scratched if his handler is not ready to resume the hunt after a Time-out is over.
  • A dog will be scratched if his handler uses any kind of controlling device during the competition. A controlling device may be used during Time Outs if the Judge and all the handlers of a cast agree throughout the duration of the hunt.
  • A dog will be scratched if his handler hollers at or physically abuses his own dog or any other dog in the hunt.
  • A dog will be scratched if he reaches 150 Minus Points, regardless of his Plus Points.
  • If a dog opens for any 4-minute continuous time period without making forward progress, he is considered to be “cold trailing”. Dogs will be scratched for “cold trailing” on the second offense. On the first offense, the judge will instruct the dog’s handler to catch his dog and wait for further instructions.

XII. CIRCLED POINTS

  • Points are circled under the following conditions:
    • No dog s bark within a 3-minute time period and the rabbit has not been scored on Speed & Drive.
    • A rabbit runs into a hole or place of refuge and has not been seen by the majority of the cast.
    • Dogs are still trailing a rabbit when hunting time finishes.
    • A judge has to call time out because of unforeseen problems.
  • Circled Points count neither for nor against a dog unless a tie must be broken

XIII. WINNERS

  • The Winners Cast(s) shall be made up from the top dog of each cast with Plus Points.
  • Each winner must be present when the Winners Cast is assembled to participate in the Winners Hunt.
  • If there is one Winners Cast, the cast will hunt for 2 full hours. If there is more than one Winners Cast, the casts will hunt for 1 full hour, and then the winners of those casts will hunt again for another full hour. The Master of Hunts will post the length of the Winners Cast hunt before the Hunt Entry Deadline.
  • The top 8 scoring dogs will be awarded championship points toward a Championship Title with Continental Kennel Club. A dog must have at least one 1st place win to be awarded a Championship Title.
  • Judges of Winners Cast(s) must be non-hunting judges.

XV.TIE BREAKING

  • All ties must be broken so that there are clear winners.
  • . Ties will be broken in the following manner:
    • The dog with the least number of minus points wins out,
    • The dog with the most plus Strike points will win out,
    • The dog with the most plus Speed & Drive points,
    • The dog with the most Recovery points,
    • The dog with the most Circled Strike Points

VIII. COMPLAINTS

  • If questions arise in the field concerning CKC Beagle Hunting Rules, the Master of Hunts will have the authority to settle any questions brought to him by a handler. The Handler with the question must go to the Master of Hunts immediately upon returning from the hunt, along with the cast Judge and the cast members. The Handler will be given a chance to state his claim; and time will be allowed for the Judge and other cast members to report what they know; however, the final decision in regard to CKC Beagle Hunting Rules will rest in the hands of Master of Hunts.
  • All complaints must be brought to the Master of Hunts within 30 minutes after the cast scorecard is turned in.
  • If a handler believes that the Master of Hunts has not acted in accordance with CKC Beagle Hunting Rules, he may write a formal complaint to Continental Kennel Club - Complaint Dept. He should provide complete details of the problem and have at least one other witness from the cast (preferably 2 others) sign the complaint.

 

For information on competing or hosting events contact

CKC Events Department at 1-888-CKC– 8042 or visit us at WWW.CKCUSA.COM

 

Continental Kennel Club, Inc. reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

 

© 2005 Continental Kennel Club, Inc. All rights reserved.


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