Autumn or cub hunting

In the autumn of each year August October in the UK and Ireland, hunts take the young hounds out cub hunting or autumn hunting in order to cull weaker young foxes which are full size by autumn season as they are born in spring, albeit not yet sexually mature until they are 10 months old and still living in their family group and teach the young foxhounds to restrict their hunting to foxes.The activity sometimes and in some areas takes place in the UK and Ireland as the practice of holding up, which consists of hunt supporters surrounding a covert, with riders and foot followers to drive back foxes attempting to escape, and then drawing the covert with the puppies and some more experienced hounds, allowing them to find and catch foxes within the surrounded wood.A young hound is considered to be entered into the pack once he or she has successfully joined in a hunt in this fashion. Only rarely, in about 1 in 50 cases, foxhounds do not show suitable aptitude, and must be removed from the pack. They may be drafted to other packs, including minkhound packs.