'Match Hunt' 'Side Hunt' 'Hunting Match'

[Wilson Gray]

Well worth the read, IMO.

-Wilson

On Mar 30, 2005, at 11:18 AM, Michael McKernan wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Michael McKernan <mckernan at LOCALNET.COM>
> Subject:      'Match Hunt' 'Side Hunt' 'Hunting Match'
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
>
> I'd greatly appreciate some help with the terms 'match hunt', 'side
> hunt',
> and the probably related form, 'hunting match'.
>
> In each case, I'm  referring to specific uses of these terms to mean a
> particular form of animal-hunting  activity, where two teams (or, I
> suppose, two individuals) compete based on their hunting success
> ('bagged'
> quarry) over a set period of time (and perhaps, area).
>
> AFAIK, 'match hunt' and 'side hunt' are Americanisms.
>
> OTOH, 'hunting match' may have a quite ancient history in English, with
> references (in English) going back to descriptions of Persian, Greek
> and
> Roman practices, Mostly, however, 'hunting match' seems to have been
> used
> in the UK in connection with large-scale, elite or nobility
> social/political hunting events, including some infamously bogus
> 'hunting
> matches' uses to lure enemies into gatherings where they might be
> captured,
> killed, or otherwise manipulated.
>
> At the moment, I don't have access to OED or HDAS or any of the best
> standard references, so any information from such sources would be a
> great
> help.
>
> In order to avoid wasting people's time, allow me to provide more
> details
> (than most of you want) on this topic:
>
> European hunting, of course, was at various times and places a
> prerogative
> of the elite/nobility, resulting in the criminalization of hunting by
> the
> lower classes as 'poaching.'  (A number of people convicted of
> 'poaching'
> were transported to the colonies--both North America and Australia, I
> believe.) So it seems reasonable to assume that 'match hunts' in the
> USA
> may have been to a certain extent celebrations of liberation from the
> tyranny of European laws restricting hunting to the elite. And they may
> have mimicked, to a certain extent the hunting matches of the European
> elites.  But researching such a possible connection has so far been
> quite
> difficult.  Any assistance or suggestions would be much appreciated.
>
> Again AFAIK, USA match/side hunts were conducted afoot (rather than on
> horseback, like 'foxhunting'), nor did they involve dogs, nor did the
> entire hunt chase a single fox, rabbit, or other quarry (also
> different
> from foxhunting).  Instead, each hunter scored points independently on
> his
> kills, which were then added to his team's score, to determine which
> side
> won.
>
> Based on my research, 'match hunt' was a much more common usage than
> 'side
> hunt', but 'side hunt' was used in at least some areas around 1900
> (with
> the supposed derivation of 'hunting by sides' i.e., teams).  The
> Audubon
> Society, in one of its origin stories, cites 'side hunts' as being the
> impetus for the now nationwide and annually-scheduled 'bird counts,'
> which
> were begun on a small scale in 1900 in an attempt to eliminate the
> 'senseless' slaughter of birds (and other wildlife) by a 'Christmas
> side
> hunt' competition.
>
> Many match or side hunts do appear to have been 'senseless slaughter',
> with
> all kinds of animals being killed, ranging from songbirds to bison,
> usually
> in a system where a varying number of points were allotted to each
> different species, for scoring purposes.
>
> Some of these hunts had a perhaps 'redeeming social value':  rat
> hunts, and
> in some cases, rabbit hunts, were targetted at perceived pests.  Other
> match hunts went for anything that breathed and was big enough to
> shoot.
>
> Adding to the 'senseless waste,' in many cases, the 'game' from many
> such
> hunts was not eaten (even if edible and choice), although there was
> usually
> a celebratory meal following the event (paid for and served by the
> losers,
> to the winners).
>
> Googlers beware:  it's hard to eliminate phrases like 'the punishment
> did
> not match Hunt's crime' and 'fearing a fire, we sent the children on a
> match hunt all around the house...'  Also, sports teams are sometimes
> reported as 'hunting matches' with certain rivals, etc.  Don't be
> surprised
> if you and I match hunts.
>
> Really extraneous details, for the addicted:
>
> Match or side hunts were generaly distinct from 'ring hunts' (which
> refers
> to a hunting strategy of trying to surround a large area with hunters,
> who
> then drive the game into a small, roughly circulur kill zone), but it's
> possible that there were some connections, since ring hunts required at
> least a (singular) team, or even a team of 'beaters' and a (usually
> smaller) team of shooters.  There are reports of this type of hunting
> sometimes being practiced by Native Americans.  When Euros tried it,
> the
> references I've seen described poor discipline and large holes in the
> 'ring' which allowed most or all of the game to escape.  There were
> also
> 'cross-fire' problems when the ring got small enough that the animals
> were
> within range.
>
> Once again, any help with the history/derivation of these specific
> usages
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Michael McKernan
>