HUNT RANKINGS
The intent of hunt rankings is not to foster any sort of competition among Rangers, but rather is intended as a way to celebrate each other's personal accomplishments afield. The rankings are based on photos of successful medieval-style hunts, which are submitted by Rangers and can be viewed on our "Galleries" page.
Royal Huntsman / Royal Huntress
A Ranger who has legally taken at least 4 different kinds of small game animals (at least 1 being a bird), and 4 different kinds of big game animals, while participating in medieval-style hunts. Furthermore, he or she used at least 4 different kinds of medieval hunting weapons/animals in taking the 8 game animals.
Master Huntsman / Master Huntress
A Ranger who has legally taken at least 2 different kinds of small game animals, and 2 different kinds of big game animals, while participating in medieval-style hunts.
Huntsman / Huntress
A Ranger who has legally taken at least one large game animal while participating in a medieval-style hunt.
(The wild boar was chosen as the Huntsman / Huntress badge to commemorate the first large game animal taken by a Ranger during a medieval-style hunt; Paul Wilburn's wild boar taken on April 6, 2007 with an English longbow)
Warrener / Hawker
A Warrener is a Ranger who has legally taken at least one small game animal while participating in a medieval-style hunt. A Hawker is a Ranger in this category who used a bird of prey to take the game.
(The gray squirrel was chosen as the Warrener / Hawker badge to commemorate the first small game animal taken by a Ranger during a medieval-style hunt; Donna Mitchell's gray squirrel taken on March 17, 2007 with a red-tailed hawk)
Apprentice Huntsmen / Apprentice Huntress
A Ranger who has yet to take game while participating in a medieval-style hunt.
Agister
A Ranger who chooses not to participate in the actual taking of game during live hunts; non-hunters (Traditionally agisters licensed and controlled the grazing of domesticated beasts within the King's forests, and collected 'pannage' dues for the privilege from the animals' owners).
ADDITIONAL HUNT RANKING INFORMATION
To qualify for hunt rankings beyond the apprentice level, Rangers must legally take game animals while participating in medieval-style hunts, while dressed in full period garb and using medieval equipment and techniques. Two or more Rangers may hunt together, and may even drive game for each other, but only one Ranger may participate in the actual kill of an animal in order for that animal to qualify towards a hunt ranking. If more than one Ranger shoots the same animal to facilitate the kill, photos from that hunt could be displayed in the appropriate trophy gallery, but that animal would not qualify towards the hunt rankings of the hunters involved.
Rangers must provide evidence of successful hunts in the form of photos. Photos need to include Rangers in their full period garb, with their game animal and hunting weapon or hunting animal visible. Nothing modern should be visible, including hunter orange garments worn during the hunt, eye glasses, watches, etc. The photo should be a close shot of good quality, and the photo must convey respect towards the animal...weapons should be removed and the animal cleaned, if possible. Only photos with medieval and/or natural backgrounds in them will be posted in our 'Trophies' galleries or will qualify for hunt rankings.
ANY legal game animal, taken in-season, within the limits of modern law would qualify for a hunt ranking. The animals DO NOT have to be species that were indigenous to Western-Europe in the Middle Ages. Therefore, any game animals common to the areas where Rangers normally hunt would qualify. Each species of animal qualifies as a 'different' type for Master Huntsman/Huntress and Royal Huntsman/Huntress purposes. For example, a fox squirrel and a grey squirrel would be considered two different types of small game animals. However, various color phases of the same species DO NOT count as different types..
For the Royal Huntsman/Huntress ranking a Ranger must utilize at least 4 different hunting weapons/animals in taking the 8 game animals (4 small game and 4 big game, and at least 1 being a bird) needed to qualify for that ranking . Each species of hunting animal counts as a different type. For example, a Red-tailed Hawk and a Cooper's hawk would count as two different types of hunting animals, even though they are both hawks. Examples of acceptable medieval hunting weapons include: bows, crossbows, spears, javelins, slings, daggers, swords, etc.
Angling and Trapping are beyond the scope of St. Hubert's Rangers.