For most masters of hounds, 1 February has become a very significant date in their diaries. Days hunting are mainly coordinated around shooting dates, so the end of the shooting season allows many hunts to access land that they have not previously been able to hunt over.
This is often perfect timing as the wet vales that have been hunted regularly throughout the season begin to close down as harrowing and rolling need to be done and stock returned to the fields. In lots of places the move to the higher, well-shot ground is essential at this time of year.