The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-02-14
Poaching in England.

The wire is, perhaps, the regular
poacher's best implement, and ground
game his most profitable source of in
come. Hares exist in numbers upon
the downs, especially near the localities
where the great coursing meetings are
held, where dozen may be kicked out
of the grass in five minutes. In these
districts of course the downs are
within bounds, and wander miles and
miles at night, limping daintily with
their odd gait (when undisturbed)
along the lanes leading into the plowed
fields on the lower slopes ond planes.
The hills wide and almost painless,
and practically destitute of fences
where the foot leaves no trail on the
short grass and elastic turf, are pecu-
liarly favorable to illicit sport. Though
apparently roaming aimlessly, hares
have their regular highways, or
'sruns;n and it is the poacher's bust
ness to discover which Of these narrow
paths are most beaten by continuous
use. He then sets his wire, as early in
the evening as compatible with safety
to himself, for hares are abroad with
the twilight. Long practice and deli
cate skill are essential to successful
sharing. First, the loop itself into
which the hare is to run his head must
be of the exact size. If it be too small
he will simply thrust it aside; if too
large his body will slip through, and
his hind leg will be captured; being
crooked, he draws the moose probably.
Then if caught by the hind leg. the
wretched creature, mad with terror,
will shrek his loudest; and a hare
shrieks precisely like human being
in distress. The sound, well under.
stood Ly the watchers, will at once re.
veal what is going forward. Rabbits
are also wired in great numbers. The
loop is trifle smaller, and should be
just span from the ground But the
ferret is the poacher's chief assistant
in rabbiting; it takes two men, one on
each side Of the "bury." and ferret
which will not slie int e., stay in
the hole and feast till overcome with
sleep.
The greatest difficulty with any kind
with the bag. Keepers are quite aware
of this; and in the case of large es-
tates, leaving one or two assistants near
the preserves, they patrol the by-ways
and foot-paths, while the police watch
the crossroads and lanes which lead to
the villages. If man comes along at
an exceptionally early hour, with coat
pockets violently bullying, there is
prinla facie case for searching him.
One advantage of wiring or netting
over the gun is here very noticeable;
anything shot bleeds and stains the
pocket-a suspicious sight even when
empty; strangulation leaves no traces.
Without a knowledge of the police
mans beat and the keepers post, the
poacher can do nothing on a large
scale. He has, however, no great
trouble in ascertaining these things;
the laborers who do not themselves
poach, sympathize warmly and whisper
information. There is reason to think
that men sometimes get drunk, or suf-
ficiently so to simulate intoxication
very successfully. with the express pur-
pose of being out all night with good
excuse, and so discovering the police
mans ambuscade. Finding man
whom he knows to be usually sober,
overtaken with drink, in lonely road,
where he Injuries none but himself, the
policeman good naturedly leads him
home, with a caution only.
The raiders, who come in gangs
armed with guns and shoot in the pre-
serves, are usually the scum of manu-
featuring towns, led or guided by q
man exncIInd throu0h HID own had cf,,,