Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09
FOX HUNTING IN KENTUCKY
How It Differs From the Sport as Fol-
lowed in the Northern States.
The Horses and Hounds of the blue
Raised and Trained.

w, 8. Walker of Point Level, Gerrad
county, KY, who is a director Of the Ma
ticnal Fur Club of Lexington. was an inter-
ested spectator Of the experiences OF tho
Brunswick Fur Club at Barre last week
He has two brothers, E. II. and A X
Walker. who live in his neighborhood in
the blue grass region. Mr.. Walker ex-
planned that the brothers and himself had
made a business Of fox hunting since they
were old enough to bestride horse and
follow packs of baying hounds. They have
a large pack of hounds. the strain of which
had been perpetuated for three-Quarters OF
a century.
'Yes," said Mr.. Walker, "our methods OF
hunting differ from those at the north. We
do not find any fault with northern
methods of shooting foxes. but to us dead
foxes are mighty poor property, ana thinK
that If the younger men here could take
part in one of our Kentucky hunts they
would derive more pleasure than in slaugh-
tering foxes. We take as much pains In
rearing horses for the fox-hunting sport as
we do in raising hounds. The best horses
for this sport are bred from the Denmark
mare and the thoroughbred race horse. In
this cross we have the durability and cool
ness of the former and the speed of the
latter. When all Is In readiness 1or inc
hunt we call together our pack OF MOUNDS
hardly ever Ness than half hundred IN
number and We mount our horses ready
for the chase. On the blue grass soil the
tracking is of the best and our hounds
have easy sailing for q time. but finally
difficulty arises when the fox runs into
the bunch Of stock as herds OF mules and
sheep.
''The southern fox is fully as cunning as
his New England brother and knows where
his protection lies. When the short yelp of
the pursuing hounds warns the fleeing fox
that the dogs are close upon his heels. he.
with almost human intelligence, makes Tor
the bunch OF stock The mules or sheep
when the fox puts in his appearance among
them, make a break, and scamper heller
SHELTER, keeping up the run until brought to
a standstill by fence or some other OBJ
struction. The sly fox keeps right among
them, and the loosening up of the soil
caused by the feet of the other animals,
covers the scent of the fox. giving him tenn
porary advantage over the pursuing
hounds +..-,
Mr. Walker explained the advantage OF q
large pack Of hounds. He said that the
typical Kentucky hunter never wanted to
start more than one fox at time. The
pack Of hounds are all then upon his trail
with the mounted hunters In hot pursuit
AS soon as one dog tagged another would
come to the front and keep up the chase,
and so on until the fox Succumbed to sheer
exhaustion and was caught by the hounds.
with the excited huntsmen close behind.
Sometimes the chase is for ten or dozen
miles straight away over FENCES end
plain. Ordinary fences and walls are no
obstacle to the trained horse. as they ara
cleared with ease as they come In the way.
Neither has the underbrush any terrors Tor
the Kentucky horse, as he is SO trained thai
he winds in and out among the brush In
such a manner that the rider need have no
fears Of being thrown from his saddle. Of
tentimes the ladies join in the hunt, and ip
Kentucky there are some expert riders ana
huntswomen, who enter the chase with &
gusto hardly less than that Of their mas
culine friends. At the national fox hunt az
Point Level recently there were several wo-
men riders, upon whom some of the men
looked with eyes green with admiration and
envy on account OF their superior skill In
rs It true" asked the reporter. "that the
Kentucky foxes are slower runners than
the New England foxesT'
NO" said Mr.. Walker, II think not In
Kentucky and Tennessee the fox is iden-
tical with the New England red fox. With
all the speed and cunning peculiar to that
animal Indeed. several OF the New Eng
land foxes have been brought south recent
w. with view Of determining the point OK
speed, over which there had been some
yond shadow of a doubt, and 1t Is now
universally conceded that there is no diff
ference between the breeds Of the foxes In
habiting the two sections"
The time Of year when the Kentuckiana
nbout Mr.. Walkers home make a business
of fox hunting is in the month of August,
when the planters, their families and mig
gers" dogs and hounds start for Dripping
Springs, about eight miles away, and have
a regular united family hunt making
vacation season of it. The only other time
when they go out for hunting is when they
see for the annual fall deer hunt, which 10
generally excellent.