The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-01
4 norNrr an roxEs WANrEp.
An Old Tox-uuntor's Account of Hunt


An Old Fox-Hunter's Account of a Hunt
N, w. Hagen Of Plantsville, Conn.,
contributed the following TO the Hart
ford Times; l should like to call the
attention Of all true sportsmen of Con-
nectcut to the present condition of the
fox and game laws of this state, AS
time passes year after year it has be-
come evident to me, and probably TO
most bird hunters, that the feathery
game is becoming very scarce, while
the fox is on the increase, and a great
detriment to other game. There was
a bill read at the last session of the
legislature providing for a bounty of
ten dollars head for every fox killed.
Now why was this law looked upon so
slightngly? Do these people think 1t
is all pleasure to hunt foxes? or do
they want to see game entirely exter-
minated? The following is a brief
sketch of an old foX-hunter who has
hunted the fox all his life, and who
is now eighty years old, though quite
a robust man for his years
1t is yet dark when | arise and eat
breakfast, but as the first gray streaks
of daylight appear, l am we'll on my
way to the old stamping grounds. And,
isn't it cold But the expectation of a
good days sport keeps up my courage,
and / Mod oil T,1ct he ret nov C
of the sun peer through the gray pal
lor that hangs along the horizon, 1
let loose the hounds. and with great
bound they are off. A few minutes
later, | take my stand by the big rock
on Base Mountain right south of what
is called the Marble Table Here l sit,
dreamily thinking of hunts of days
gone by, when suddenly 1 am brought
to my senses by the voice of old Sam,
white and black hound, and the hero
of many a chase Now the other
hound gives voice, and they are com
ing directly towards me. Nearer
and nearer they come-when suddenly
about seventy rods away, I see old
Reynard bearing directly toward me.
He is surely my meat, l think. But
to my despair he again turns, and
bears off down another old wood path
toward the west, bound for Cat Swamp
where / know they will play around
for at least five hours, and here l must
sit and freeze all this time with the
dogs out of Harrington a good hunter
never changes his position after it is
once taken, for the fox will come this
way sooner or later; if not at the start,
he will at the finish.
At this stage of the chase my mind
naturally turns to thinking, and the
first thought that ONES to me is this:
Is the fox worth the chase?-and
think not (But the next chance I have
1 am at It AGAIN..
All this while I haven't heard a sound
of the dogs, and I proceed to eat my
lunch AS I eat the last mouthful hear
the faint barking of my hounds. Soon
I hear them more plainly; and in fif-
teen minutes more they have brought
him to me, and this time 1 get shot
though at long range
But what satisfaction it is to see his
bushy tail stand up, and the next in
slant to see him roll over.
This winds up the base, and I walk
over to the fox and pick him up. By
this time the dogs have come up, and
as it is O'Clock we start for home.
Now I wish all sportsmen who have
any influence would speedily use it to
secure better protection for our feath-
cry game in the near future by paying
a good bounty on foxes. This is the
only way / see to secure the desired
end
I would like to hear other views on
this subject. Yours truly,
Fl. w. HAGEN.