The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03
HONOR IN NUTMEG FOX HUNTING.
The Violation OF an Old Custom Cut Out
Trouble for Abe Maynard.

THoMAsToN. Conn.,. Oct. 2.-Old Cottontail, q
handsome yellow she fox which the Litchaeld
county hunters bad long pursued. was shot on
Coos Hill on Thursday by Abe Maynard under
circumstances which fairly took that young
mans breath away and taught him a sharp les.
son in the ethics Of fox hunting as practiced
among the old.time huntsmen in this State.
Cyrus Atterbury Of Yellow Mountain is an
elderly farmer and fox hunter. His strings Of
fox pelts have not been beaten in number by
any one in Litchield county for years. He is a
sure shot. keeps a pack of hounds. and passes
several hours daily these cool. crisp mornings.
following the red robbers over the hillsides Of
this part of the State.
There are two unwritten laws governing all
honorable fox hunters in Connecticut, the first
Of which 10 that II a hunter shoots q fox running
before his neighbor's hound one half of the
value Of tho pelt shall go to the owner Of the
dog and the other half to the man who shot the
fox. The second rule Is that the man shooting
the fox must let it lie where it falls until the
pursuing hound comes up to see it. so that tho
chase may be ended; otherwise the dog will be
baiied by the sudden ending of the scent with
no animal in sight, and will run ~fretfully to and
A violation OF this code Is held by hunters to be-
an injustice to the hound as well as to the owner
Cyrus Atterbury swears by these rules and
lives up 70 them. He had also sworn TO shoot the
agile yellow she fox on Goes Hill this fall,
partly because he had seen her fine pelt and had
concluded that he wanted 1t. This fox had. up to
every hound that had crossed her tracks. She
was a largo animal. and rendered still more con-
s spIs sHn BY 4 hn r.. Sushy tail that was cream col
Atterbury took two hounds 70 follow her. He
tho fox and ran her we'll up into Goshen, about
thirteen miles to the north, Then the fox began
back toward the hill in order to get to her bur
row in the cliffs before the, hound could over
take her: This had been her regulation trick
termined to block the game. He lay under the
brow of the ledge with loaded gun awaiting
ef' S SRsdd fs re% the Rs''Fs Sos fhS stin pulled Il Th to-
a twinkIing she had scented him and was of
again. Atterbury had prepared for Just such
am and s sPsrtsd HIN Oh he on ' the foa rs t fsRtify "il1 1o Sait
second hound pushed uIH Ola COT cotto 5espRe Fight up pt to
AFTERNOON before the fox made her appearance
on Goes Hill again.,
farm this season, had heard the musical notes
of the hounds all day. and toward night walked
over to a run way on the south side Of the hill
way. In a few minutes Old Cottontail flashed
across his line OF vision, well tagged out, but
nard was 30 excited at the sight that he let of
both barrels of his gun and dropped the fox dead
in her tracks. He had the body Of the fox
thrown over his shoulder and was about to
%footfal.s Of a person moving hurriedly down the
hill toward him. 1t was Atterbury, who had
been secreted but q few rods away from May
nard. He was white with rage because Of
losing a shot at the fox after all his pains, and
when he saw Maynard Juggling the fox away he
well. I'm damnedy" he calculated. IF
amt a good mind to plug sech an onprincipled
cuss as You be. Steal a fox, will YET Well, /
guess not!'
"Why. it's mine" put in Maynard rather
feebly, completely taken by surprise. Il shot
SEQ here. my lad; I've been workin' all day to
shoot that fox, an II you don't drop her damned
quick III shoot her on your back" said After.
bury, raising his gun.
Hold on! Coed LSrd! Don't shoot!" cried
Drop the fox, then" commanded Atterbury
grimly. Maynard dropped the fox and the mat
from the animal and walking away with il.
Maynard's breach OF the rules OF Connecticut
fox hunting etiquette Is tho talk Of the hour
among the sportsman. He declares that he
Binned through ignorance.
The crop of Connecticut fox pclts will be a
large one this season.