The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-24
FINE HUNTING IN
SP0TSYLVANIA
The Wilderness Full Of Noble
Game.
MANY DEER HAVE BEEN SHOT.
Amusing Incidents that Have Taken
Place with Deer Hunters.
Fox Hunting and
Birds.
MANY DEER HAVE BEEN SHOT.


Observation-Disclosures the wilderness
stlli remains the habitat OF that noble
game. tho deer. and many fine ones have
been gathered in by the Nmrods Of this
ancient county during the present season.
They are more plentiful than for years
past. During the spring various. small
farmers along the small creeks In the
county were greatly troubled by the deer
grazing the young wheat before grass
had come. but they were much too public
spirited 10 shoot them at that time. The
deer seem to prefer the middle ridges OF the
county about half way between the Rap
pahannock and North Anna, during the
summer. but whenever the cry OF the
hounds begins to get hot and near, they
always strike for one OF the other Of these
rivers. or the Rapidan.
WHERE THEY ARE KILLED.
The most of the kills have been made
on or near the North Anna this season,
and some quite amusing incidents have
occurred TO deer hunters.
Amongst others. Mr.. n. V. Groves, who
is one Of the finest farmers, as well as an
ardent sportsman, and always gets lions
share of the shooting, got the laugh on
him few days since. Having shot at
deer. and following the dogs at full speed.
or as well as he could through the brush
and timber. he heard some one yelling
there she is" and the dogs baying and
apparently just eating up something. lie
jumped from his horse. and left II with
out tieing, and after running and crawl
ting for serveral hundred yards through
brush ana bamboo bTiars. etc, he arrived
nit L. ont f,f
breath, and completely exhausted and
scratched in a dozen places, to find a
man Nith lot Of cur dogs catching an
old SOW.
To make The matter worse his horse
had galloped on after the hounds follow
ing the deer and our sportsman had to
walk home, some five or six miles, whilst
the others bagged the deer and led his
horse home that night.
SHOT a CROOKED GUN.
ON another occasion he was thrown
from his horse and got his fine gun bar
rels badly bent but IN the excitement
cid not know OF the injury until he had
shot about a dozen times at turkeys and
birds, missing them all with readiness
and despatch. something never before in
his experience. greatly 20 the delight ana
amusements Of his friends. At last real
t2lpE the trouble ne nuiiith ~ ANN4A''i'''N
and got the barrels Strengthened, and IS
again the champion shot
Mr. Ned Cammack and the deer hunt-
ers had a piece Of bad luck that might
have been tragic but for his never having
the old-fashioned Buck ague While
the pack was in full cry after deer, and
ne was at a stand waiting, lady ana
child came by and walked down by-path
To be out OF the way. Before they had
gone 20 yards the deer ran into the pain
I'm twenty steps OF them, and stood exact
Nv between hunter and them for several
seconds. then bounded into the thick
brush. out of sight at single leap.
1t was impossible 20 shoot without strlk-
ing the lady and child and all he eould
d, was TO stand there and MAKE Few
remarks appropriate for the OCCASION put
No. for publication
FOX HUNTING
Hugh O. DickencOn OF Belmont. mas r
snlendld mack OF fox hounds and p. ID.
Taylor a lovely lot of beagles, which are
equally good for foxes and rabbits. mos.
coleman. of Spotsylvania Courthouse, has
recently bought the fine pack Of fox hounds
formerly owned by Winston Bros, or Ap-
ME Grove in Louisa, where they nave a
fne gane preserve well stockeu Win
came including Monaghan pheasaht7.
Winston Bros. are the contractors VINO
have the work on James river al hlch-
iuond. Mr.. Coleman has been haVinS
great sport with foxes. which are extreme
~ plentifui around SpOtsylvania Court
house and the weather has been very
favorable up 10 this time TO- Kills, OF
which they have made great many. or
other game there IL a decided scarcity;
even rabbits are few, owing 10 the cold
a..I ha
OF foxes. wild turkeys are also scarcer
than usual i'm this county and partridges
are practically gone IL will probably ne
many years before they are In reasonable
numbers again.
RABBITS PlENTIf I'll.
Rabbits. where these are no foxes, VIII
quickly become very plentiful. but part
ridges and pheasants are slow TO retrieve
their losses. Wild ducks are, and have
been, scarce for some years on the creeks
and mill ponds. We hear Of rather re-
markable case Of wild duck at Holiday,
Va. There are two genuine mallard wild
ducks. which stay with the flock Of tame
ducks and are now. after two months, as
gentle as the tame ones coming up to the
house TO be fed and flying to be fed when
called coming cut ON the ground from
the pond 10 eat corn I'm a few feet of any
one they know. They are very handsome
ducks and Il IS quite surprising TO see
them flying round and then coming back
when called. and then walking around
the yard as calm and unconcerned as the
chickens i, would be a great pity Tor
these ducks TO be killed. Some wears
since, there was one which was scntle
and staid for long time with this same
fock. but was Killed by a strange" VINO
saw Il flying a long ways away from the
residence and su!mosed 4 a Wild one.
II Is usually supposed that wild ducks
are particularly wild and hard TO tame,
hut II would not seem so from these eX-
amples that this is a popular error More
over. the writer was told by General VIM.
Taliaferro some years since that upon
his place was wild duck which had been
tanned and more remarkable still. that IL
was not less than fifty years old rnat
wild animals and birds can be ly tanned
Is certain. but how easily and quickly
depends on the case. gentleness and judg-
nent OF the man trying the experiment.
Several times the writer has taken young,
grown squirrels from the woods and In
one week had them so gentle that they
would come out Of their cages and walk
about on the laps ana shoulders OF every
body IN q room 10 get something 10 eat.
taking II from the hand with per;eet Gen.
hdence.
What a great pity that more so-cailed
wild animals were not made gentle by
kind treatment. and what nice pets they
would be. and how much better than ii
regarded only as NJ 10 De shot.
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