The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-04-07
Some Of the characteristics Of the Fox
and Fox Hunting.
ID rFElIAI NEVI Est
GARDENIA. Va. April J '9

(bl SPECIAL REQUEST
l. GARDENIA, VA. April J, '99.
Having been born and reared in the
b country and surrounded by large pack.
IF the best fox dogs TO be found | do
o. claim 10 know something about the fox
and his habits. never studied animal
history especially, So / VIII only relate
what actually has come under my
observation The fox as a rule raise
from four 20 six young in an old hollow
log or stump or In an excavation in the
ground. The mother fox will strongly
defend her young and will whip a
comon cur when they come near them
have known fox to back repeatedly
while "a No. / pack was in full cry
when near her young. / distinctly
remember when on hunt in company
with our much lamented DR.. Peter
Coleman and Mr.. John Morris and
many Others Of Buckingham county,
seeing fox after having been severely
run and knowing there was no possible
means of escape deliberately turn and
meet his foes. Reynard is also pretty
good Oh a climb Ii is not at all un-
common for him u climb trees of con-
siderable height and sometimes per-
fectly straight ones without any limbs
for distance of 10 or - feet. have
tracked up a number of them and
found them securely lying in trees
when snow was ON the ground. The |
fox is one of the most cunning of all |
wild animals. When snow is on the |
ground and at other times when he is
pursued by the hounds ne will get in
wagon track and 90 for miles or run a
fence, or if there is any water in the
road will get in and wade for miles to
escape death. Though / have never
known but one TO swim the river.
So strong is mother fox's attachment
for her young that even when closely
pursued 10y the hounds, she will often
make a circuit by her den as if to see
If her little ones are safe, and if by
chance, the dogs get after them, she
will make a short cut aud manage to
get them after her 20 save her young.
One characteristic of the fox is that
nine times out of ten he will, after
his circuit, come back some
where in the neighb3rhood of the place
he starts from. Hei- passionately fond ?
Of chickens, ducks, turkeys, &c., small
pigs, birds Of all kinds, and rabbits but a
will hardly ever eat "a, much as a whole
rabbit at one meal, and is also fond of
sweets. such as honey They very c
often run two together / suppose to o.
split the pack. The fox is exceedingly p
difficult to trap, they will very often d
throw steel trap from the under side 81
and get the bait / have known where %
that was the case, trappers to turn the n
rap over with -uccess. 10 is rather Il
iiilicult to fox hunt i'm this country ,.
,wing TO wire fencing aud the general 81
Of our lands, but neverthe- r
ess it is considered by most people fine o
port know of nothing more enjoy
'ble than to have a good pack Of well
rained hounds on a good day, and fl
nave them in full cry just between day o.
freak and sun rise. when all nature is +,
luiet and you can hear every sound b
md expand your lungs and take in Ii
he fresh morning air and on some %
ofty mountain top witness the gorgeous f.,
plendor Of the rising sun as he comes -,
orth with his genial rays to tighten q,
nd warm mother earth. 4
\ fox hunter sees much in nature 10 b
dmire if a close observer. The hills r.
nd valleys, the beautiful trees with a.
heir magnificent foliage of almost 90
very conceivable hue. Mountains Of ,,
,eautiful rocks sometimes moss covered. ~
sometimes think it would be very -
eneiicial 10 more Of us if we would p.
My take more recreation Of this sort. =;
[ is not only beneficial to health but
innocent if not carried to excess, and is a.
calculated to make Us mediate that
fter all the joyous emotions in life and =,
fier the rough paths have been well =.
rodden that there is a quiet rest under -
he shade of the trees where we may ~
est from our labors and be rewarded e.
ccordingly. -
| have heard some Of the fair sex
xpress desire to join in the hunt but n.
-ould not advise them, as it would
e little dangerous have no doubt
hey would enjoy the sport as much as
ny of Us, but alas our lands are too
)ugh yet, though hope to see them
] few more years settled up with
God honest people, who are willing to
I'll the trees aud improve our soil to
5 former productiveness, with a
love in the right direction | think y,
his can be overcome. Let all who
ave lands TO sell enlist in the South "
de Farm Agency and help push the
BOD work forward, aud also keep be-
IRE the minds of the public the inn
ortance of good roads, and the fields u"
nat now lay waste will soon blossom
. tine rnsp NJ u