The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-15
THE HUNT.
Foxes Were Plenty
at Barre.
SHOTS WERE FEW.
Bradford S. Turpin Reviews
Work Of the Week.

last week, is, with the possible excep-
ton of the Worcester Fur Company, the
oldest of the many fox hunting clubs
of New England. Though it takes it's
{ name from Brunswick, Me-, where it
was organized, yet it is in no sense a
local club, for it has upon its roll men,
bers from sixteen states. Most of its
members, however, are from Maine.
New Hampshire and Massachusetts,,
and in the past winter meets have been
held in all these states.
The first was at Great Island. Me.
and at Brunswick Then the club went
10 East Wakefield, N H., and at that
meet found hunting conditions almost
precisely the same as those that have
prevailed during the past week at
Barre
The icy crust held no scent, the cold
was intense, and it was not until the
last day that any sport worthy the
name was obtained Then came a. hunt
tnat VIII live long in the memory of the
cIuo. From morning till night the driv-
ing was furious. There was scarcely a
break IN the tonguing and not for a
moment did the excitement flag. How II
E was possible for the hounds to drive
so long andsso we'll over that icy sur
race is one of the mysteries of scent
which no one can fatflom. The East
Wakefield ice runis always referred to
py members 5of the club as one of the
( most remarkable hunts in which they
ever took part.
The next winter meet was at West
minister and if it had been called an
B arctic meet the name would have fitted
4 IT. We'll. Inc mercury tried to hide itself
IN the bulb of the thermometer. and.
railing in that, lowered between IL and
40 degrees below zero for three DAYS,
mat was the temperature outside the
notel; inside 1T was few degrees high
4 er, but not many, and to this day more
3 than one member of the club is In dam
ger OF chill when he thinks of the way
tne WIND swept through those unheated
cnalnDers. The hunting however. was
good throughout the week and atoned
TOT many of the discomforts indoors.
t'oxes were pleEtiful-as indeed thew are
ii anywhere In Worcester courtyard
lour 4hehes on light snow made the
drlVing easy for the hounds.
Barre was the scerye of the next meet
ana that hunt was the most ENJOYABLE
4 q any Which the club has ever held.
everything conspired to make it a sue
+ cess. The hotel was then, as now. well
kept and we'll heated The conditions for
epoTt We're excellent throughout the
aTeeK' put the Wednesday hunt was the
pesC one day sport in the clubs an
tfdiS' 1nere was not a breath of wind
ana a fresh fall of snow carpeted
SBarres hills and valleys. A large mum
y Vel OF the Worcester hunters were
ptesenl ana more than forty hounds
4 were put out in small detachments
Row many foxes were started that
Jay VIII never be known, but from
terl14
music and the cry Of driving hounds
never ceased for a moment. The sroIZ-
ing room on that eventfu: day was well
decorated with the trophies of the
r chase, and the hunt was undoubtedly
as successful as any ever held by anv
fox hunting club.
1hen Tor two years the club went to
6funsW1ck Me-, for its winter meet.
On both occasions the hunting was
poor and one meet-tbe first and il 10
hoped the last in the clubs history
passed away without single brush be-
ing secured by any of the hunters.
Inc last TWO meets have been held
az Barre, and the place has become
very popular with all the club mem
bers. Hotel Barre with its excellent
taDie ana comfortable accommoda-
tlons' mas always served as. headquar-
ters, and as fox hunters rendezvous
mas achieved a reputation which is
more than local. Barre foxes. too are
numerous and easy to find the hunt
ing grounds are within walking dis
lance Oh the hotel, and the hills and
vaifeys and large stretches Of open
country make the region a delightful
one for the chase
AS a fox hunting organizations tba
Brunswick Fur Club has an enviable
reputation, but it's claim to prominence
IN the fox hound world does not nv any
means rest wholly upon that. II was
the first club to hold field trials FOR
fox hounds, and to make determined
4eHort to improve The hound for field
work. These trials have made its
name known throughout every state in
zee Union where hunting is a recog-
nized sport.
Fhrough it's efforts hounds of nearly
an the celebrated strains of this coun-
Try nave been brought to New Eng
Tang and tested at the trials These
mounds. in the opinion Of many hunt
Stss nave, as a rule, been too fast for
NeW England hunting. Those who de-
sire to shoot the fox must use a slow
mound, so that the game may play and
give more opportunities to the hunter
19 secure a shot. A fast hound is too
s.pIslD press the quarry hard and give
II no chance to play
Inc Introduction of these fast hounds
Afl334s the south and west has, in a
snan measure, but still to an appre-
o.aple extent, made change among
OUT eastern hunters Here and there
you now find a man who admires the
qasn ana spirit of these fast workers.
rs. wants to see the quarry pressed
nafus the fox run Tor his life. The
le1ve cry. and great speed of these
nounus appeal to him more than the
ely sa VOTE OF the native, and he is con-
tent e leave his gun at home, if only
ne can enjoy for 4 time the dashing
work of a flying pack. The music Of
tne chase is more to him than the
crack of the shot gun and the death
Of the fox.
On the other hand the sportsman
VINO hunts in New England style claims
that The music of his hounds is lust
as eood as any, that they run longer
anI Work more Independently than
tnelr southern cousins, and that he
Would rather shoot the fox than have
hlm run into the next county.
0ul Whatever one may think of the
merltshor denlerits of the native or
SOUTHERN hounds, shere is one point
on which all can agree. There are
none VINO VIII deny shat in type and
style the southern hound is superior
to the native. If then. through the
Efforts of the BRUNSWICK Fur Club. a
strain Of hounds can be produced
which shall show the best qualities of
both strains, native and southern, the
club will have accomplished a vast
deal for New England hunting, and the
aim Of the field trials will have been
accomplished. a.4
This is the end which the club has
, IN view and to aid it In the accom-
plishment Of its purpose, 1t desires and
needs the help of all who love the cry
OF the hound, No one is so prejudiced
that he can not see good nninta in