The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1900-03-17
MAINE FoxHoUNDS
A Peculiar Breed Evolved By tb.
Needs of ArOOstook COunty-
How Thsy Are TraIhea.

The three chief products Of Aroo-
stock county are said TO be potatoes,
politicians and red foxes A year ago
Charles Z. Oak. OF Caribou, land agent
and forest commissioner for Maine.
told q legislative COMMITTEES hat his
county could furnish 100000 fox pelts
3 year for ten years without diminish
ing the supply. Hunters from Boston
and Worcester. Mass, who have shot
and trapped foxes In Aroostook say
that Mr.. Oaks estimate is too low by
half.
The great wine-red foH that will
run for days without firing; that will
double and turn to laugh at the dogs
and then 60 on refreshed from the ex-
e~reises. reaches fullest perfection in
Aroostook county. OF the rocco or
5000 foxes taken in AroOstook this
winter more than half were caught in
trsps. Nearly all the others were shot
while running before the patient and
slow-footed hounds that abound in
northern Maine.
The Maine foxhound is a hunting
machine that was developed for a GER
tain purpose. The Msiue hunter sc-
knowledges that the English fox
hounds reared in Pennsylvania and
western New York are the best dogs
in the world for straightaway hunt
ing, for the chase where the sport Is
- urnra ccrua,v.nca thar th. "a IA
but foxes are so plentiful down east
that the man who kills one lie q public
benefactor, and as many OF the hunt
ers are too poor to follow the chase
for the sport alone, a finely special
iIed race Of hounds was demanded TO
suit the peculiar conditions. The re-
suit Of 50 years breeding is a short
legged. deep-chested. slOw-running
race OF dogs that viii run day and
night without firing, a breed that will
annoy the foxes and cause them 70
run In more or less restricted circles,
and brighten them enough 20 cause
them 10 hole. The Maine hound 10 be
OF value must also be taught to hunt
singly, so that II e hunter takes out
half a dozen dogs for a days hun,
every dog will pick up a track OF his
own and follow Il 20 the death. A
the hunter can distinguish the erie,
Of his dogs without trouble and Il
soon able to locate the circles they
are following. he first selects the path
OF the dog that stands in most need o.
encouragement and posts himself OF
the circle to shoot the fox as II eomel
, around, after which he proceeds .,
another circle and repeats the per
!, Torrance. 1t Is not a surprising tea
for a hunter with six hounds 10 g
:, out in the morning aud return q
/, night with ten or 70 pelts, AS IA
4 skin Of an Aroostook red fox Is WORT
anywhere from Sl.25 to $3.50. the occu
patton is profitable as well as plea,
ing.
J. To train a hound pup for the dutie
he IS expected TO perform require
y much time and labor. A male pu
that is eight weeks old and untaugh
can be bought for FIVE dollars, Will
the same dog will sell for SIS or SO
after he has been educated. No do
n, is worth having unless his master ca
10 shift him from one foN's track I
). another's or from a fox's track 10
n. rabbits and back again, but II an.
dog makes one OF these Hhsnges with
out his masters consent he is dis
gracsd snd punished severely. II
!, y point Of dog honor among Aruostool
hounds 10 chase a fox by day, b,
night and on Sundays until it
caught. shot or run 10 earth. Their
: are dozens Of dogs in the county tina
7 have followed foxes from six 10 tel
days without food or rest. Sucl
> hounds are beyond value. They hav
the best the hove affords while the,
live and are buried in expensive comm
like one Of the f~amily-After death
II a hound shows a taste for dee
hunting he Is al once sold or killed
as the heavy fine imposed by the stat
makes the animal too expensive for
poor man TO keep. Such dogs as ar
!. inclined to follow bob eats and hedg,
hogs find their punishment when the
- oyertake their fOes-N. Y. Sun.