The San Francisco call., 1901-12-07
HUNTING MEN
ANTICIPATE A
GREAT SEASON
Interest in the San r1ateO
County Hounds
Increases.

Down in San Mateo County a number
of wealthy sportsmen are supporting the
San Mateo County hunt, the only pack
Of drag hounds in all the West. In the
height of the season the fields of horse
men are large and exceptionally well
mounted.
Owing TO the nature of the country and
its proximity to the city it is impossible
to hunt either foxes or hares, so recourse
is had to the aniseed bag. The drag is
laid over hxed territory sy eo5in and leaves se a
one who has never ridden across country
this sounds not only prosaic and COM
nonplace. but possibly ridiculous. If such
a man, first having learned to ride with
ease, could mount a steady, although not
necessarily q costly, horse he would find
life well worth living; be assured sound
eleep, good appetite, good digestion ana
would be a most desirable companion
either at home or in his place of business.
The drag hunt is the only hunt which
can be practiced near San Francisco or
near any large city, owing to the stand
taken by some property owners who OBJ
ject to having their land ridden over. A
business man who cannot leave his office
to hunt the customary two days a week
can readily utilize the Saturday half-hol-
iday. He can easily travel by rail or
electric car with. time to spare before the
master of the hunt calls out, Now,
jerry to Heating, the clever club hunts
man.
Most Of the men who ride with the San
Mateo hounds have been educated to ride
according to some good method AS far
as hands, seat and the control of a horse
are concerned, they compare fayorably
with the best riders in any country.
When the drag hunt of necessity takes
the place of fox hunting IL is highly de-
sirable to have the hounds well matched
in speed. A few hounds with superior
speed help ruin sport by giving men who
hunt TO ride" an opportunity of getting
between the leaders and the body of the
pack They foil the scent with their
steaB1ing horses and unfairly test the pa
thence of the master of the hunt.
A little feeding on the morning of the
hunt viii be found q remedy to take some
Of the pace out of fast bounds. AS for tail
hounds, they are of little account in a
II is highly desirable that gentlemen
who ride with hounds would bear in mind
II is Que master, huntsman and hounds
that they should be free from all undue
interference by impetuous members of
the hunt, who should inform themselves
of the etiquette of hunting. The breed
Of hounds known as English fox hounds
are not as musical as some Of Grau's del
icately throated operate stars. and when
ridden over they give up their place in
the concert and instead of leading they
follow the cavalcade.
The effort is to initiate q fox hunt and
not point-to-point steeplechase. For
the latter Tanforan racecourse would
better be utilized.
The hunt means gallop across country
Of from ten TO fifteen miles, with many
intervening jumps to be negotiated. The
riders should not know in which direction
they are TO be taken. Herein lies the
charm of hunting of which a writer has
said: Hunting is the sport of kings, the
image OF war without its guilt and ONLY
five and twenty per cent OF it's danger' .
The hounds follow the scent, which has
previously been laid over zigzag line
for which ample time should be afforded
the drag boy. One of the chief pleasures
Of the sport is watching the hounds MAX
their cast as they follow the scent, which
IS apparent to them alone.
The San Mateo County hunt will meet
to-day al Moormeads, ]. J. Moore S
country place at Fair Oaks. The hounds
will be laid on at 10 o'clock After the
hunt the members of the field will be en-
tertained at luncheon b. Mr.. Moore
On Wednesday next the meet will be al
Laurel Creek at 2:S0 p. m. One week from
to-day the meet will be at Uncle Tom
Cabin, San Bruno.