The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
ENGLISH HUNTING SEASON.
Antsgonlsm Between Men Who Follow
Foxes and Those who shoot Birds.

FROM IOfu ava ' OuHtTD.
"Shootin', huntin' and racin'" remain to-
day as they have for sgos. the main source
of occupation and Amusement OF thou sa nds
Of Englishmen who have the worldly means
to crafty their wishes in this expensive
manner.
The huntin men are just now in opposition
to the shootin' men. for where there lisa hunt
country the foxes are held IN high favor.
almost like the sacred bull in india. and the
shootin' mans pheas a nts suffer 10 proper
ton. Hence there Is constant strife between
the secretaries Of the various hunts and the
men who preserve game. The House OF
ommon has Just been engag ed in an in
terestinr discussion on the question " COM
pensstion for farmers for damages to their
crops b. game and the high law officers 81
the Crown find il difficult to state exactly
what it means by the word.
They nave promised to bring forward a
definition Of the term so that there shall ba
no further confusion. In the meantime there
is no redu Ction in the cost # giving full PLAY
to ones predictions in the sporting line.
There are no dollar licenses In this country.
which enable any man or boy to 20 forth,
armed with a cheap gun, TO Slsy pheasants.
cartridges. har~s and rabbits al will. Britain
haR not vet reached that democratic stage.
Nothing has bowed the knee more reluctantly
to the spirit Of the times than the Came laws
of this country.
~ - hSh ~ AANphg FNtht' AhN ' ~ 80 wv AN
tool the prohibition OF the shooting OF "vcr-
mIn," which Includes rabbits. az the hands
Of low born people. One bad TO be able to
trace ones ancestry far beyond the middle
ages TO receive permission even 10 carry n
gun. Even now the poor man is debarTed
by reason Of the expense. Anybody may
procure a license, but 1t costs 60 and after
that, suppose he has provided himself with
a gun. he must find a place where il may he
let on. Everything is preserved. There are
no open spaces 5" for shooters.
Farmers become tenants for the great land
lords on condition that they give UP the shoot
ing rights over their farms. the game being
kept for the exclusive use of the landlord.
who either shoots the game himself or LET'S
il to some one else. n the farmer happens
to be ploughing his fields while the shooting
party Ia abroad he finds himself obliged
to unhitch his ores and get out of the way
so az not TO interfere with the sport by driving
the birds away. The game laws are kept with
strictness that would do credit 10 the military
system OF Germany. and yet there are more
poschers in England than in any other country
in the world.
was out with a party last week, and owing
to the indi1 erence OF our dogs we lost half a
dozen wounded pheasants in the course OF the
day. They ran into thick hedges where the
dogs would not go. and so II ives decided to
wait until the morning, when. with fresh and
DelleT uOkt, VIC COuIu TttONeT TIE lOrb DlTlh,
The keepers W ent out early the next morning.
but the poachers with their excellently trained
dogs had been ahead of them. and all that
was found In the vicinity of the hedges was
a series OF fresh hobnailed foot prints.
The King is at present shooting over his
own preserves at S~andringham, where he
~ entertaining a distinguished party. The
daily bags of game are something prodigious
and both the King and the Prince OF Wales.
who are excellent shots. carry a large number
| of birds 70 their credit. The Prince in par
ticular is a magnificent shot. He has often
been known to have three and even four
dead birds in the air at one and the same time.
which means four successful shots. with two
guns, all in the space of time II would take
TO tell 1t. The ordinary shot who manages
TO get of a right and left with one gun boasts
of his achievement for days.
There are a number of men in England
who manage this circuslike performance
of killing three to four birds with one change
of guns. Lord Desborough. better known
as Mr.. Willie Grenfel: Earl de Grey. Aubrey
Lowe and Prince Victor Dhuleep Singh. tho
latter the son of the former owner Of the
KohinOOr diamond, are all expert shots who
could give Buffalo Bill points in the art Of
shooting. Earl de Grey never lets of bis gut
at a bird unless he is absolutely certain Of
killing II. lie Is never known to wound a
pheasant or a partridge. Hit game fall,
dead. shot through the head with almost
uncanny precision.
The King goes over his shooting ground
mounted on a white pony. and he frequently
shoots from the saddle. When be goes 20
visit people who are selected by him for
the honor of n visit he is always provided
with n pony. or ut least a trap, for since hi.
recent accident he finds it difficult to stand
in one position very long.