The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-27

number Of wild foxes caught above ground
IN season by the hunt clubs In, America.
there would be scarcely enough brushes
to dust the cobwcbs out OF the kennels.
With Il few exceptions such clubs IRE
organized for n class OF men who hunt to
ride. and. therefore, do not appeal to the
q certain excitement Is derived from at
tending such meets no one who Is IA
niiar with the experience will deny, but
this, compared to the sport of kins, Is
AS a. rule, the hunt club Is conspicuous
for three virtues-namcly, its social fea-
ture, lessons in horcmanship and q prac.
tcal. Demonstration OF the absnrdlty Or
America. We lenve the devotce Of this
science to his own amusement with the
consollng recollection. that after the
strenuous drag is over, q TOAST Is IS usually s,.h
ingredients are not lacking. AS It is DIFF
ncult In the rosy hue Of morning, when
cpmmends tsolf to the class OF hound
breeders who have an ambition to win
The Virginia Carolina Fox Hunters
Association. which meets at Chase CITY,
to discriminate between the work Of in
dividual hounds all striving for the line.
So. in arriving at the merits OF FOX
hunter, whose ideals oftime conflict. but
tend to the one purpose. It 10 no easy
task to say what constitutes the best
snort smanship. sf
Hunting Is q science in which there Is
ever new 70 aean nnn do 5b
in our lnbours. show us more new and
more nearer ways to our end than as the
first we conceive.
science however, Of which we take the
liberty to speak.
In spite Of all that has been written
d e sa ae the sa ana ew fax e
stamina and speed n to warrant the name
Of .,Red Fox Hound being applied to
any breed Of hounds that happen to be en-
opinion is that THE red fox in size and
weight Is not mitch above that OF the
. common grey fox. Their average is from
/ with thick, long fur which makes them
appear larger than they really are, and
! when IN motion their long. high. dashing
strides deceves the eye and adds double
ITO their apparent size. 9stess
| They are Very wild and seldom lie FOR
] .dogs 70 tran, up to them, but get up be-
I lore the swelling cry Of the distant pack
AND ana boldly strike out for some favori.e
they are 80 difiicultto catch. They are
naturally much stouter than the grey, and
though no fleeter, can keep up their rate
entirely on his own cunning for safety,
suffers the hounds to keep very near him.
The red depending upon his speed and
lance between himself and his pursuers.
Another quality which Distinguishes the
req fox from the grey Is his lack OF game.
ness TO stand up and run until caught.
| whenever the hounds begin to press upon
! MS heels the red fox will nvariable go to
! earth undess he happens to be In coun-
/ try with which he unfamiliar. Tits
! habit. with the practice OF gett ting up be-.
fore the hounds have trailed up to within
a reasonable distance of his bed makes
| the rcd fox more unsatisfactory game.
to pursue than the grey, who is q native
| OF America and the best game for show
| Ing sport. Many stories we read about
! the speed OF the red fox arise as an en-
cuse for not accounting for him In the
i chase. while the sportsman who hunts
O hrst- class pack Of hounds seldom has TO
| complain Of the speed OF the red or the
| cunning tactics Of the srey-for both can
| be accounted for, and that in very short
/ time with a catch pack. as we shall pre-
sently see.
/ Conditions for Hunting.
| To show high-class sport in the hunting
| field three, conditions are absolutely ne.
| cessary. The atmosphere must be favor
| able for carrying scent; tho ground mus:
| be. possible for hounds to run upon, and q
| fair start upon the game be had from
| the jump. To hold q run upon the fox is
| to force him to u killing pace, and hounds
| must run with their heads by tho body
| scent to do this. Any fault, or check
| upon the line gives the fox an opportunity
! to s!ncken his pace and regain WIND.
| When the hounds are forced to StOOp to