Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-06
COSTLY DEER STALKING.
The Most Expensive of Outdoor Sports
in Scotland.

Fashion seeks the costliest in sport as
in dress and entertaining Deer stalking
is the most expensive of outdoor sports
in Great Britain, and consequently it is
favored by the richest people in the smart
sets as we'll as by the titled land owners
in Scotland. The shooting rentals in eth
er Inverness-shire or Perthshire exceed
$4,000 annually. This is between one
fourth and onc-fifth of the entire shoot
ing rentals north of the Tweed and is
the largest record for the Scottish shires.
This is explained by the fact that in
each county deer forests are added to
the acreage for mixed shooting for
grouse, partridge, black game, wild phea-
SAINTS. hares and rabbits. The biggest
point in the luxury of shooting is reached
when host can offer to his guests the
widest possible range of sport in shooting
and fishing. and deer stalking is the most
difficult requirement for all around au-
tumn and winter sport.
The number of deer forests in Scotland
which are recognized shootings is be-
tween $50 and 900 and a considerable
proportion of them is reserved by the
owners for their own pleasure and does
not come into market for rental, says a
London letter in 1.-The Boston Advertis-
err" Only a few privileged entertainers
can supply their friends with the most
strenuous and costly sport.
Many factors enter into the problem
of the sporting value of land Acreage
Is one, but it is less important than va
riety of soils and attitudes, so that there
can be reserves of territory or moor. low
land and covert-for every kind of shoot
ing. Houses are let with the land, and
rentals depend in a measure upon the
accommodation offered for the entertain
ment of large parties.
Accessibility is another element since
many of the shootings are too remote
from railway lines to be available for
people of fashion, and environment is
equally important. since there are certain
tracts with castles and famous estates
where special values are created. When
these and other factors have been con-
sidered, there remains the previous sea-
sons bag as an Indication of the amount
of game that can be killed and of the
stock that has been left over.
The value of grouse moor is roughly
estimated at S a brace. A partridge
shooting comes lower. at half the figure
moors available for driving on a large
scale are mainly confined to Scotland
and Yorkshire. where there is a wider
range for partridge shootings, Lincoln
shire, Norfolk, Suffolk. wiltshire Hamp-
shire and other counties having spacious
game preserves.
When deer forests are taken into mar
ket for sporting privileges the stag is
determining factor in the rental. Acre
age of woodland counts for less than the
average number of stays which has been
accounted for year by year. In the High
lands the value Of every stag killed dur
ing the previous season is roughly esti-
mated at $3.50 in the next years rental
Other considerations affect the value of
the mansions, hunting lodges, moors and
general shootings but the estimates for
the forests are based upon the stock,
whether undershot or overshot by pre-
vious tenants.
AS the number Of stays taken in Scot.
land is about forty five hundred in the
course of year. the rental values of the
forests may be loosely estimated at $780,
900. This does not represent anything
more than a fraction Of the cost OF deer
stalking. The red deer would be practi-I
cally extinct in Scotland and ireland, as
1t virtually is already in England, II
systematic efforts were not made to pro-
tect the preserves. to enlarge the feeding
grounds, to regulate the breeding and to-
domesticate the herds
The upkeep of the stock in the forests
is highly expensive. and the deer stalking,
which ,has-taken the place of the oldtime
method of hunting with horse and dogs
to the merry accompaniment of the horn,
requires the aid Of a trained force Of fo--