Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-02-10
TIR|NG OUT THE STAG
A Deer Take" In England'S Old
est Deer Park.
HOUNDED UNTIL He eAsPs.
The Game Animal Is MereiIessly
Driven Hither and Yon, Through
lake and Wood, Until He Falls Elk
hsusted, Though Undsunted.

Lake enc Wooo, Until he rails Ex-
hausted, Though Undsunted.
Parts OF certain great parks i'm Eng
land. such as Fridge park. the oldest
deer park IN the kingdom. are kept
practically wild in their original forest
state. while near TO the castle is the
cultivated home park. Fridge park
contains 5000 acres and is the only
estate in England, with one exception.
where deer taking with hounds is still
carried on. Fridge park once formed
part OF the royal chase. Il still retains
the wild beauty il then had. although
there are moro than seventy miles Of
lovely drives in il. not counting those
OF the home park.
Deer taking is entirely different from
deer hunting. The object is to take
the animals alive so that they may be
transferred 10 the home park TO be fat
tened ana eventually turned into ven
iSon.
The sport is by no means as tame as
ii sounds. \ seven TO nine year old
red deer is an awkward customer to
tackle. lie is powerful. agile and well
armed with antlers and hoofs.
When there is to be 4 deer taking Mt
Fridge park the meet is planned for IL
o'clock - the park keepers house.
The UndcrkeeperS. with fresh hounds.
are scattered through the park 20 head
OF The sta, should he come their way.
The underkeepers having spread
themselves over the park. the park
keeper. with the field Chose follow.
ing mounted and on FOOT set of e.
find deer which looks ready for fat.
tening purposes. Having selected enc
II Is the work Of the keeper to get him
separated from the rest and then TO
sin his hound and set after him as
hard rs we can gallop. The pace. Of
course. is tremendous. and as rabbit
holes abound the risk Of fall is even
betting or. rather. n trifle Of odds on
Inc certainty Of our taking toss"
As our deer bounds away with his
wonderfully easy. elastic movements
he makes Tor the widest part of the
park, expecting TO escape his pursuers.
In one place after another he is met
with hidden keepers and fresh hounds
TIL with the instinct OF his species ne
turns 10 what he thinks Is his sane
tuary-the lakes. With open mouth
and TONGUE outhanging he plunces n
good fifteen feet into the water and
swims for the opposite bank. Gasp
inc ard firing, he lands on what he
hopes Is freedom from his pursuers
But. alas. no, Yet another fresh hound
Is after him. What can he do? He is
too pumped with his already hard
burst 90 face the hill before him.
lie turns around and tears down
throu p the bracken with n hound on
each side If him. ready 10 pull him
down If they get but half n chance
1t IS dinydong race. under trees.
through boys ard bracken. up and
down dellS and breaks. smashing head
long through everything. anything. to
reach the shelter Of the friendly
water once again. With n mighty
spring he is in again. For n moment
there is breathing space. for now the
keepers and hounds. yet some way of.
are making for the poor beast. which
swims with graceful movement of his
noble head, glancing all around ut his
pursucrs. but with his mind fixed on
his line OF retreat. He reaches the
shore, and. with dripping sides. he is
out upon the bank
Again he makes an effort TO battle
and leave behind those clinging hounds
that would bear him down. And now
two great hounds are stretching them
selves out 10 their utmost pace. Side
by side they race after their firing
quarry; in another minute they will
have him. The stag, however, man.
ages TO make n squirt, though he is
now stiffening rapidly, and just
reaches some park palings surrounding
the big lake
In an instant he has turned on his
pursuers, and with head down and up
raised fore leg he is prepared to fight
TO the death. \ hound rushes in, but
In twinkling he is on his back,
hurled away like piece of wood.
This checks the other hound. which
lodges and bays around the stag.
Seeing that things are now getting n
bit too warm for him, the stag sudden
ly turns round and, smashing the pal
ings like match wood, finds himself
again in the icy water of the big lake.
Away aud away he swims, up this
long stretch, the water seeming 10 re-
Vive him, for he swims the eastern
length, three-quarters of mile. and
then lands ut the far end while we
follow on the shore. He swims till his
feet touch the ground and stands fac
ing us.
All we can do now is to end the stu
alton as speedily as possible keeper
deftly throws n rope with loose
knot over the stays antlers In
moment four burly keepers are haul
ing him out by the ropes. 1t is now a
slow march to his feeding ground In
the home park. Slowly the procession
moves, never a slackening OF the rope
or the hold on the antlers Through
the gate dividing the parks he is
brought. an unwilling prisoner. though
undaunted. This ends the deer taking.
Town and Country.