The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1909-01-11
firing OUT THE STAG
A "Deer Take" In EngIand's Old
est Deer Park.
H0UNDED UNTIL HE GASPS.
The Game Animal Is MerciIessIy
Driven Hither and Yon, Through
Lake and Wood, Until He Falls Elk
hausted, Though Undaunted.


Parts of certain great parks in 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
pontains 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. It still retains
the wild beauty it then had, although
there are more than seventy miles Of
lovely drives in it, not counting those
ef the home park.
Deer taking is entirely different from
Heer hunting. The object is to take
the animals alive so that they may be
transferred to the home park to be fat
tened and eventually turned into ven
ison.
The sport is by no means as tame as
II sounds. A seven to nine year old
red deer is an awkward customer to
tackle. He is powerful, agile and well
armed with antlers and hoefs.
When there is to be a deer taking at
Fridge park the meet is planned for II
o'clock at the park keepers house.
The underkeepers, with fresh hounds,
are scattered through the park to head
OF the stag 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 off to
Ind deer which looks ready for fat
tening purposes. Having selected one.
It is the work of the keeper to get him
separated from the rest and then to
slip his hound and set after him as
hard as we can gallop. The pace, of
course, is tremendous, and as rabbit
holes abound the risk of a fall is even
betting or, rather, trifie of odds on
the certainty of our taking a toss"
AS our deer bounds away with his
~Onderfully easy, elastic movements
he makes for 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.
Till with the instinct of his species he
turns to what he thinks is his sane
tuary-the lakes. With open mouth
and tongue outhanging he plunges a
good fifteen feet into the water and
swims for the opposite bank. Gasp
ing and firing, he lands on what he
hopes is freedom from his pursuers.
But, alas, no! Yet another fresh hound
Is after him. What can ne do? He is
TOO pumped with his already hard
burst to face the hill before him.
he turns around and tears down
Through the bracken with hound on
each side Of him, ready to pull him
down if they get but half a chance
1t is a dingdong race, under trees,
through boys and bracken, up and
down dells and breaks, smashing head
long through everything, anything, to
reach the shelter Of the friendly
weter once again. With a mighty
spring he is in again. For q moment
there is breathing space, for now the
keepers and hounds. yet some way off,
sire making for the poor beast, which
Is In the middle Of the lake. Away he
swfmss with graceful movement of his
noble head, glancing all around at his
pursuers,. but with his mind fixed on
bis line Of retreat he reaches the
shore, and, with dripping sides, he is
out upon the bank.