Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-03-02
TIRIHG OUT THE STAG
A Deer Take" In EngIand's Old
est Deer Park.
BOUNDED UNTIL HE GASPS
Tho Game Animal Is MerciIessly
Driven Hither and Yon, Through
Lake and Wood, Until He Falls Ex-
hausted, Though Undaunted.

Z Idl % ~ certain great parks III Eng
/ land. suGA Us Fridge park the Oldest
deer park I'm the kingdom. are kept
practicalLN wild in their original forest
state. wlIAc near to the castle IS the
cultivated home park. Fridge park
contnins' 5000 acres and is the only
estate in England, with one exception.
where deer taking with hounds is still
carried on. Bridge park once formed
I part ofthc royal chase. II still retains
the Wild beauty it then had, although
there are moro than seventy miles OF
lovely drives in IT, 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 lie
transferred TO the home park to be fat
tened and eventually turned into ven
lsOn ff'
The sport is by no means as tame as
1t sounds. ) seven to nine year old
red deer vs. m awkward customer tC
tackle. Ne Is powerful, agile and well
armed with antlcrs AID hoofs
When there is TO he deer taking AT
Fridge park the meet is planned for II
o'clock at thc park keepers house
The underkeepcrs, with fresh hounds
IRE scattered through the park to head
olr the stag should he come their way.
The unGerkoepers having spread
themselves over the park. the park
Keeper, with the field" Chose follow
ing mounted and on fooD set off to
ind deer which looks ready for fat
tcning purposes. Having selected one.
IT Is the work of the keeper 10 get him
separated from the rest and then t.
slip his hound and set after him as
hard MS We can G1itop The pace. Of
course, IS trcmcndous, and as rabbit
holes abound the risk Of a fall is even
betting on, rather. a trine Of odds on
the certainty OF our taking a toss"
AS orr deer bounds away with his
wonderfully easy. elastic movements
he makes fer the widest part OF the
park, expect ting 20 escape his pursuers.
In one place after another he is met
with hidden keepers and fresh hounds.
till with tho instinct Of his species he
turns 10 what he thinks is his sane.
tuary-thc lakes. With open mouth
and tongue outhanging he plunges n
good fifteen feet into the water and
swims for the opposite bank. Cash
Ing ana firing, he lands on what he
hopes is freedom from his pursucrs
But, alas, no! Yet another fresh hound
is after him What can he do? He is
too pumped with his already hard
burst 10 face the hill before him.
He turns around ard tears down
, through the br9cken with hound on
each side IL him, ready to pull him
down If they get but half a chance
IL is n din@dong race. under trees.
through boys and bracken. up and
down dclls and breaks. smashing head
long through everything. anything. f.
reach the shelter of the friendly
water once again. With mighty
spring he IS I'm again Fer a momcni
there is breathing space. for now thc
keepers ana hounds. vet some way of
are making for tie poor bcaet. whic'
/ IS I'm the riddlc Of the lake Away ne
sWims with graceful movement Of hi.
noble head. CHANGING all around at hi,
pursucrs. but with bis mind liked OF.
his line Of retreat lie reaches tn,
shore, and. with dripping sides. he /
out upon the bank.
Again he makes an effort TO battle
ana leave behind those clinging hound.
that would boar him down. And now
two great hounds are stretching them.
selves out 10 their utmost pocn Sido
by side they race after their tirinc
quarry in another minute they will
have him. The stag however. man
ages TO make squirt. though he f.
now stncuing rapidly, and JUS.
reaches some park palmgs surrounding
the big lake
In an instant ne has turned ON hi
pursuors and with head down and IN.
raised fore leg ne Is prepared TO fight
20 the death a hound PUSHES i'm, but
. i'm twinl'ug he is on his back
hurled AWAY Ike piece of wood
I This checks the other hound which