Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-01-13
FIRING OUT THE STAG
A "Deer Take" In EngIand's Old
est Deer Park.
BOUNDED UNTIL HE Clasps,
The Game Animal Is Mereilessly
Driven Hither and Yon, Through
Lake and Wood, Until He Falls Ex-
hausted, Though Undaunted.


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. 1t still retains
the wild beauty 1t then had, although
there are more than seventy miles OF
lovely drives in it, not counting those
OF the home park.
Deer taking is entirely different from
drcr hunting. The object IS to take
The animals alive so that they may be
transferred TO the home park TO be fat
tened ANA eventually turned into ven
laon.
The sport is by no means as tame as
II sounds. 4 seven TO nine year old
red deer is an awkward customer ia
tackle. lie is powerful, agile and well
armed with antlers and hoofs
When there is to be deer taking at
i
o'clock at the park Keepers house.
The underkeepers, with fresh hounds.
1re scattered through the park to head
Oft 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
( ilud deer which looks ready for fat
, tening purposes. Having selected one,
II 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 rs we can gallop. The pace, of
/ course, is tremendous, and as rabbit
/ holes abound the risk of fall is even
/ betting or rather tri1e OF odds on
/ the certainty OF our taking a toss"
! As our deer bounds away with his
| wonderfully easy. elastic movements
| he makes for the widest part OF the
! pnrk, expecting to escape his pursuers
IT, In one place after another he is met
with hidden keepers and fresh hounds,
! TIL with the instinct of his species he
I turns TO what he thinks is his sane
! tpary-the lakes. With open mouth
and tongue outhanging he plunges a
Pgood fifteen feet into the water and
swims for the opposite bank. Gasp.
in and firing, he lands on what he
hopes Is freedom from his pursuers
i7tS1't. alas, no! Yet another fresh hound
LIS after him. What can he do? He is
TOO pumped with his already hard
burst 10 face the hill before him
ITIe turns around and tears down
tIroE2h the bracken with hound on
ec Cd side of him. ready 10 pull him
,a2Wh if they get but half 4 chancc
III is dinSdons race, under trees,
through Dogs and bracken, up and
down dclls and breaks. smashing head
lopg through everything, anything. TO
reach the shelter Of the friendly
water once again. with a mighty
spring he is I'm again. For n moment
there is breathing space for now the
Keepers and hounds. yet some way off.
are making for the poor beast, which
Is i'm the middle Of the lake. Away he
sWimS with graceful movement of his
noble head, glancing all around at bis
pursuers, but with his mind fixed on
\ his line Of retreat He Teaches the
l.shore, and, with dripping sides, he is
out upon the bank.
4-.,id Iaa,.o t,,,i,'r "iI ~ 10 o'll,e
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Fqharry; in another minute they will
have him The stag. however. man
axes to make a squirt though he is
r.,ci,o. 900 ,,7,.,. III, 80 yu'.
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