Evening star., 1934-01-21
Call to Hounds Opens Bigge

mittently among all Of them, these conditions
constitute an opportunity rather than .
handicap.
The old, established hunts give a visitor rare
sport, but even with them the people who en-
Joy the chase most are those who see in its
finished perfection the results of their own
patient handiwork.
To the members of the x-huntihg clubs
near here there is open the opportunity for
that kind Of satisfaction for dilgent labor
to attain four prime requisites Of a successful
hunt: Good country, well fenced; a competent
pack Of hounds, plenty of foxes and sufi-
cient financial subscriptions and dues to assure
all three Of the first elements.
The money problem is, of course. funda-
mental, but absence of expensive budget
does not by any means indicate that a club
will not provide good hunting for its men,
bers. There Is notable proof Of that fact
in a recognized hunt operating near Warren
ton, which carries on year after year with
great success, yet has annual sustaining
fund much smaller than, for example, one of
the local hunts
OF course, the Virginia pack mentioned is
favored by the availability of country where
natural fences abound. Paneng, the costly
of wire fenced territory seldom is
needed.
CO FAR as hunting country is concerned,
- all four OF the neghborng clubs here face
the same situation. Wire abounds and pam
cling must be done. Howard County, in por-
tionS Of its land, is perhaps luckier than the
others. Not long ago the field over there had
run that carried over IS consecutive natural
fences. That would not be possible for the
other>three packs Steady addition of more
panels each year, however, soon opens up
country so horSemen can get through.
Assembling good pack of hounds is another
process requiring time and patience. 1t is
almost impossible for the average hunt to buy
good finished foxhounds. They are fabulously
expensive. But it is easy to purchase unframed
hounds of good type and by interbreeding with
the finest stock get future dogs possessed of
the speed stamina and good voice which mark
the best animals.
Kennel management early training in man.
ners and the Offices of good professional
huntsman are other forceful factors in de-
termining the ultimate success Of pack
With superb country and splendid hounds
1t is obvious enough that fox hunting without
plentitude of foxes is defeated at the start
The drag hunt is satisfactory under certain
conditions, but locally at least it now finds
little favor.
Once foxes are present in a hunt territory
and in some cases they have to be planted
there, they will flourish, provided trapping and
hunting them with guns does not kill out the
breed
Dens and holes are plentiful in all the
reason the rumber exterminated by hounds
in the chase is relatively small. Virtually every
chase ends with the quarry scurrying to safety
underground when the pursuit grows too hot
The truth of the matter is that most hunting
people are not especially anxious to kill a fox
SO long as they have long and exciting chase
Sentimental reasons even enter into the ques-
ton. for more than one fox has become known
to the riders who hunt the territory his
home. Some of them can be counted upon to
put up a splendid every time the hounds
find them, ard the members of Redland Hunt
swear they saw one oldtimer bounce out of a
cornield, bark at the hounds to attract their
attention, wheel and dash off on 10-mile
chase.
Well, that is one form of enthusiasm for
hunting. The is not really as improbable
it sounds. Those oanny red foxes known
fence-walkers have become famous in every
territory where stone walls or rail fences are
found
When the chase gets good and hot, the fox
will bounce up on the fence. lope along
al hundred yardT. Jump down again, and