HUNTING A FOX IN THE OPEN

When you have to turn hounds remember that you cannot do so unless you get to their heads. Very often one sees a huntsman blowing his horn, an unjumpable fence between him and the pack, and the whipper-in on the same side of the fence as the huntsman rating and holloaing at the hounds. He is really doing his best to drive them still farther from the huntsman and increasing his difficulties. No huntsman who knows anything of his business will be angry with you for not being at the heads of the hounds on all occasions, as it is often a physical impossibility for you to be so; but he will be angry, and rightly so, if, just to show you are somewhere near, and are doing something, you get between him and the pack and rate them farther away from him. Similarly, when he is blowing them away from a covert after a fox, get to them and rate them on if you can, but if that is impossible, do the next best thing and hold your tongue.

When the pack are running riot or heel, and you go to stop them, take a look at the fences and gates before you start, and make up your mind exactly where you will get to their heads, and do not ride crossways at the middle of the pack only to cross the line behind them just as the tail hounds are going through a fence.

In the open when you have turned the hounds, which, if you get to their heads, is done with a word, your work is finished for the moment; on no account ride after them cracking your whip and rating them, or you will very likely drive them clean over the line of scent, and on a bad scenting day are nearly sure to do so. Your best plan is to canter back towards the huntsman so as to be ready to help him to prevent any of the hounds from taking up the line heel way. This stupid bungle is generally the huntsman’s own fault, as he ought to cast his hounds in front of him; but sometimes on windy days, when the fox has gone straight down wind, it is a little difficult to prevent it. When you are sent on to obtain information from someone who has seen the fox, find out as quickly as you can all he has to tell you and then take off your cap, and point out the fox’s line. If you point with your hand only it is almost impossible to see it from a distance.

When the pack run into a covert of moderate size the first whipper-in should watch which side the huntsman goes, and should ride along the other, taking care to keep as nearly opposite him as possible. The second whipper-in, especially if the hounds are running up wind, or have a tired fox before them, should hang back till he is quite certain they are “forward away” on the line. If they are running with even a moderate scent, the whippers-in will do more good by acting in this way than by galloping on to the end for a view, as they will run no risk of heading the fox and perhaps spoiling the run of the season. If the fox keeps straight on the hounds will run him if there is any scent at all, but he will very likely be lost if the whole establishment goes forward and he lies down and slips back without being seen.

Some huntsmen, on nearing a small covert, are fond of catching hold of their hounds, and holding them forward so as to hit the fox’s line if he has gone through. If this is done it is an absolute necessity that one of the whippers-in should hang back till the line has been hit off. If the covert is a large one, the huntsman will, of course, go in with his hounds, and the first whipper-in should take a ride parallel to him, so that they may have the hounds between them. If the hounds are running down wind the second whipper-in may with advantage get on to the far end, but if it is up wind or the fox is tired, he will do better to keep a quarter behind the huntsman, as in these cases the fox is sure to turn back before he has gone far, and if he does not the hounds will soon run into him without help.

A hunted fox is a most difficult thing to be certain about, and at times even the most experienced will be deceived. A fox that is very tired indeed will at times, and especially if he is being holloaed at, look and move exactly like a fresh one; but if you are lucky enough to get a good view of him without his seeing you, you can generally tell. If you are a good way ahead of the hounds, and the hunted fox comes up to you and lies down, and you hear the pack hunting up to him, let him lie; watch him, but do not say a word. Every minute he lies there is bringing his enemies nearer to him, and making his death more certain. Of course, if the hounds are manifestly at fault, or have changed on to a fresh fox, you must attract the huntsman’s attention somehow. In the open this can generally be done by holding up your cap without moving the fox; in covert you will probably be obliged to give him a holloa, but you must not do so till other means have failed.

Lastly, save your horses as much as you can consistently with doing your work, and save them before they are tired; it is too late to do so afterwards. Always choose the best and soundest going you can. Jump no large fence when a small one or a gate will land you as near the hounds.

Try and keep up your zeal and attention all day, and be as keen in the evening as in the morning; and as long as the huntsman thinks it worth while to persevere after his fox do you persevere too, and do your level best to help to end the day with a kill, however hopeless such a result may at times appear.

Always be neat and tidy, and take a pride in cleaning your hunting things well and putting them on smartly.

THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH.