[OTTER-HUNTING.]
Possibly no form of sport has grown into favour more than Otter-hunting of late years. Fresh hunts are continually springing into existence, and there are now in the United Kingdom some eighteen recognised packs of Otterhounds. In speaking of a pack of "Otterhounds" one does not necessarily imply that the pack are Otterhounds by breed, as Foxhounds, both Welsh and English, are frequently pressed into the service of Hunting the Otter, most, if not all packs of Otterhounds having some Foxhounds among them. Besides these, many half-bred hounds are used, that is a cross between Otterhound and Foxhound.
In fact for all round work the latter are often preferred, as the cross-bred hounds possess the stamina, constitution, high courage and dash of the Foxhound, together with the deep, musical note, heavy coat, and grand appearance of the Otterhound.
Some packs of Otterhounds indeed are composed entirely of Foxhounds entered to otters, and so keen do hounds get on the scent of the Otter, that Foxhounds will become perfectly steady from hunting a fox, though they may have run two or three seasons with a pack of foxhounds, as soon as they have become accustomed to hunting their new quarry, and are fairly entered to the Otter.
The true Otterhound is a large upstanding hound with hard shaggy coat, long ears with the "roll" in them similar to that of the Bloodhound. In colour, more of them are whole-coloured than Foxhounds, the commonest colour being black with tan points, though they are also sometimes red, and black and white. The Otterhound has a beautiful, deep melodious note, which he uses freely when hunting, in fact one of his faults is that he is apt to throw his tongue sometimes too freely and to be "noisy."
For real sport, as a general rule, a mixed pack is to be preferred i.e., one composed of Otterhounds, half-bred Hounds, and Foxhounds. They must be in the best condition, have good sound, hard feet to stand a long tramp along the road to the meet, perhaps several hours swimming in very cold water, and then the long walk—sometimes fifteen or twenty miles—back to their kennels at night.
The management of the Hounds in kennel is exactly like that of Foxhounds. They should be regularly fed and exercised in exactly the same manner as Foxhounds, the only difference being that they can be kept "bigger" in condition, as Otterhounds do not have to go fast, but have often long, slow, tiring hunts, and have to stand long exposure to cold water. In addition to the hounds themselves, good terriers are indispensable. These must be of good constitution, with good feet and legs to stand the long journeys on the road, and as hard as nails in every respect.
Otter-hunting is a sport that is followed on foot and is therefore one that any woman, rich or poor, possessed of a good pair of legs and a thick pair of boots, can join in whenever the meet is within reach.