THE BOOK OF THE OTTER 



county, whereas if hounds were put to water on the 

 following morning at the place where they left off, 

 a hunt would be practically a certainty. Again, 

 if a brace of otters are put down, and one of them 

 is hunted and eventually killed, a visit to the same 

 water on the following day would result in the 

 survivor providing some pretty work for hounds. 

 There is hardly an Otter Hunt in the kingdom but 

 what attempts to cover more water in a season 

 than it can properly manage. The chances of 

 continuous good sport are on this account 

 exceedingly doubtful, for unless rivers are 

 frequently visited, and a fair percentage of otters 

 are killed, riparian owners, keepers, and others will 

 refuse to protect otters, and instead, go in for the 

 killing business themselves. Hunting is in this 

 country dependent upon the goodwill of land- 

 owners and tenants, who are as a rule only too 

 pleased to welcome hounds. If, however, the 

 Hunt does not properly reduce the stock of foxes 

 or otters, other methods are then resorted to. The 



more otters or foxes you kill in your district, the 



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