OTTER-HUNTING 



abouts and the doings of otters. Their tracks will 

 be plain enough in the snow, and by following 

 these footprints a knowledge of the various routes 

 traversed by otters will be gained, and many a long 

 forgotten drain or other hiding-place discovered. 

 The lessons thus learnt will come in mighty useful 

 when the hunting season again begins. When 

 thus scouting his country, he should not forget to 

 drop in at the mill, or the various farmsteads near 

 the river. The miller can be a good friend, or, 

 if he likes, a bad enemy, and the same applies to 

 farm-hands, and other people who work on the 

 land. A chat with the farmer and his wife goes 

 a long way towards smoothing the ground for 

 hunting, and a friendly word and a pipe of baccy 

 with the river-watchers and labourers ensures 

 amicable relations, and paves the way towards 

 encouraging an interest in hounds and hunting. 

 It is the Master who is thus on the job in winter 

 as well as summer who gets plenty of good walks 

 for his puppies, and is free to hunt when and where 



he likes during the season. On his journeys he 



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