CHAPTER XIV 



KEEPERS AND KEEPERING, WITH SUB-DIVISIONS DEALING 

 WITH POACHERS AND VERMIN 



IT is a very common belief amongst moor-owners tacitly 

 accepted rather than openly confessed that provided the 

 proprietor is interested in moor management, his keenness in 

 the shooting season, and his intermittent interference at other 

 times of the year, will make up for any shortcomings on the 

 part of his paid keeper. 



This is, unfortunately, very far from being the case. 



Great help may undoubtedly be given by advice and criti- 

 cism, and the interest of the employer cannot fail to stimulate 

 the keenness of the subordinate. Still the fact remains that 

 however accurate may be the theoretical knowledge of manage- 

 ment of the landlord, and however complete his personal atten- 

 tion to the general principles of moor hygiene, the gamekeeper 

 will always remain the executive officer responsible for the 

 thousand and one details on which the health of the moor 

 ultimately depends. 



In undertaking the management of shooting, it is, therefore, 

 of primary importance not only that a good keeper should be 

 chosen, but also that the terms of his engagement, .the nature 

 of his duties, and the extent of the assistance, both permanent 

 and casual, to be given to him should be of such a kind as to 

 give him the widest scope for efficient service. 



It is not intended in this chapter to go at length into a 

 description of the methods of selection of a keeper, or the 

 technical details of the duties that he should carry out after 

 appointment. It is only proposed to suggest a few general 



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