CHAPTER XX 



KEEPERS AND KEEPERING, WITH SUB-DIVISIONS DEALING WITH 

 POACHERS AND VERMIN 



By Lord Lovat 



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 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 criticism, and the 

 interest of the superior cannot fail to stimulate the keenness of the sub- 

 ordinate. Still the fact remains that however accurate may be the 



The im- 

 portance of theoretical knowledge of management of the landlord, and however 

 the keeper. 



complete his personal attention 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. The Committee only desire 

 to suggest a few general principles founded on observations made during the 

 course of the Inquiry, and shown by experience to be established on a 

 strong and certain base. 



In the first place it may be stated as a universal rule, and from this 



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