CUB-HUNTING. 13 



they find keep quite quiet. This applies also to the 

 whippers-in. Let them stick to him and let the 

 others go. The more cubs you kill the steadier 

 will your young hounds be, but do not murder a 

 lot of foxes in one place. A brace of well-killed 

 cubs will do your hounds more good than a dozen 

 mopped up ones. It is better to return another 

 day and kill a brace more if it is necessary. It is 

 best always to draw those places where you know 

 there are litters. If cubs go to ground, dig them. 

 It teaches your young hounds to mark them to 

 ground. 



In an enclosed country never let them into the 

 open till nearly the end of cub-hunting, because 

 whippers-in cannot get to them readily and they 

 may get into mischief. When you do let them go, 

 if they get on the line of an old fox, do not stop 

 them if you desire to do so, till they get to some 

 natural obstacle, such as a park wall, or throw 

 up of themselves. Stopping them is likely to 

 discourage them. 



Teach your hounds to trust to themselves, and 

 when you do assist them do so in such a way that 

 they do not perceive it. It is a pitiful thing to see 

 hounds staring up helplessly at their huntsman the 

 moment they get into difficulties. 



You must, of course, encourage hounds, but 

 mind how you do it. With too much encourage- 

 ment, you may make them speak to anything or 

 nothing at all. 



