THE COUNTRY IN WHICH TO HUNT 7 



noticed that men who say this are generally many 

 degrees removed from want), they certainly should 

 not come to hunt in an expensive country. The 

 question of the future, in the grazing countries espe- 

 cially, is that of wire. It appears to me that it is 

 impossible that hunting can go on for many years 

 in the happy-go-lucky way it has done in the past. 

 Some sporting rights over a district will have to be 

 obtained and paid for, and, if necessary, we hunting- 

 men must dip our hands deeper into our pockets, 

 especially those of us who are not landowners. A 

 practical way of looking at the matter is this. A 

 horse costs you roughly, taking into consideration 

 wages, forage, and depreciation in value, lOOZ. a 

 year. Would not most of us, if we cannot afford 

 to increase our subscription, prefer to hunt with 

 one horse less, if by doing so we could be sure of 

 riding in safety over the country ? I do not say 

 that it will be necessary for all of us to take so 

 drastic a measure as this, or to send 100/. annually 

 to the wire fund. I merely put the matter in this 

 light in answer to many who keep six to ten horses, 

 and yet say their very moderate subscription is all 

 they can afford. The remedy, I maintain, is, if 

 necessary, to keep a smaller stud, and devote the 

 money so saved to increasing their subscription. 

 I am well aware that the question of acquiring 

 definite sporting rights over a country bristles with 



