66 THE RED DEER OF EXMOOR. 



smaller than at present the huntsman's task was 

 much easier. 



If there were only three deer in a wood, it did not 

 much matter if the stag did rouse the other two — a 

 few couple of steady old tufters w^ere easily stopped 

 and put right, and the stag was bound to be driven 

 out in time. Consequently, the tufter was chosen, for 

 his steadiness and experience, for his obedience, and 

 for his staunchness on one scent ; his drive and pace 

 were matters of no consequence. Tufting was a 

 sure process, but it must have been wondrous slow, 

 and, as deer increased and multiplied, became more 

 and more difficult to carry out successfully. 



In more recent years better field-glasses and 

 better harbouring have enabled the stag to be more 

 exactly located, or, to use a technical term, more 

 " closely harboured," than was possible previously, 

 wMth the result that the huntsman has a better 

 chance of rousing the big stag first, before any other 

 deer are moved — a matter of the greatest importance. 

 The ordinary course pursued is to lay the tufters on 

 the line of the stag where he came in from feeding 

 or where he crossed a path, and then let them try to 

 hunt the drag up to where the stag is lying. If the 

 weather is favourable they can frequently do this. 



Having roused the stag, the object is to drive him 

 through covert as fast and hard as may be, and not 

 give him time to go looking for other deer, thus, 

 by keeping up the pressure, forcing him to break 

 covert. 



