158 Practical Game Preserving. 



necessary that all vermin be killed off, especially stoats, 

 polecats, poacher-cats, crows, and hawks. The best time of 

 year for turning hares down is the late spring, say the 

 month of May, and it is best to turn away young hares, the 

 does if possible to be in kindle. 



If a hare warren be decided upon, it may vary in size and 

 scope according to the number of hares required and the 

 purpose for which they are wanted. If only to form the 

 nucleus of a stock upon a preserve, the warren need not 

 be of very large extent, and may consist of about an acre 

 or so of suitable land. For this purpose one cannot do 

 better than select a small spinney or piece of not too closely- 

 set copse, and inclose this, together with a good piece of 

 rich, quick-growing pasture. It is necessary to inclose it 

 effectually, and to this end a carefully put up boundary of 

 strong wire netting is best, but it must be of fair height, 

 otherwise vermin will get in and the hares get out. From 

 4ft. to 5ft. is not too high, and large mesh netting should be 

 chosen, being both cheap and suitable. When foxes and 

 poaching dogs and cats are numerous, it is sometimes neces- 

 sary to put up a sufficiently high wooden paling to keep them 

 out, but as all these three classes of animals would, prior to 

 jumping over a boundary of wire netting, make a careful 

 survey all round with the view to find an opening, it follows 

 that they should certainly be caught in some of the traps set 

 for the purpose of effecting the capture of such marauders. 

 If the warren is to serve as a hare supply for coursing 

 meetings, it must, of course, be considerably larger, and con- 

 structed upon a different and more permanent plan. The 

 fence is generally of large hurdles, so called, of wire netting, 



