252 BADGER-HUNTING 



or a retriever will come in useful. The 

 course of procedure is simple. About 10 

 p.m. the badger-earths in the neighbourhood 

 are stopped, with the exception of two or 

 three well-used entrances. In these are 

 placed sacks with a running cord through 

 the neck of the bag, the ends of which are 

 firmly pegged and secured, so that when in 

 his flight he charges into his earth, he fastens 

 himself neatly into the sack. A man should 

 be posted near (taking the wind into account) 

 to make all quite safe if the badger falls 

 into the trap laid for him. The pack is then 

 taken out, and coverts and hedgerows drawn, 

 and when the scent is struck, a run of a few 

 miles may, at least, be hoped for. This 

 kind of hunting yields its full crop of 

 disappointments. 



