224 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



the trigger, leading them away from it in the 

 form of a three-cornered table, so that the dog 

 is bound to run on to one of the three when 

 driving the hares or hunting the field. Bang !' 

 goes the gun, and off run the poachers, " He's 

 shot the dog," they cry, and forthwith catch 

 up their nets as quickly as possible, and make 

 off; if there are two nets, they take the nearest 

 and leave the other, and they do not stop to 

 touch the gate netting. 



After they have gone about half-a-mile, the 

 dog overtakes them. "The old devil missed 

 him, after all," is their polite comment ; " that 

 couldn't have been Wilkins shot at him, it was 

 one of his men ; he'd a' been a dead 'un if 

 Wilkins rose his gun to him." 



I only use the alarm gun on nights when I 

 am not watching, and then more to baulk the 

 poachers than anything else. When you are 

 watching the gates it would do more harm 

 than good ; it is only of use to prevent the 

 poachers killing your hares when you are not 

 there. 



Here is another dodge for poachers* dogs. 



