OTTER-HUNTING 



After blowing the " rattle," and cheering hounds 

 to keep up the excitement, the various trophies are 

 distributed, and one's thoughts then turn in the 

 direction of certain bottles which are snugly 

 reposing in a friend's car on the nearest highway. 



Early, or late in the season, when the weather 

 is boisterous and the water cold, it pays to hold up 

 a few couples of hounds, reserving them until the 

 working pack has had about enough of it. Then 

 at the right moment, throw in your reserves and 

 make a quick finish. This plan is especially 

 applicable to lake hunting, when hounds are 

 continually swimming in deep water. 



When hounds are on a drag, or have put down 



their otter, the huntsman should encourage them, 



cheering them on to any particular hound which 



has made a hit, and the same when they mark 



solidly at a root. There is no need to be noisy, 



but hounds work all the better for encouragement, 



and a bit of excitement at a holt teaches young 



hounds to mark their otter. To make a success 



of otter-hunting, or any other kind of hunting for 



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