POACHERS' DOGS, AND HOW TO KILL THEM, 223 



whichever way a hare comes into a field at 

 night, she will go out the same way if she 

 possibly can. Now the hares, thus driven to 

 avoid the gate, make through the hedges, and 

 the more runs there are through the hedges 

 the more chances there are for the hares, and 

 the less for the poachers. Thus you protect 

 the hares and bafHe the poachers. Finally, 

 fasten the gate with a good strong wyth, and 

 put a peg through the framework. 



Poachers, when after ground game, are 

 invariably accompanied by a dog, which is 

 generally a mongrel of the hound species. As 

 I think I have before mentioned, it is of the 

 utmost importance to get rid of this dog some- 

 how or other. If you can do this it will often 

 break up the gang of poachers for the season, 

 as it is generally a very clever dog and difficult 

 to replace. 



I am now going to tell you how to preserve 

 your hares from the poachers and their dogs. 

 Set an alarm gun in the field where the hares 

 feed, generally a clover field ; place it in the 

 centre of the field, and attach three strings to 



