1 52 DEER-STALKING 



to portray these exciting scenes, there was the chance 

 of the dog breaking bay as soon as he found that it 

 was not possible to get his enemy by the throat ; and, 

 "lastly, there was the chance, not confined to deer- 

 hounds, of the stalkers failing to find the stag of to 

 hear the far-off challenge of the hound. 



Another difficulty which has to be faced if deer- 

 hounds are employed lies in the impossibility of 

 training them to the work. This also applies, but in a 

 less degree, to any kind of dog intended to be slipped 

 not run on a string. A good keeper will break a 

 brace of young pointers or setters so perfectly before the 

 1 2th of August that they only require a shot or two 

 to be fired over them to render their performance on 

 the moor equal to that of seasoned dogs. This cannot 

 be done with deerhounds. It is only practice in the 

 stalking season that gives these dogs an opportunity 

 of learning the business, and showing of what stuff 

 they are made. While their education therefore is 

 going on, many a good stag may be lost. There is 

 no use training them on wounded hinds during 

 winter. These have no horns, and the hound never 

 gets the chance of a ' bay.' 



Another objection to using deerhounds lies in 

 the necessity, before alluded to, of taking out two 

 dogs, one for tracking, instead of only one. I often 



