The Book of the Otter. a Manual for Sportsmen and Naturalists

PREFACE IN these days otter-hunting is a popular sport, and in consequence there are now many more packs of otterhounds than was formerly the case. Of all beasts of chase in this country, the otter is the one about which we know least, for he is a great wanderer, a creature of the night, and therefore difficult to study systematically. Of the many people who follow hounds, comparatively few understand the science of hunting, or the habits of the creature which forms their quarry. This is probably to some extent due to the fact that there are very few books dealing exclusively with the otter and his hunting. A knowledge of the science of hunting and the habits of the quarry can be picked up by those who have leisure to study the subject afield, but there are others whose opportunities of doing so are limited. It is, therefore, in the hope of interesting and perhaps instructing the latter, that we have written the following chapters. TROUTBECK , WINDERMERE. April, 1922. R. CLAPHAM. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE PREFACE 7 INTRODUCTION . 13 I. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OTTER . . 21 11. THE OTTERS HAUNTS AND HABITS . 42 111. OTTER-HUNTING, PAST AND PRESENT 73 IV. HOUNDS AND TERRIERS. . 112 V. REMINISCENCES . . 132 INDEX . I57 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS OTTER BASKING IN SHALLOW WATER Frozfispiece 70 lace page OTTER TRACKS LEAVING WATER, WALKING 4O FURROW MADE BY OTTER IN DEEP SNOW . 4O TUNNEL MADE BY OTTER IN SNOW . 53 OTTER TRACKS IN SNOW, JUMPING . 53 THE HIJNTSMAN BRINGING HIS OTTER ASHOIiE . 79 K. AND D.O.H. RETURNING TO THE MAIN RIVER . 79 A KILL WITH THE K. AND D.0.I-I. . . I02 A FAMOUS OTTERHOUND, MR V. THOMPSONS SNOWDROP . . 116 SOME OF MR W. TI-OMPSONS ROUGH OTTER- HOUNDS . . 116 K. AND D.O.H. MOVING OFF TO DRAW 39 GOING TO THE MEET BY FERRY ON LAKE WIN- DERMERE . - I39 INTRODUCTION MY DEAR CLAPHAM,-I am much flattered at your invitation to write an introduction to your Book of the Otter, and only wish I were a good enough hand with the pen to do your most interesting book the justice it deserves. If I were asked to find fault with your work I should say its only failing was its brevity. And I would ask for a few more hunts and to have them rather more elaborated. And if you could not only expound to whips, either amateur or professional, how you do your own work as such but make them into zjhits as good as yourself thereby you would take an enormous amount of worry and responsibility off many a huntsmans shoulders. As you say in your letter to me, a book on such an interesting subject is sure to create a friendly criticism, more particularly or, such controversial subjects as early meets versus late ones and pure-bred otterhounds versus draft foxhounds. Admittedly you and I have always taken rather opposite views on these two questions, so despite the very fair pros and cons you give these respective arguments in your book, may I put in a further argument in each case on behalf of hounds Take early meets with a pack hunting three and four days a week. Tt is only possible to have early meets in the hottest part of the year-say middle of June to end of August in our North Country, and a rather longer period with South and West Country packs. Say hounds meet at five am. on four days in the week. Hounds may have to take anything from one to two hours to get from kenneIs to the meet. The men are in kennel at least an hour before the hunting pack turns out, so we know that hounds get no rest after that hour, which is probably shortly after two am. Hounds ...