Of late people have asked •Why is a fox

Of late people have asked •Why is a fox hunters organization needed?" Others have *" said “Fox hunting is already doomed, because of so many deer; why bother?Who wants to listen" to a gang of dogs barking anyway?" Perhaps it would be best to answer the deer question first. Certainly now is not the first time Virginia has been populated with deer. There were deer in Virginia in George Washington’s day. He. our first President, was an avid fox hunter. The sport of fox hunting has meant much to the historical and economical development of the Commonwealth including Rappahannock County itself. But to the Why? of an organization. Organized effort usually means bigger and better results than those of an individual. There are many reasons, but first let’s consider the sport itself. The chase is a nerve tingling experience to hear and witness; a matter of the pursued and the pursuing employing every inch of their inherent skills to escape or account for. It is a fundamental aqd honest challenge; the fox pitting his cunning,speed, and endurance against the brains, know-how speed, and endurance of the hounds. The fox is more cunning than the hound--otherwise, he would have been extinct long ago. The hounds in giving tongue always let the pursued know their whereabouts and thereby demonstrate fair play. A true foxhunter has no equal as a sportsman. He respects the other hunters’ game. He respects the property of others. He likes the out-of-doors and thereby lives close to his Maker. Foxhunting is a common meeting ground no matter whether the foxhunter be a pink-coater or a one-gallus, fork s-of-the-creek hunter out at night with his lantern and hounds. Name any characteristic most desired in mankind and such character| istics will be those most sought after by our hunt clubs, or the independent hunters in their .hounds. Are