I feel duty bound to inform you that my 2017 book 21st-Century Yokel is currently available to listen to for FREE on Audible, worldwide. If you’ve never tried one of my books, it’s not a bad place to start. Yokel was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize, which is the big nature writing award here in the UK, but it misbehaves a bit to truly qualify as a nature book, being a combination of folklore, wildlife, social history, walking, memoir, stories about the behaviour of my
"hunting" a guy in a fox suit, or riding to hounds who are chasing a scented drag ... fine. Chasing down a terrified animal is just asshollery. Because they roust the poor foxes and close off their dens.
Decades ago I saw an article which did, technically, contain fox hunting but nothing was hurt. The author described visiting an uncle, and the farm dogs were raising a ruckus one night - they were behind a chain link fence around the house and garden. "Ah, the foxes are bored. Tomorrow night we'll go out." That night, the dogs were allowed out and the uncle took the author to a particular hollow tree by a stream. "Now just sit here and watch. Won't be long now." In the distance, and getting closer, was the baying of the hounds. A fox came scampering through the stream and another fox, who'd been sleeping in the hollow tree came out. They touched noses briefly and the rested fox trotted toward the sound of the dogs for a few paces, then dashed off into the night. The dogs, sniffing along the stream bank, came around the tree, didn't even notice the humans, caught the fresh fox's scent and dashed off on the scent trail.
Uncle told the author about every 2-3 weeks the local foxes would get bored and come hang around to tease the hounds so he'd let the dogs out for a run. They never came back with blood on them, and this was why. The uncle chuckled that, "I swear, I heard snoring from that tree! Cheeky foxes. The hen house is fox-proof so I'm not worried about the birds, and the foxes are welcome to the mice and vermin, but they do love to tease my dogs."
THIS is fair fox hunting. When it's a game to the foxes themselves.
I agree wholeheartedly that fox hunting is disgusting; however, the fox-hunting scenes in J.P. Donleavy's novels always had me laughing out loud. Perhaps that's the best way to deal with fox hunting, literarily--a strong dose of buffoonery, a bit of sexy time al fresco, and a narrow escape for the fox.
"hunting" a guy in a fox suit, or riding to hounds who are chasing a scented drag ... fine. Chasing down a terrified animal is just asshollery. Because they roust the poor foxes and close off their dens.
Decades ago I saw an article which did, technically, contain fox hunting but nothing was hurt. The author described visiting an uncle, and the farm dogs were raising a ruckus one night - they were behind a chain link fence around the house and garden. "Ah, the foxes are bored. Tomorrow night we'll go out." That night, the dogs were allowed out and the uncle took the author to a particular hollow tree by a stream. "Now just sit here and watch. Won't be long now." In the distance, and getting closer, was the baying of the hounds. A fox came scampering through the stream and another fox, who'd been sleeping in the hollow tree came out. They touched noses briefly and the rested fox trotted toward the sound of the dogs for a few paces, then dashed off into the night. The dogs, sniffing along the stream bank, came around the tree, didn't even notice the humans, caught the fresh fox's scent and dashed off on the scent trail.
Uncle told the author about every 2-3 weeks the local foxes would get bored and come hang around to tease the hounds so he'd let the dogs out for a run. They never came back with blood on them, and this was why. The uncle chuckled that, "I swear, I heard snoring from that tree! Cheeky foxes. The hen house is fox-proof so I'm not worried about the birds, and the foxes are welcome to the mice and vermin, but they do love to tease my dogs."
THIS is fair fox hunting. When it's a game to the foxes themselves.
I love your LOUD DAD!!
As usual, I laughed out loud at your wit with special emphasis on your your Dad!
I bought 21st Century Yokel from Amazon Australia who shipped it in from UK. Very excited to read it.
Not available for free to buy or listen here in the US, according to my Audible account.
Ralph looked like a lovely cat, guarding your piles of books. Will be listening to your Audible recording asap.
Thanks for the heads-up, just added your book to my Audible library
Congrats Tom on your “bold endeavour Anniversary”! Where did you put on those books? The cat looks a little squeezed in.
I agree wholeheartedly that fox hunting is disgusting; however, the fox-hunting scenes in J.P. Donleavy's novels always had me laughing out loud. Perhaps that's the best way to deal with fox hunting, literarily--a strong dose of buffoonery, a bit of sexy time al fresco, and a narrow escape for the fox.