The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-10-04

STANDING A BIRD WhiLk HtfHltVihu'
Qe) gauge gun when tho shooting n close
and the birds are young and the feathers
thin, For later shooting | use one aud au
eighth ounces Number 7 shot, ana the
same quantity OF Number o for the left,
was up with tho sun on the following
day and found my fay0rlte Irish setter
Eau fast asleep with heFhead hanging out
OF the dog house, A low whistle from mo
and she was up and tugging ~ her chain
A good dog always seems 10 sleep with an
eye open and with one word from ith mas
tor will be wide awake, ! started her on
without anything 10 eat, for have found
out that II IL not best 10 feed q dog before
working him, His nose viii not be ~
keen aud he will tire sooner II was
scarcely broad daylight when Fan aud !
were of for the swamp Rt n rattllnR pace
with friend aud his dog Star, who plays
q star part In this narrative. For par
fridge shooting II was an ideal day. Tho
birds would "lay close there being no
wind, and the dew would enable the dogs
10 get strong scent, Everything looked
favorable for n big bag, We tied the cob
10 tree, put our guns together, and were
ready 10 match our skill against the king
OF game birds. There Ii no doubt but
that n partridge, on account OF the cover
IL IL found In, aud la nwiftnena OF flight
aud inevitable practice OF putting n tree
or bush between yourself and II, II the
most difiioult bird that flies 70 kill ON the
wing.
A word from ms and the dogs were out
painting and whining In their anxiety TO
start. In the handling Of dogs one should
always use the same word In commanding
them 10 do certain thing. Forinntanoe,
when they are told 20 fetch, the hunter
should always hay fetch" simply, not,
"fotoh IL In, old fellow" or bring Il
along, my boy, that's good old dog"
The command should be given In n clear,
sharp voice, and not ~ ~ You were asking
n favor or going 70 have romp with him,
We told the dogs 20 HE on aud promptly
they obeyed, Old Jones' swamp, cover
ing about Ave acres, was perfectly dry
and was such cover IN the birds were SURE
20 be In, being composed OF briars and
neodnd growth, We hunted II strictly
according 10 rule, When two men are
hunting u small cover, one should take
the inside about thirty yards from the
edge aud the other ahould keep even with
him In the clearing whore he can get an
open shot when the birds fly out, There
was n alashlng or wlndfall about hun
dred yards from this swamp whore tho
birds were sure 10 80 down on being put
up. My friend and his dog took the In
side, walked along the edge working
Fan between US, Walking along abreast
In thia way, we had nearly reached tho
end and had given up finding the birds on
this side whom suddenly Fan camo 20 q
ataunch point nj the extrome edge OF tho
cover. She stood n living statue OF petrl.
Nod dog flesh, pointing towards n bunch
OF bushes that had atraggled out into the
meadow nfteen feot ahead OF hor. / was
some forty feet back, and fixing my cap
firmly on my head and holding my Scott
ready for uso walked slowly ahead every
nerve nj high tension. Fan and were
aide by side aud yet no sign OF feather.
I told her TO 90 on little, but the scent
was too hot, and she stood nrm, the end
OF her tail qulvoring and tho saliva drop
ping from her mouth.
The bird or birds were In that small
cluster OF bushes. A few years ago, dogs
were trained 20 nush birds no command,
but that practice Ia now almost entirely