Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-27
MRS. wooDcocK TRANSPORTING HER YOUNG.

INKS. WoODCoCK TRANSPORTING HER YOUNG.
The degree of skill attained by the expert
enced woodcoek hunter is astonishing and TO
the novice IL almost beyond belief This
bird. on jumping up, viii invariably make
nearly perpendicuar ascent and disappear
over the top Of the brush. 1t is unnecessary
FOR his fight to be visible but for few feet
as it is only his direction that is required. and
he may be well out of sight before the report
OF the gun, but the chances are about seven
out of ten that a few of the shot will succeed
In penetrating the foliage and bringing him
down.
SHOOTING TOO QUICKLY
The mistake amateur makes is that of
shooting too quickly. He realizes that the
bird will be almost Immediately out of sight
and thinks he must fire before the meteor-like
target has disappeared. This is all wrong; for
even il he succeeds in killing his bird by this
method it will be at such close quarters that
nothing but few feathers will remain for his
game bag. In hunting woodcock a stauncb
dog Is required. and he should be trained es-
peclally for this kind Of sport 1t is essential
that he should be close ranger otherwise
most OF the time he would be out of sight in
the thick brush, willows or alders for such are
the places that woodcock frequent He must
also be thoroughbred retriever, for with
out persistent retriever nine-tenths of the
dead birds would be lost Even then a number
Of birds viii be left hanging in the top of the
brush.
SUMNER AND FALL SHOOTING.
Woodeock shooting may be divided into two
kinds, summer and fall shooting. In the hot
days OF the former he is found in the most ro-
mantlc and picturesque spots, such as along the
cool and shady banks Of stream or lake.
where he remains all day long under the pro
lection OF spreading brake or overhanginp
willow, At this season he is mentally and phys
lcally but partially developed, and against a
staunch dog and fairly good shot hasn't a
ghost Of q chance. He gets up on weak wings
and is such chump that il fired at and missed
his Hight viii measure but few yards. when
he viii drop in most any spot, whether con-
spicuous or not, and quietly wait to be kicked
up ana shot at again. This kind of thing
viii go on indefinitely until the s.shoemakers
flor shoemaker he is-a sportsman would
have downed him with the first or
second shot has either killed him by lucky
chance or, as is often the case left in disyusf
swearing that woodcock shooting is no good.
anyway: For this early shooting a light 2S-inch
DSTreied l2-ga1ge; eylinder-bore gun is prefer
able Inc shells should be tightly reamed and
loaced with 81 drains OF quick powder and I
ounce of No. 10 chilled, shot with two wads over
the powder and one over the shot using wood
powder, which is smokeless, in the barrel that
Is nrst fired Most Of the birds will be killed
at very short range, and the result striven for
Is that the shot be evenly scattered over as
much territory as possible for one or two OF
these small shot would be sufficient to kill the
young bnd
SCARCITY OF wooDcoCK
"nefe twenty plrds could be found some
nfteen years ago there is but one now. And
this pitisble state of affairs Is mainly dine 10
The killing fyoung birds. Luckily. there are
eut Few states at present whose game laws do
not protect woodcock in the summer months
Inc sooner they all have strict laws against the
slaughter OF the innocents"-for innocents
they are until the latter part of Augustine
better II VIII please any true sportsman.
NOW coHrs THE FALL SHOOTING,
when No. 9 shot should be substituted for the
No. 10 and every woodcock killed will be worth
two OF the July birds. Proportionately 10 the
birds increase in size is his growth in worldly
wisdom. And if he is not brought down at the
nrst shot the chances are he will make long
night, ana u not Killed ON the second rise he Is
OF for good.
Occasionally there viii be what Is termed a
silent bird. That is, he gets up without the
whistle that the sportsman expects 10 hear, and
bis hight Is SO rapid that he is nearly out of
range before the gunner has realized that it is
swoodcock st all