The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-25
BIRDING" In VIRGINIA.
OPENING DAY WITH DOG, GUN
AND QUAIL.


Shoot Point Blank Into Covey
Raise-How Quail Roost-A Funny
Incident in Which it Looked as If a
Bird Played Possum-A Picture to
Warm a Hunters Heart.
(Copvright.)
NEW YoRK, Oct. 2i.-On opening day,
Oct. IS, good hour before sunrise, a friend
and myself were seated in a rlckety old
vehicle. slowly bowling along a country
road behind a typical away -down-south
plantation horse. AS we plodded along,
watching with sleepy eyes. the fip-fop of
our nag's ears keeping time with the jog-jog
Of his bunny hind legs, there came from
the wagon box smothered grumblings that,
from time to time, broke into long tremu-
lous walls of impatieuce. Hanging over
the sides of the wagon. appearing in
dark red settings, were the black tipped
noses and eager bright eyes of our two Irish
settlers, Fan and Flash. Our destination
was Col. Van Antwerp's plantation, which
includes a thousand acres or more in the
best birding" district OF Virginia. As we
drew rein before a large hospiua be look
ing house. the door opened and the colonel's
jolly voice made us welcome and invited us
in to partake of a cup of hot coffee. "Dont
wait for it to COOL" added he: tits high
time we were off, This was true; the sun
had at last succeeded in penetrating the
early morning mist. and its genial warmth
is the signal for quail to hustle abouJ for
breakfast. Quail roost on TIE ground in
the open field. They get together as closely
as possible, and, with their heads pointing
out. form 6 circle that is so compact that
buShel basket would easily hide a large
co7ey. Until they have left their roost
there is but little use looking
for them, as dog may come within a few
feet OF the bunch without discovering it
unless the wind happens TO be favorable.
Fifteen minutes after they have left their
roost, however. they have distributed
enough scent to give dog the palsy.
The colonel started Off in good spirits by
saying that he had eleven coveys located
within a radius Of a quarter Of q mile-all
good sized birds
Fifty yards journey from the house
brought US on the hunting ground. Our
host took the middle of the field Jack one
side and l the other. And SO, walking
along, we covered the entire ground at one
sweep. We had crossed half the field
when the colonel called out, Here they
are, boy,." Some distance ahead of him
we saw bis dog Carlo on point, and hur-
rying over, we took our positions for shot.
Although it was the first find, our dogs be-
haved magnifcently, and stopping at
safe distance backed Carlo.
The colonel killed the first bird that
jumped and bagged another from the covey
raise. | made miss with my right, but
dropped bird that had separated from the
covey and swung off on my side. Our COM
panion made two clean misses. 81 don't
understand it, said he. "The shells must
he bad. / am sure l held Ia the midst OF
them with both barrels" We had good
laugh at this, for it is well known fact
that man might shoot a dozen times
point blank in flock with no result.
Always cover some one bird before
pulling trigger. l have seen quail
punched so Close that it would seem i'm
possible that less than three or four would
drop at one delivery, but IL one sue
oumbs to the temptation he finds out too
late that he has wasted his ammunition
shooting in the air. The best way to make
double in coveys is TO kill the initial
bird, which usually strikes the air some
seconds before the others, aud then take
plenty OF time in selecting and covering a
bird for your second barrel The man who
adopts this plan will also, at the close OF the
day have the fuest quail, as it is nearly al
ways one of the old ones that first jumps.
We marked the birds down along brush
fence, and on reaching it | took one side
and the colonel and my friend the other
We had gone but few yards when heard
o Shot, and a dark object came shooting
through the tops of the trees, and by its
momentum was carried some distance be>
fore it struck the ground. Ibid l get
him~ sang out the colonel. Ny answer
was TO toss the bird to him through con-
venient opening in the fence. ~ thought
had the right direction" he remarked,
"but was not sure, as the rascal put a tree
top between US just as | fred Look
out Flash is making game.n my friend
shouted. just then Fan got the scent from
oar side and drew into point. On reach
ing her | found ell the dogs pointing to-
ward brush pile. Telling the boys to be
ready, | kicked into il and routed three
birds. Two came out by me. only to drop
at the reports Of my gun, and Jack cut
down the other. which was making for a
green thorn thicket over at his right. Fan
retrieved one of my birds and was ranging
rapidly in search Of the other when suddenly
she wheeled half around and became trans
fixed just the Carlo came through the
fence aud backed her in fine style. |
walked sumo yards ahead of her, but failed
to start a feather. / had expected from
Fans sudden stop and the extreme rigor Of
her position that the bird was very Close
still I was not prepared to see q quail in
plain sight and right under her nose. 1t
kept perfectly still with its bead
tucked under tho grass. 1t is
claimed that a dog, when pointing
from hot scent, Is absolutely
blind so far as seeing the game is concerned.
II tho CLASSY appearance Of her eyes was
not sufficient proof of the fact, this incident
would seem to be conclusive evidence. Even
after had caught the bird. which had no
trouble in DOING 1t ives an instant before
she pulled herself together sufficiently to
see it. Come on, jim, the dogs are stand
ing. What are you doing back there, any
wayF' called the colonel. Showing the live
quail into my game pocket and fastening
the lapel securely over it, l hurried on.
Better come over here They are sure to
come out on this side on their way to the
thicket" had barely got through the
fence when some half dozen birds flushed.
one apiece. ''Co found il" grumbled the
colonel. "That's for shooting 80 quick:
ought 70 have killed two sure Til bet
will take time enough on the next bird that
shows himself. BY lingo This is the heaviest
quail I've seen this year" said he y handing
mo a hne cock bird that Carlo had Just re-
trieved. Now something very funny hap
pened. ! lifted the lapel OF my pocket and
dropped the dead quail into 10, wnen with a
Wh-r-F-r Out shot the captured bird, striking
the colonel fair In tho face. The four re-
ports u ia ks gun aud mine mingled to-
geLhsf. aud as the quail was emitting the air
some 90 yards away With all three dogs
aftsr him laBgl lang echoed the eoionelia