The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-10

combine both in the boot Early in
the year the weather Is hot, the Their
mometer often rising to 80, and heavy
| underclothing Is not desirable, but one
should not go south in the winter and
expect to wear a crash suit all the
| time, for there are sudden changes
when the thermometer falls close to the
zero mark, and then a warm sweater
is not out of place at all For hot
days, canvas coat is desirable, and
light canvas shoes and leggings will be
comfortable for hunting on such days
in dry places. There are many rainy,
snowy days when it will be disagree
able to tramp about without rubber
boots. and these are especially handy
in swamp-hunting for woodcock, but
unless the sportsman picks his way,
they will soon be torn to pieces.
I Guide books advise the hunter to take
his own dog, but the experience of
many has gone to show that this is not
desirable unless the animal has been
previously used in the southern covers.
The territory is of such vast extent that
the northern dog, used to small covers,
does not know what to do. He works
too close and carefully, and is not
rangy enough to find the coveys. 1t
will take at least two weeks to get the
dog into any kind of shape. The covers
frightfully, and the best cannot be
hunted more than three days a week,
for no northern dog can endure what
the southern dogs can in the way of
work. The southern dogs, even the
good ones, are as a rule far from per-
lection. Many are imperfectly broken
and pay little attention to words of
command, but almost invariably they
find the birds, and are staunch. They
! Nrn
4 retrievers, though they break at the
/ shot and do other things that eXaspe-
/ rate the northern sportsman with his
/ ideas of what a well-broken dog should
be They are absolutely tireless, and
will hunt day after day. covering an
astonishing amount of territory like the
| wind. seldom running past birds and
rarely if ever flushing them. These dogs
come to know the covers and they spend
little time hunting through territory in
which experience has taught them
/ there are no birds. The northern dog
wastes his energy on these places, and
as a result is at the hunters heels,
played out before he has been in the
! field two hours. The trouble and eX-
/ pense o. getting dog south and back
1 can only be appreciated by those who
have attempted it.
The southern hunter breaks his dog
! to stand rabbits, but never allows him
to chase them. He starts the rabbit,
! shoots it If he can and allows the dog
! to bring it in. OF course, there are
| many hunters who do not permit this,
| but nearly all do, because rabbits are
very good eating and pleasant change
from hog and hominy," and even
quail for breakfast gets monotonous
after a while.
Turkey hunting is largely case of
| wait The birds are scattered and then
the hunter, concealed in a blind. calls
them together and shoots them as they
| appear. An experienced caller is nee
essary for this, and, while it is good
sport, it is rather too inactive for the
sportsman who loves to follow the
| dog.
There are many pleasant things about
the south which please the northerner.
First Of all the superabundance of dar-
keys interests him. There is always
one at beck and call. A little chap
builds a fire in your room and brings