Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-27
QUAIL HCNTING in THE SOUTH.
Many Northerners Journey to the
Game Lands OF North Carolina.

Correspondence of the New York Times
The quafFs whistle is already beginning to
be heard through the game lands of middle
North Carolina, reminding the people of the
countryside that before long hundreds of
sportsmen from the north and west will be-
gin to pour In for the seasons hunting. All
around this neighborhood, which is para
disc for the huntsman, land owners are
labelling their border posts with notices of
warning to any one daring to bring gun or
dog on the premises. But all this will be
forgotten when the hunters begin to mol
lily the irate rustics with silver dollars or
even the less costly bribe of nattery and
persuasion. In the end everybody will hunt
where he likes. and echoes of shot and shell
will mingle with the whirring roar Of the
covey and the excited voices of numberless
enthusiasts of the sport.
10 the average inhabitant of thickly set
tled sections of the northern and middle
states quail hunting is little known.
Most people, no doubt, unacquainted
with how the thing is done, or what an
enormous amount of interest Is taken by
enthusiasts In the sport. Weeks and even
months are occupied by the expert in train
ing his dogs. and long before the season
opens on November l he Is romping over
the country with his puppies in tow, teach
ing them the scent of the birds and inStill-
Ing into them a firm fear of the results of
the least dfsobedience to his commands. BY
the time for the open season the intelligent
animals are in prime condition, moving
this way and that in accord with the slight
est motion of their masters hand, and
opeyinS MS spoken commands with equal
precision. They move or stand or lie fiat
on the ground he directs, or. when
bird falls dead, dart into the thicket or
brook and bring It to his feet. Such of the
young dogs as prove intractable OF stupid
are disposed of in short order, leaving only
the shrewd and docie ones TO run through
.ile season The hunter of long experience
mas his old and trusty animals. These old
stagers assist their master in training the
new ones
Settlers and pointers are the breeds Of
does used Tor quail. The setter, with its
long halr and thick skin, has the advantage
OF Wlthstanding briers, and will burst
through the thickest nettles. He is also
ioVer OF water, and delights to swim across
the river after dead bird. But the point
eF mates both water and briers, although if
Well trained he will brave both at his mas
ter S bidding. His superiority to the setter
IS greater adaptabiiity for training, and
he IS also less stubborn and lasts better In
most cases the owner of a large number
Oh dogs will have some of both breeds,
using each species for the kind of hunting
to which ii Is best suited
In training the dogs the hunter first
II axes them "heel''-that Is, walk behind
hlm-irom home to the fields over which he
intends to shoot. These fields are covered
with stubble Of wheat. rye or grass and
carry IN the mornngois. the best time to
una the quall feeding in the open, whence
.hey depart during the middle of the day
as soon as the ground Is reached the hunter
lakes MS stand on s4,lne,felevated knoll
"here there is spreast,ouu before him a
ciear view In all directions1and then waves
ms mana toward the ,arnpatie dogs. No
sooner is the motion ,uaadts than the ami
Fals spring forward and begin to course
over the ground, with their noses close to
the earth TT
Round and round the dogs circle, shifting
ana oio"lhs, but never stopping for mo-
inent AT last one of them drops fiat. The
hunter grasps his guu ami runs toward
the spot and the other dogs race around
and drop behind the one that first halted,
All taxing care not to pass over the ground
IN front By the time the arrives all
the animals are formed into line, their
Dodles rigid and tails extended straight out
their noses all pointed in the same direc-
tfon. The quail are found. and one only
mas TO look to the spot at which the dogs
are pointing to know exactly where the
Convey lies crouching and ready to fly. Soft
~ the hunter creepS up behind the foremost
dog his gun cooked and every muscle on
the alert When he Is ready to shoot he
makes some noise to stir up the hiding
birds. which are the color of the ground
and hence invisible until they rise. With
roar that sounds to the nervous hunter
more disconcerting thanithe roll of cannon.
the whole flock hurls itself into the air a,ij
makes for the nearest wood. Both barrels
are emptted into the covey as 1t whirIs It
self away, and. If the man behind the gun
Is good shot. one or two, or even four
birds may drop.
All this time the dogs remain mationiess.
They see the birds rise and also watch
where they go. They see, too, whether any