Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-29

He IL. further, 30 noble an expansionist. A
single family, unhindered. grows in a sea-
son to a Convey. With even the shadow OF
game protection he increases and multipltes
until his sort possesses the land. In the
tar south-Louisiana and Texas-he brings
up two broods each season. Ungratefuily
he is allowed to be shot there for six
months OF the year, from September to
April.
Cock partridges. wherever they range.
are Mormons OF the first water, never sat-
isfed with less than two wives and often
b0asting three. All the wives lay In
common nest. take turns at brooding the
eggs and at caring for the young. There
may be as many as thirty eggs in nest.
Twenty Is more usual.
The young run from the nest almost as
soon as Matched and know enough by the
time they are dry to hide at their mothers
note OF warning. They are so near the
color of earth and leaves that the least
small inequality gives them shelter from
intrusive eyes. They run very swiftly and
in little while begin to fly. although they
are not strong on the wing until they are
full grown and full feathered.
The Best Time for Shooting.
Because Of the Mormon tendency there
are generally bachelor birds who skuik by
twos and threes about the hedgerow thick
cts all summer long. The best early shoot
ing is had by beating these thickets. The
minated birds fly strongly and are in prime
condition fortnight before the coveys are
at their best After frost the lone birds and
coveys coalesce.
The coveys have habit Of going back
toward the nest at night. They seldom
sleep fifty yards of the nest spot. unless
they have been SO much disturbed there
that they have abandoned the place alto
gether. Local attachment Is tremendously
strong with them. They will often cling to
a field throuph a whole though shot
at every week. They will migrate in
mass if threatened with a scarcity Of their
favorite food, the peas Of the wild vetch
and the seed Of weed called, locally rag
weed
Unless frost holds off very late it is best
to wait for 1t before setting out after par
tridges. Green grass, tough weeds and
writhing vines are hard to walk through.
After the frost has crisped them they break
at touch Many southern gunners shoot
from their horses. Nearly always they
ride when they go a-birding. even though
the actual shooting may be done afoot
Wind and weather have much to do with
the sportsman's luck. Hot October sum
shine, with brisk south winds, always sends
the birds to the woods. Cold northwesters.
with snow and sleet behind, hurry them to
the depths of the thickest, most tangled
cover available. Ideal weather is mild and
moist, with just the faintest stir Of wind,
and sky dappled all over with low, gray
clouds. Upon such a day scent lies well,
holds we'll. coveys are easily found and
when found do not fly too far before going
down. Moreover. they commonly go down
we'll together, not In a compact bunch, 1t Is
true, but in such neighborhood that there
is little trouble in marking the place. With
true dogs and game, good guns and good
company the game is well worth the can
dle-and the game bag.
Whether smooth or rough-coated dogs
are best depends very much on the ground
and little bit on the weather. For hunt
Ing stubble clean of brush or brake upon a
mild day a good pointer is. beyond perad-
venture, the dog. He will outpoint, out
last and outwork a couple of rough-coats
In tangle or over rocks, with an edge wind
blowing. it is just the other way. There
the shaggy fellow comes to his kingdom
and reigns undisputed.
The Supreme Test Of Workmanship.
Shooting cartridges in tall timber is the
supreme test Of craftsmanship. He who
waits to aim in such conditions invariably
wastes his powder Indeed, for all bird
shooting aim needs must be instructive
Partridges fly through the trees as crook
eddy as a rabbit runs his maze. wheeling
and twisting in ana out between trunks
and at last often settling upon a high
branch, secure from the best dogs nose.
They quickly learn that woods are a
haven Of refuge. Coveys which have been
flushed once or twice within a week almost
invariably fly to or toward the woods at a
subsequent flushing. They learn also to
seek shelter in posted fields where there Is
little shooting, going back from them when
the danger is past to feed and rooSt in their
familiar haunts.
A covey scattered in the afternoon lies
close until nearly dusk. Then such men,
bers of 1t as have escaped call to one an
other through the darkness, running toward
one another as they call. Once met the
huddled remnant runs with weak cries and
peepings in a slantng line behind the
leader toward the roosting place. The
fincr TO fof
heads out, tails in. II only two or three
birds remain they soon join themselves to
another and stronger covey. It happens
sometimes that two full coveys unite early
in the season, possibly through one Of
them losing its leader.
Rare Sport in Good Ground.
The gunner who chances upon such a
covey in good ground has the chance of
sport indeed. There are few more thrill
ing sights or sounds than its quick, explo-
sive up-whirring, its burning flight and
long wheel down wind The wheeling will
come most likely Just before the birds go
down. At the earliest flushing a covey
almost never scatters. The safety of divi-
sion Is part of experiences bitter wisdom
Once well scattered it is not easy to put
the birds up again. Their power of with
holding scent when frightened is a mooted
point, but the fact Is indisputable that dogs
Of the keenest nose, able to trail a covey
hours after it has passed or come to a
dead point with the game fifty yards away,
often fail to find a bird until the gunner
has walked it up and dropped it as it flew.
Many things make for or against a good
bird season. Wet weather at hatcnine
time or shortly after often Stays its thou
sands OF fluffy brown balls. Drought. by
shortening the food supply, too great plenty
OF minks and foxes. trapping netting, COOP
Ing. the prevalence OF cheap guns among
the negro population-each and all must
be taken into account
Notwithstanding. it is safe to say that
throughout at least two-thirds of the south
country the man who knows how to 90
about 1t may make a bag of from five to
fifteen brace upon any good day of the