The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-11-17

Partridges-Thinning Out the Cocks
 in the Pairing Season.
 Tn spite of the many alterations which have been introduced into latter day shooting as the combined result Of the march of time and science, there are many things which our ancestors knew about the sport just as well as we know them ourselves. Indeed, it is very evident that in some cases, and particularly in the matter of wood craft, the sportsman of generation or two back could have taught the mod ern gunner a good deal. The instruc- tions given to the tyro of century ago as to the methods he should pursue in the shooting field hold good in most in stances at the present time, but of course, so far as weapons and ammu- milton are concerned, the advice ten- dered can only be regarded as curious, though interesting. In an old sporting magazine, dated 1792, writer who had good advice to give on shooting mat ters begins in an apologetic manner by craving the indulgence of the experi- enced sportsman for referring to min ute and trivial matters. He then goes on to observe that it is necessary for sany gentleman who must not be presumed that the two guns were to be used together. In those days "driv- rNf iYa faIa two guns could be necessary was un- known, and the two weapons recom- mended by this early sportsman were to be used at different seasons. The art of barrel-boring and the improve nent in ammunition, which now rem ders guns for special purposes or spec ial seasons almost superfluous. were developments of later date, and con sequently we find that it was consid- cred advisable to keep one weapon with barrel of about two feet nine inches, which would "serve very well the beginning of the season and for wood-shooting, and another with a barrel about three feet three inches or upwards, for open shooting after Mi haelnas." If, however, the sportsman could afforl but one gun, one with a barrel of three feet or thereabouts- that is, from three feet to three feet six inches'-was recommended. The advice given by this old-tirne sports man on the subject of the seasons, the weather, the temperature of the air, and the best hours of the day for shooting are of considerable interest. In warm weather one is told to hunt for game in plains and open grounds, remembering that during the heat of the day the birds frequent moist places and the htllsides, exposed to the north. In cold weather birds should be sought on the south side of hedgeroWs among the heath, and in stubbles or pastures where there is much furze and "fearn. ( Further, one is reminded that sports man should never remain at home till the dew is off, as thereby he loses "ad- vantages innumerable." It is also re- commended, as regards clothes, that these should be green in summer, and in winter dark green or olive. The green coat of the old sporting print is familiar to every one, though now adays it is reserved exclusively for hunting uniforms. It is certainly cu- rious feature of shooting that it should be the one sport for which no recog- nized uniform is now considered neces- sary. Even the gamekeeper's velve- teens have disappeared in many parts of the country.
 Some excellent advice is given in these old papers with reference to the careful walking of thick cover, in which birds will often lie even after it has been walked over once or twice. Many brace of birds could be added to the bag if the shooting men of to- day took this fact more to heart An amusing suggestion for causing birds to rise is to be found in the proposal that ''the sportsman should stop now and then, as this often determines the game to spring. The importance of marking down birds, either dead or alive, is also alluded to, and a few hints are given on the etiquette of the shooting field, chiefly as concerns the 1bbad habit of shooting the bird which rightly belongs to some one else. Here is another matter which might well be pondered over by some of the young bloods of the present day. The re- marks which form the final portion of this treatise on gunning are not such as could now be tolerated in any sport ing paper. The writer's directions for obtaining birds when they are "thin,' by which, presumably, he means scarce" certainly savor of methods which nowadays would be condemned as having too near relation to poach- ing. The sportsman is advised to go out at sunset and station himself at the foot of a tree or bush, waiting there until the cartridges begin to call or "juck." Nowadays the latter word is usually written "jug.'') After they have done this a lttle while," the wri- ter proceeds, ''if they take flight, and the sportsman mark the place where they aliight, he may assure himself that, if not disturbed, they will lie there the whole night. He has then nothing to do but attend at the peep of dawn, and as soon as he can see to shoot, he may cast off his dog and pur- sue them" But worse still are the di- rections given for partridge shooting in the snow. "At the time of the full moon," says the writer, "sportsmen with white caps on and shirts over their clothes will frequently destroy half the covey at one shot-but there