The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-04
LOVER OF FIELD SPORTS TELLS
 OF DELIGHTS OF BIRD HUNTING


agreement it is the other fellows bird.
 All these details should be settled in advance; before the first covey is husheG. As to shooting into coyeys, 1t is al- ways to right and left. So thoroughly IS this rule observed that the middle birds in a covey on the rise. are as safe as if there were only pop-guns behind them; but woe to the two birds on either side if good shots stand behind the dogs.
 To show how it is possible for two huntsmen to shoot side by side and never interfere with each other I may cite the case of three days hunt 1 once had In East Alabama with Mr c. F. Eastman, of Birmingham-than whom there lives no more thorough going or thoroughbred sportsman in all the south; and that means in all the world. Shoot ing over my Dewey" and John Fletcher Fred T." we each killed twenty-four birds the first day and not one was disputed. On the second day we each bagged twenty-five without single in terference. On the third day Eastman beat me out by two or three, but there was no dispute or argument or any doubt or question as to who ''shot first or as to who killed a single one of the birds that our matchless retrievers laid at our feet
 Speaking of retrievers, I recall that on one of the days of this old Dewey" brought us dozen birds out of the Tal- lapoosa river which was swollen and swift, after swimming a hundred yards each way, to the floating bird and back to shore. Oh, the matchless fortitude, courage, fidelity and loyalty of a high bred dog mad especially setter. There is nothing in the nature of poor fallen man-master of the universe, though he claims to be-comparable to the altruistio instincts of a noble dog. l have left my lunch all day at Dewey's side, while bass fishing and though he was hungry as wolf he would have starved sooner than touch it and killed an intruder or died defending 1t before 1t could have been touched by another.
 By the same token your true sportsman will go hungry rather than let his dog go unfed A healthy dog has a voracious appetite and after hunting all day long ought to have about four pounds of good nutritious food. And yet l have known men setting up to be sportsmen who, on coming in to a country house. would leave the feeding of the dogs to a servant In whose estimation a handful of table 'scraps' is "a plenty for any dog" Not only does true sporsman personally sec to the feeding of his dogs, but he will sec that they have a comfortable place to sleep, and if he has a setter he will see that the "cockle burrs" are removed from the dogs coat so that he can sleep in peace. For. In most parts of Alabama the long, curly coat of setter will be convered with "burrs" after few hours In the field, and a man who will leave them to keep his dog on the rack all night ought to have his own bed filled with them and fresh supplies poured III all through the night.
 A moment ago I spoke of magazine guns as fowling pieces. I have seen a bird-butcher stand in his tracks and Xiii six quail on the coveys rise with one of these abominable instruments of destruC- ton. For my own part find that dou- ble-barrel shotgun gives me all the shoot ing I care to have and that Is all any man-any sportsman ought to want I