Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-28
HUNTING.
SHOOTING IN THE SOUTH.


emily, however. a small bunch CONES into
view. headed straight for the field. Every
gunner instinctively knows that some
body is going to get shot this time.
and he crouches low, grips his gun
tightly, turns his head ever so slowly
as he watches the swift birds hurrying
toward him. On they come. They pass
the first blind and are in range. Quick
as flash a brown form darts up out
Of 1t. the sun. CLINT is seen for second
on the bright gun barrel, there Is pun
of smoke. then another. sharp crack.
then another. and a pair Of plump doves
tumble into the stubble.
Bang bang" ~ Bang Ms bang ns;,a bang ,ss
shotguns speak, and at intervals a feath-
cred form drops out of the fast COM
pany 1t had been keeping. Faster and
faster the birds wing their flight. They
are thoroughly frightened. terrified by
this time, and their pace is tremendous.
The farther down the line they get the
harder they are to hit. and the farther
the sportsman must lead them in figur-
ing out his shots.
be bagged as soon as killed. Most grain
fields in which doves feed quickly grow
up tn rag weeds or other form of stubble,
and doye that IL not marked almost
Immediately and put into the game bag
at once is more than apt to prove "lost
4
4
In duck shooting, where the birds are
killed in the open water or in pocket, .
it is easy to find
Dove Hunter them. and UNI
Must Take Chance. them m often
for fear Of keeping away other ducks that
might come in to the decoys. But the
dove hunter must take this chance. He
must know that a dove in the bag is
worth two on the wing Even then, with
two or more down, 1t is very difficult to
find a dead bird. Being of dull slate
color on the back, turning to a bronze
on the breast, the birds blend wonder
fully with the color of the grounds or
the weeds and stubble, and old-time dove
shooters have learned that the thing to
do when a dove has been knocked down
is to get out of the blind Immediately,
pick up the bird, get back In the blind
as soon as possible and be ready for the
next flight.
1t may be said that dove shooting is
very close akin to duck shooting and
radically different from quail shooting.
A large percentage of the shots fired at
quail are at birds that are going straight
away from the sportsman, and generally
unless the quail is trying to clear a sap
ling or cedar. On the contrary, most
of the shots fired at dove from a stand
are at "incOmerS," as the sportsman
would say, meaning birds that are coming
toward him like a wild duck, or else
side swipers." meaning birds that are
trying to pass his stand successfully.
The "side swipers' are the hard shots
at the dove. for generally the bird has
been fred at already,
Side-SWipe Shots has up all his speed
VI 4. 49, and steam. and is
AA"Au w "A"nS' bent on running the
gantlet of guns and getting out OF the
field as quickly as possible. The hunter
has two chances, however, at the in
coming. bird. which is flying directly over
him. He can try his luck as the bird
approaches. If he misses he can whirl
and try 1t again at the bird that has
passed, making the shot then sort OF
high straightaway.
Doves. like wild ducks, will leave q
place that has been burnt out" or shot
up and the best way to get more sport
at that place is to let it rest few days
If the food Is there still the birds viii
return as soon as they recover from
fright.
The flesh of the dove is highly esteemed
It Ii dark meat, with rather a wild OF
gamey flavor, but when properly cooked
are especially toothsome. Broiled ant
served on buttered toast, with a sauce o.
| rich gravy, a dish of doves will temp
| the appetite of any gourmet.