New-York tribune., 1911-09-11
HIGHLAND SPORT
Luxurious Entertaining-Grousa
and Deer Drives.
Tonfion Auo,,.x n,

There can never be a poor year foS
every class of sport. When grouse a..
scarce owing to phenomenalIy we,
weather, and young birds have besr
drowned before they have been stron.
on the wing, partridges are plentiful
and there is fine autumn weather N.
deer stalking and pheasant shooting
This year grouse are abundant and fres
from disease, and the prolonged drou,b
has not affected tho heather on tia
moors nor diminished the shelter OF IN.
woodlands. The conditions are M,
equally favorable for good bags o
partridges, for the root crops have M,
done well in dry weather. and the lat,
clovers have wlthered, and there are M
refugees from the bare stubble Of ths
grain fields, where the birds can be
found in large coveys and driven toward
the guns. Partridge drives on a Iare.
scale will be difficult next month, both
in the North and In the Eastern counties.
where the shootings are parched and
burned with heat and there are no cov-
erts for the little brown birds. Ths
grouse drives have been unusually sue
cessful on the big estates. and as there
has been fine weather for young pheas-
ants there will be no lack Of sport at the
country houses during the late autumn.
The "small and early" season for
grouse has opened well IN the North.
privileged sportsmen and the King HIM
self shooting with the crack msrksmen.
Shooting parties become more luxurious
in their appointments every year Spe-
cial trains were hired this season for
taking some Of the largest companies II
visitors to country houses. Motor cars
have become indispensable not only FOR
conveying guests from railway stations
to houses, but also for carrying sports
men on successive days to and from tho
sections Of moor TO be shot over, and
also the ladies when they are allowed TO
Join the guns at luncheon time.
"Punch's" joke about the wireless oper-
ator in the open field. who repeats tho
head beaters message that a pack of
grouse will arrive in two minutes and
receives the financier's message abou.
Amalgamated Ice before the gun is in
hand, is grotesque exaggeration; and
yet entertaining in good style Is decided
ly up TO date" in Scotland. There
must be large acreage OF moor past
ure and woodland for all kinds Of sport
for the men and a well appointed house
with tennis courts. golf courses, lawns
and gardens for the women. Dinners
must be as elaborate and as We'll served
as in London at the height Of the sea-
son. and there must be swarns Of SER
wants indoors and a trained body Of
gamekeepers, gillies and beaters out
side. Hospitality needs to be princely
and the field organization scientific it
the host aspires 10 keep up with the
smartest set and ito do the thing WELL
1t is we'll enough for old-fashioned
sportsmen TO talk about the superiority
Of dogging to driving, and 10 deplore the
abandonment Of leisureiy methods OF
shooting and the creation Of the modern
passion for record bags and indiscrimi-
nate slaughter OF birds. Fashion has
decreed an approach TO military science
In hunting operations, and 1t is mads
on the great estates. Sportsmen ara
distributed among the butts so that the
game can be driven up to them over tho
heather and killed by rapid firing. There
is time enough for enjoyment OF tho
moist air. the breath OF the moors and
the scenic environment before the white
pennants OF the beaters are seen ana
the birds begin to settle in the dark
heather before the final flight; and there
are always chances for watching the
workings Of dogs when retrievers are
set free to follow runners. Dogging ana
mixed bags have been condemned as
slow work by q new generation OF
sportsmen, which demands rapid firing
and concentration Of effort and enjoys
the field operations and evidences OF or
ganization in an effective campaign
against the birds.
AS close an imitation as possible has 70
be made by ambitious hosts OF the
grouse drives with which the King opens
the season with five other crack marks
men, where the butts are deliberately
spaced and constructed with painstaKins
care and the birds are driven toward
them with precision by trained bands OF
beaters. When sport is over for the Gay
and guests are gathered at bridge tables
or in the smoking room there is as muen
talk about record bags and the details or
the field manpuvres as in old times there
used 10 be about guns, horses and dogs
and the pleasures Of outdoor life. Tne
acme Of luxury in shooting IS reached
when the host commands the widest pos
sble range Of sport for the entertain
ment of his guests and offers them the
promise OF a deer drive in the forests
after they have enjoyed the pleasure OF
killing grouse. partridges. black game
and wild pheasants. Deer stalking ana
driving is royal sport. because II Is tne
recognized recreation In the ranges ol
Balnoral woodland for red deer and roe
deer, and also because there is compare
lively little Of 1t and It is very costly
There can hardly be more than TWO
hundred deer forests In the Highlands
and n majority of them are reserved oy
titled owners for their own recreation
English or American tenants Literally
amuse themselves like lords when they
supply their guests with this strenuous
sport: and the talk in the evening turns
on the number of stays killed during tn'
day. and not on the record bags OF