HIGH PHEASANTS 



field. Of course, some birds go back, but generally they 

 find the host and another gun ready for them if they do. 



" Always make a good rise in a big cover, and remember 

 this, that you can drive a Pheasant almost where you choose 

 while he is on his legs, and with plenty of strength you 

 can often repeat a good rise by working the birds round 

 again. 



"Flags in front and on flanks. — Flags are a thing to 

 which game is not by any means accustomed. It is a good 

 plan to use about three conspicuous ones, if the master will 

 consent, keeping two of them on the right and left to act as 

 flankers, and one right in front of the rise. This will usually 

 have the desired effect of making the birds get up. Even 

 if it does turn some back, and if it can be arranged so that 

 the birds have decided the line of flight they mean to take 

 before they see the flag, so much the better. 



" Condition of birds and date of shooting. — Much depends 

 on the condition the birds are in as to how they will fly. 

 Keep feeding twice per day with soft food right through 

 October and even November, till the first shoot, and don't 

 dispense with biscuit-meal and greaves too soon, as after all 

 the latter does not cost more than wheat or maize, etc. 



" The later the date of shooting the higher the birds ; but 

 I do not advocate that the first shoot should be much after 

 the middle of November, as it is not fair to the keeper to 

 have to keep his birds at home longer than this. 



" Uncommon sounds conducive to high flying. — Everyone 

 knows what a keen ear the Pheasant possesses, and how it 

 can be trained to come to a whistle or almost any other call. 

 It knows also every little warning note of the smaller birds, 

 such as the blackbird, thrush, chaffinch, robin, etc. Let 

 the blackbird give the ' Chuck ! chuck ! ' note of warning, 

 and every Pheasant is on the alert for a stoat or weasel. 



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