GROUSE SHOOTING. 145 



who runs cackling forward, in order to lead you away 

 from the brood. Old sportsmen and old dogs, how- 

 ever, should be too well aware of this stale trick to 

 pay any farther attention to him, than to destroy him, 

 if possible, on his first appearance. A dog, who has 

 been used to this sport, will sometimes head him, and 

 be too cunning for him; or at all events will not 

 suffer him to prevent the sportsman from getting a 

 good shot at the rest of the pack. 



Tojiml muir-game at the beginning of the season, 

 take as many pointers or setters as you can get to 

 hunt steadily together. To kill them, when found 

 and marked down, take up all but one stanch dog. 



For shooting grouse, select a fine sunshiny day, 

 .from about eight till five in August or September, 

 and from about eleven till two at the later periods of 

 the season, as they are then extremely wild, and will 

 only lie tolerably during the few hours which are 

 favoured by a warm sun. Unless the weather is very 

 fine, you will see them running and getting up five 

 hundred yards before you. In this case, let one per- 

 son take an immense circle, so as to head them, while 

 the other remains behind, to press them forward when 

 he is ready ; and above all things you should, for 

 killing them at this time of the year, use No. 1, 2, 

 or 3, shot, in the largest single gun that you can 

 possibly manage. Grouse take a harder blow than 

 partridges, and do not fly quite so regular and steady. 



Scotland is the best place for this sport, as the 

 heather there being much higher, they will lie closer 



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