286 Sporting Sketches 



is going to happen. There are too few surprises and 

 hurry calls for the exercise of one's resourceful craft. 

 When birds are plentiful, it is just the thing for a 

 man who has travelled far for his sport, and who 

 wants all the actual shooting possible during a 

 limited holiday, but it never can present that charm 

 of charms the infinite variety of ruffed grouse 

 shooting. 



Let not the reader for one moment imagine that 

 I do not love the plains and the sport they afford ; 

 but in a sportsman's heart, as in a mother's, there is 

 room for many loves, and I fear that if mine were 

 searched, there would be found, close-cuddled near 

 the centre and almost crowding small Boh from his 

 place, a bigger bird, wearing ruffs upon his neck, 

 and capable of spreading a most noble fan-tail. 

 Then again, the prairie shooting, as a test of skill, 

 which ever is a delight to keen men, lacks some 

 valuable accessories. The machine-like precision of 

 your crack performer of the grass lands is all very 

 well, and is interesting so far as it goes ; but it can- 

 not possibly rival the rapid work in heavy cover, 

 where conditions vary with every shot. I have 

 heard men boast of fine shooting at chickens in tall 

 corn. That is all right, and it may have been rather 

 difficult; but how would it have been with shot- 

 stopping trees instead of yielding corn or, in other 

 words, ruffed grouse shooting instead of chicken 

 shooting ? 



To my mind one of those rarely enjoyed really 

 good days with ruffed grouse is the very finest test 

 of a man's skill and resourcefulness, for both surely 

 will be taxed to the uttermost. And each clean 



