PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 147 



PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 



Most young sportsmen, and many old ones, fancy 

 that nothing great can be done on the first day, without 

 they go out as soon as they can see to distinguish a bird 

 from a dog. This may possibly be necessary for those 

 who start from a town, where two or three unfortunate 

 coveys are to be contended for by half the lawyers, 

 doctors, schoolmasters, sporting parsons, and tradesmen 

 in the place ; but under other circumstances, this is the 

 very worst method that can be adopted. 



In the first place, the birds being at this time on the 

 feed, will not always lie well. By your springing them 

 from the run, the covey are pretty sure to take wing 

 altogether i and being once disturbed in this state, it 

 becomes, afterwards, much more difficult to disperse 

 them, than if they had been left quiet till the dew had 

 dried on the stubble. Secondly, you throw off with 

 long shots instead of fair ones ; which, to say the least 

 of it, is not a favourable beginning either for yourself 

 or dogs. Thirdly, for one who may have no relay of 

 pointers or setters, it should be recollected, how much 

 better bestowed would be the work, which he takes 

 out of them while slaving to little purpose in the dew 

 of the morning, if he reserved it for the afternoon. 

 This, from about three till six, is the time of day (in 

 the early part of the season), that all the best shots are 

 to be got. The birds are then scattered, and driven to 

 the low grounds and meadows : where, with steady dogs, 

 they may be found one or two at a time, and kicked up 

 as fast as you can load and fire. 



The most partridges that I had seen bagged in a day 



L2 



