702 Snipe -Shooting. 



are forced to fly toward you for some little distance, thus giving 

 you an opportunity to get a shot at them at fair range. 



Where birds are scarce, a good dog is invaluable, because of 

 the amount of laborious walking that he saves the shooter ; but 

 there are times and places where a dog is very much in the way. 

 Such are some of our western snipe grounds, marshes where these 

 birds are sometimes so abundant that they rise from the ground 

 a dozen at a time, and where, perhaps for hours, the sound of their 

 bleating cry is heard almost continually. Under such circumstances, 

 a dog is only an annoyance ; for the ground is so foiled by the 

 scent of the many birds that have run over it that the poor 

 animal is confused, and is constantly false -pointing and wasting 

 his master's time. Here the only use to which the dog can be 

 put is that of retrieving. There are some cunning old dogs that, 

 when they find such a conditipn of things existing, will come in to 

 heel without orders, and pay no further attention to the birds 

 which are rising around them, only occupying themselves with the 

 securing of those that may be shot. 



This bird does not give forth a strong scent, and as it is often 

 very little disposed to lie well, a dog of unusual keenness of nose, 

 as well as caution and steadiness, is required in its pursuit. A 

 very faint scent should be enough to cause him to stop until his 

 master has come up to him, and he should then draw on very 

 carefully until, if it will wait, he can locate his bird. There are 

 days, to be sure, when snipe will permit the dog to get his nose 

 within a few inches of them, but this is the exception rather than 

 the rule. 



It is always a convenience, however, to have a retriever with one 

 while snipe-shooting, for without considerable practice it is not easy 

 to mark down the dead bird so accurately that you can walk direct 

 to it. This becomes especially difficult when several birds rise 

 together, or nearly so, and you shoot first one and then another, 

 and then perhaps try to mark down the remainder of the whisp. 

 You have a general idea of the direction in which the first one fell, 

 and are sure that the second dropped close by a certain little bunch 

 of grass ; but when, after having strained your eyes after the living 

 and marked them down, you turn your attention to the dead, you are 

 likely to find yourself somewhat perplexed. You see now that there 



