QUIET PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING 



complete extinction may be supposed to be looked for 

 before 1950. 



I am of course quite aware that in most parts of Eng- 

 land the change in farming methods effectually precludes 

 the use of a pointer or setter. Yet it is incontestable that 

 in some localities, especially where enclosures are small 

 and broken up as in North Devon, for instance 

 excellent sport over dogs can be and still is obtained. 

 In such localities driving is impossible, and walking 

 up in line is a matter of great difficulty, owing to the 

 height of the banks, the deepness of the lanes, and the 

 frequency of obstacles. In such places I have, even 

 within the last few years, enjoyed some capital shooting 

 over pointers. Many modern sportsmen seem to be 

 under the impression that partridge-shooting over dogs 

 is absolutely extinct in Britain. That is by no means 

 the case. Here is a letter from the Field of 2ist 

 October, 1899, which shows that really good shooting 

 is still obtained in this way in quiet parts of the 

 country : 



"Your correspondent, 'Index,' apropos of my article on 

 this subject, asks two questions. One you have answered ; 

 it gives me much pleasure to reply to the other. The ground 

 is largely grass land, old pasture, and young grass. There 

 are some allotments, with the usual crops, and there are 

 a few small root fields. The object of the article was to 

 encourage the use of dogs. The following particulars of 

 this [season's bags over dogs may help in the matter, and 

 at the same time convince * Index ' that such sport is not 

 fanciful. Birds plentiful, but mostly wild. Brace in Septem- 

 ber : 15, 9, n, 23J, i5j, 12 J, 24, yj, 19, 14^, 9^, lyj, loj, 

 13^, 10. In October : 7j, 20, 14^. All these bags were 

 made over dogs. (Signed) L." 



These figures seem to me excellent. They offer clear 

 proof that "dogging," although it may be in its de- 



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