THE RUFFED GROUSE 47 
wells up into his nostrils, and, wild with the 
joy of that soul-stirring moment, amazed at 
their roaring wings, is it wonderful that he 
does not perform like a veteran? My sports- 
man friend, did you yourself score on your first 
hurtling grouse? Have you always controlled 
your startled nerves, making the most of every 
favorable opportunity? I trow not! Then 
shall we not have a little patience and with 
more experience reverse our first unfavorabie 
decision? Maybe a good grouse dog is lost 
there—who knows? But the puppy gets no 
chance to atone for his mistake and commonly 
is never again allowed to look at ruffed grouse 
if his master can prevent, so that this is all the 
schooling he gets in the ways of hunting this 
bird. His master, instead of taking the pains 
needful to teach his companion, becomes at 
once a woodcock enthusiast and condemns the 
grouse and all who admire him, finishing the 
puppy’s education on ‘‘timberdoodles’’ alone. 
Yet it is only a matter of patience and tact, and 
more of the same patience and tact, but great is 
the reward thereof! 
Having in mind the nature of ruffed grouse 
haunts, the difficulty of two legs keeping pace 
