GROUSE-SHOOTING ON THE PRAIRIES. 301 
one proceeds westward, wherever there is open country, 
throughout Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Wis- 
consin, Minnesota, Upper Louisiana, and Texas, and far 
away to the wild regions of the Columbia River. 
About the 20th of August, these birds are ready for 
the gun. By that time they are nearly full grown, and 
are not easily distinguished from the adult birds by their 
plumage, or even by their weight, although by their power 
of wing and length of flight they may easily be distin- 
guished. 
During this month they lie hard, although, at times, 
when the weather is hot and dry, with little or no wind, 
they are so wild as to task a good gun. 
The excessive heat of the weather, however, on those 
treeless plains, which is almost insufferable, and is often 
fatal to dogs, during the summer, renders the shooting a 
toil rather than a pleasure. 
Karly in September, however, the heats begin to 
moderate, and the sport becomes fine. At times it will 
happen, that early in this month there are sharp cold and 
strong winds accompanying it on the prairies, and in such 
weather the birds will rise for many days together entirely 
out of range. 
They never should be fired at with smaller shot than 
No. 6—when they can be brought down with No. 7 or 8, it 
is proof positive that they are too young to be shot at all— 
and after September, No. 5 is the proper size, and a car- 
tridge in the second barrel is advisable. 
_ The finest shooting of the year, is in the latter part 
of the month of September and the beginning of October, 
