76 



FIELD SHOOTING. 



work in it, and you can see to shoot in it. But 

 it takes good shooting to make good bags. The 

 birds are now at full growth and strength. They 

 have in all probability flown the gauntlet of 

 many guns, and the weaker ones have been 

 thinned out of the packs. But on clear days 

 they lie well to the dogs, and, being swift and 

 strong on the wing, when they rise the sport 

 afforded is capital. One of the best days 1 ever 

 had was in November, near Farmer City, Cham- 

 pagne County, Illinois. I was accompanied by 

 Mr. Nathan Doxie, of Geneseo, a keen sports- 

 man and good shot. At that time he shot with 

 a muzzle-loader, while I used a breech-loader. It 

 was a clear, bright day, warm for the time of 

 year. We beat the sod-corn, of which there 

 was a great deal in the neighborhood, and, when 

 the birds flew out into the adjoining prairie, we 

 could mark them down. Our bag was a very 

 heavy one. I killed fifty-seven grouse and Mr. 

 Doxie knocked over eighteen, making seventy- 

 five fine fat birds in all. Mr. Doxie said it was 

 the first time he had ever been beaten in the 

 field. There was another person shooting near 

 us all day, but he did next to nothing, killing 

 but five grouse, as I remember. I have shot 



