jammer Woodcock C3f)ootincr. 



By G. HILLS. 



IX giving consent to have my woodcock pictures reproduced in your Annual 

 Report, I do so in order that the Brotherhood of Sportsmen may have the 

 satisfaction of seeing in the picture what I, with some of my friends, saw in the 



reality, and which I 

 am assured by many 

 sportsmen is a very 

 rare occurrence. I 

 have always been 

 opposed to spring 

 and summer shoot- 

 ing, and think the 

 law should provide a 

 close season on all 

 birds from December 

 1st to October 1st. 

 These photographs were taken June 28th and 

 the young hatched the 30th. When July 4th 

 was the beginning of the open season, some 

 sportsman would drop in that cover, the dog 

 would point, he would walk up to the bird, 

 and, if successful in his shot, would kill this 

 mother bird ; then what- would become of the 

 three young ones five days old ? I hear some 

 one say: "But they don't all hatch as late as 

 this ! " This is true, but how many sportsmen 

 have shot woodcock on August 1st that were 

 nothing but bone and pin feathers. Another 

 says: "A brood of woodcock hatch near my 

 house; they will move out by August 15th, 

 then I can't get them." They do move out, 

 but would not some others move in, and 

 during the season would not all get their 

 share of the birds? The present law, August 15th, is not late enough for either 

 woodcock or grouse. Woodcock are in no condition for the table in August, and 



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