THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
Whether the result aimed at be a “ big ” or a “ moderate ” bag, to 
bring off a successful day’s driving means a lot of work and thinking out 
on the part of the host and his head keeper. He must first go over the 
ground beforehand, satisfy himself what number of birds there are, study 
the position of the root fields and other covert, and arrange his plan of 
campaign; not too rigidly, as the wind may change and necessitate a 
complete alteration of plans at the last moment. At least it should do so. 
It is curious how seldom the direction of the wind is taken into con- 
sideration. Time after time attempts are made to bring fresh birds from 
their own ground and against a strong head wind that are bound to 
be failures. 
I remember one particular day on a beat which carried a very fine 
stock; there was a certain field out of which, when in roots, was pro- 
vided a splendid drive over a valley, with a return drive from the 
opposite side. On the occasion in question it was desired to fill this field, 
and three drives in succession were taken all against a very strong gale, 
with that object in view, but with the result that covey after covey after 
topping the hedge behind which the guns were posted, broke back over the 
drivers’ heads, scarcely a bird going in the required direction. The host 
was in low spirits and said: “What on earth are we to do ?” It was sug- 
gested that we might walk about a mile and a half to the up -wind end of 
the beat, and have a succession of down -wind drives till lunch, and then 
walk back again and repeat the operation. 
This scheme was carried out, with the result that we had a clinking 
190-brace day, nearly all down-wind drives, the partridges coming like 
bullets, and giving the most sporting shots. 
The late Lord Leicester, when he desired to push birds against a strong 
wind, always had a blank drive, i.e., the guns did not line the fence, but 
sat under one at right angles some distance off. It was a very effective 
manoeuvre, and a most interesting sight to see packs, coveys, and single 
birds making their way in the teeth of a full gale back to their own ground, 
and incidentally, leading many others with them. 
Partridges always like to return to their original ground as soon as 
possible. It is seldom that they will take more than two flights straight 
away; when flushed on the third occasion they almost invariably either 
go straight back over the drivers’ heads, or else swing out over the 
flankers, and then turn homewards. It is therefore not the slightest use 
having too long drives. How often have we heard a keeper say at the end 
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