West Barnstable - Mass. [West Barnstable, Massachusetts]
Nov. 4- 1874 [November 4, 1874]
Nov. 5 [November 5, 1874] Clear with rather strong S. [south] wind. Off
together after breakfast (Melvin & Buttrick
were out before without starting a feather)
striking N. [north] towards W. Barnstable [West Barnstable] proper.
Shot found the first bevy in a swamp
near the stage road, and pointed them
handsomely. As they rose I killed with
my first barrel and Buttrick also dropped
one; a third, which was probably my
second bird, towering at least 100 ft.
and then falling to the ground was
picked up alive & shot through the
head. This bevy although a very large
one acted so badly after taking to the scrub
that we got only one more shot which
I fired ( & missed). The next bevy was
walked up by Buttrick among some
pitch pines and from it he killed
3 birds & Melvin 1. These birds lay
very well but seemed to give out no
scent at all not a single point being
made on any of them. The third &
last bevy Shot roaded in fine style
for at least 200 yds. but the cover was
so very bad that a single bird which
I killed was the only one scored.
Although our team of dogs is so
strong we nevertheless pass at least
two thirds of the birds we come to,
judging from the signs that we
find in nearly every field. Capt. B. [Captain Baxter]
says that the birds are more in the
woods now than in Oct. [October] & consequently
are harder to find. W. B. [William Brewster] quail 3. N. quail 1,
Butt. [Buttrick] quail 4 grouse 1, Carter grouse 1. Total
8 quail - 2 grouse. I felt very poorly & shot badly.