SUCCESSFUL PHEASANT HUNT 79 
to bring this wary and tricky bird to an 
actual stand—that successful performance 
by a dog in this respect is something to be 
heralded as a real accomplishment in the 
course of a day’s sport. 
After our star shooter had left, we did not 
chance upon any more pheasants during the 
forenoon, although Byrd made a stand on a 
dandy covey of quail at the edge of a thick 
woods. It would be hard to describe her 
perfectly apparent disappointment as I 
flushed that covey in front of her and failed 
to shoot. She seemed to say: “Well, if 
you’re not even going to try to get them 
when I find them, what’s the use!” Dogs 
are often mighty particular about what takes 
place as a result of the work they do. They 
often lose interest if their work doesn’t 
seem to be properly bearing fruit. I have 
never personally seen it, but I have it on good 
authority, that dogs have even been known 
to refuse to keep on hunting if too many 
shots are missed over their points. I can 
well believe it, for “They think too,” you 
know, and they like their good work to be 
matched by equally good work with the gun. 
