Part 33 (2/2)
The Colonel had capital sport, killing nearly twenty brace, and the dogs behaved beautifully throughout the day. When afterwards relating the circ.u.mstances, he observed that, although an old sportsman, he had seldom been so gratified, as it was a novel scene to him, who had not been accustomed to shoot over spaniels.
73. Of small c.o.c.kers, three couple appear ample to form a team. Some teams of small springers greatly exceed this number, and many sportsmen shoot over more than a couple and a half of the larger spaniels; but it is a question whether, in the generality of cases, the gun would not benefit by the number being diminished rather than increased. The smaller in number the team, the greater is the necessity that none of them should stick too close to ”heel.” The difficulty is to make them hunt far enough, and yet not too far. At least one of the number should retrieve well. If they give tongue, it ought to be in an intelligible manner; softly, when they first come on the haunt of a c.o.c.k, but making the cover ring again with their joyous melody, when once the bird is flushed. A first rate c.o.c.ker will never deceive by opening upon an old haunt, nor yet find the gun unprepared by delaying to give due warning before he flushes the bird.
When c.o.c.ks are abundant, some teams are broken, not only to avoid flick, but actually not to notice a pheasant, or anything besides woodc.o.c.k.
Hardly any price would tempt a real lover of c.o.c.k-shooting, in a c.o.c.king country, to part with such a team. Hawker terms the sport, ”the fox-hunting of shooting.” Some sportsmen kill water-hens to young spaniels to practise them in forcing their way through entangled covers, and get them well in hand and steady against the all-important c.o.c.king season.
74. When a regular retriever can be constantly employed with spaniels, of course it will be unnecessary to make any of them fetch game--certainly never to lift anything which falls out of bounds--though all the team should be taught to ”seek dead.” This is the plan pursued by the Duke of Newcastle's keepers, and obviously it is the soundest and easiest practice, for it must always be more or less difficult to make a spaniel keep within his usual hunting limits, who is occasionally encouraged to pursue wounded game, at his best pace, to a considerable distance.
75. Other teams are broken no more than to keep within range, being allowed to hunt all kinds of game, and also rabbits; they, however, are restricted from pursuing wounded flick further than fifty or sixty yards.
Where rabbits are abundant, and outlying, a team thus broken affords lively sport--nothing escapes them.
76. Wild spaniels, though they may show you most c.o.c.k, will get you fewest shots, unless you have well-placed markers. There are sportsmen who like to take out one steady dog to range close to them, and a couple of wild ones to hunt on the flanks, one on each side, expressly that the latter may put up birds for the markers to take note of.
77. An old sportsman knows _mute_ spaniels to be most killing: a young one may prefer those which give tongue--if true from the beginning owning nothing but game,--because, though undeniably greater disturbers of a cover, they are more cheerful and animating. The superiority of the former is, however, apparent on a still calm day, when the least noise will make the game steal away long before the gun gets within shot. But it is not so in all countries.
78. In very thick covers it is obvious, the height of setters being greatly against them, that spaniels are far preferable: but in light covers, and when the leaves are off the trees, _handy_ old setters--if white, all the better--that will readily confine themselves to a restricted range, and will flush their game when ordered--IV. and VII. of 119 and 196--afford quite as much sport, if not more. Setters do not, to the same degree, alarm birds; and there is, also, this advantage, that they can be employed on _all_ occasions, excepting in low gorse or the closest thickets, whereas spaniels, from their contracted ”beat,” are nearly useless in the open when game is scarce. You will be prepared, when first you hunt a setter in cover, to sacrifice much of your sport. There must be noise; for it is essential to make him at once thoroughly understand the very different ”beat” required of him, and this can only be effected by constantly checking and rating him, whenever he ranges beyond the prescribed limits. He should hunt slowly and carefully to the right and left, and never be much in advance of the guns. In a short time he will comprehend matters, if you are so forbearing and judicious as invariably to call him away from every point made the least out of bounds.
A less severe test of your consistency will not suffice. The few first days will either make or mar him as a cover-dog. You must naturally expect that hunting him much in cover will injure his range in the open, and make him too fond of hedge-rows.
79. But there is a man in Yorks.h.i.+re, who will not willingly admit this.[16] C----e, Sir George A----e's gamekeeper--and a good one he is, for he has a particularly difficult country to protect, one intersected with ”rights of way” in every direction--makes his pointers as freely hunt the cover as the open. You never lose them, for they are sure to make their appearance when they think they have given you ample time to go to them if you choose. This cover work does not the least unsteady them, but it is right to state that C---- is an unusually good breaker, and works his dogs with singular temper and patience. They are very attached to him, and appear to listen anxiously to what he says when he talks to them--which, I own, he does more than I recommend.
80. Pointers, however, are manifestly out of place in strong cover, though an unusually high-couraged one may occasionally be found, who will dash forward in defiance of p.r.i.c.ks and scratches; but it is not fair to expect it. In a very light cover I have often shot over one belonging to a relation of mine, which was so clever, that when I came close to her as she was pointing, she would frequently run around to the other side of the thicket, and then rush in to drive the game towards me. This killing plan had in no way been taught her; she adopted it solely of her own sagacity. Having been much hunted in cover when young, she was so fond of it (65) as to be, comparatively speaking, quite unserviceable on the stubbles.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] There is no gorse in America. It is a p.r.i.c.kly shrub, severe enough, but nothing to compare to catbriars, or even to the hollies of Southern Jersey.--H.W.H.
[13] The only bird which we have in America, at all a.n.a.logous in habit to the pheasant, though totally different in species and appearance, is the Ruffed Grouse, erroneously called Pheasant in the South, and Partridge in the Eastern States. It is, however, for c.o.c.k and quail shooting in covert, that the Spaniel would be of such inestimable service to sportsmen in North America.--H.W.H.
[14] For the benefit of those who have the good fortune, or the bad fortune, as the case may be, of always living within the sound of Bow bells, ”Flick,” be it observed, is a synonym for ”Fur,” thereby meaning Hare or Rabbit.
[15] Contrary to my usual system, I preserve these anecdotes, as relating to the Clumber Spaniels, which are so little known, and which I so much desire to see introduced in America.--H.W.H.
[16] I leave these two anecdotes, contrary to my usual system, as we use setters and pointers so generally in cover in America, that the idea of their being utterly unfit for cover work seems strange. Yet such is the opinion in England, and where they are chiefly used in the open it _does_ operate to spoil their range.--H.W.H.
WATER SPANIELS (OR WATER RETRIEVERS).
81. A young water spaniel might, with advantage, occasionally be indulged with a duck hunt in warm weather. It would tend to make him quick in the water, and observant. The finis.h.i.+ng lessons might conclude with your shooting the bird and obliging him to retrieve it. He should be made handy to your signals--IV. to VII. and X. of 119--so as to hunt the fens and marshes, and ”seek dead” exactly where you may wish.
82. This obedience to the hand is particularly required; for when the spaniel is swimming he is on a level with the bird, and therefore is not so likely to see it--especially if there is a ripple on the water--as you, who probably are standing many feet above him on the sh.o.r.e. As you may frequently, while he is retrieving, have occasion to direct his movements when at a considerable distance from him, you probably would find it more advantageous to teach him the forward signal used by shepherds, than the one described in IV. of 119.
83. A water spaniel should also be taught to fetch--86, 87, 91 to 94--be accustomed to follow quietly close to your heels,--be broken in, not to the ”down charge”--26--but to the ”drop”--22 to 25--the instant you signal to him, while you are noiselessly stalking the wild-fowl previously reconnoitred, with the aid of your Dollond, from some neighboring height; nor should he stir a limb, however long he and you may have to await, ensconced behind a favoring bush, the right moment for the destructive raking discharge of your first barrel, to be followed by the less murderous but still effective flying shot. On hearing the report, it is his duty to dash instantly into the water, and secure the slain as rapidly as possible.
84. A really good water retriever is a scarce and valuable animal. He should be neither white nor black, because the colors are too conspicuous, especially the former--a hint by-the-bye for your own costume;[17]--he should be perfectly mute; of a patient disposition, though active in the pursuit of birds; of so hardy a const.i.tution as not to mind the severest cold,--therefore no coddling while he is young near a fire,--and possess what many are deficient in, viz. a good nose: consequently a cross that will improve his nose, yet not decrease his steadiness, is the great desideratum in breeding. He should swim rapidly, for wild fowl that are only winged, will frequently escape from the quickest dog if they have plenty of sea-room and deep water--see also 96, 302.
85. In the wild-_rice_ lakes, as they are commonly called, of America, a brace of highly-trained spaniels will sometimes, on a windy day, afford you magnificent sport. The cover is so good that, if it is not often beaten, the birds will frequently get up singly, or only a couple at a time. The dogs should keep swimming about within gun shot, while you are slowly and silently paddling, or probably poling your canoe through the most likely spots. Relays of spaniels are requisite, for it is fatiguing work. If, by any rare chance, you are situated where you can get much of this delightful shooting, and _you are an enthusiast in training_, it may be worth your while to consider whether there would not be an advantage in making the dogs perfect in the ”down charge,” as they would then cease swimming the instant you fired. But this long digression about spaniels has led us away from your pup, which we a.s.sumed--3--to be a pointer, or setter.
FOOTNOTES:
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