My friend the partridge; memories of New England shooting, by STHammond ("Shadow") . , who had kept it for his own privateuse for several years. Leaving our team at the home of a farmerfriend of my companion we struggled througha half mile of very rough country to the lowerend of the valley. When we finally broke coverI stood spellbound for a time gazing at the beau-tiful scene to the delight of my companion, whofinally took off his hat and waving his arm to-ward the upper end begged to introduce me tohis woodcock parlor. This name was very ap-propriate, for a sweeter spot for the longbillsI n


My friend the partridge; memories of New England shooting, by STHammond ("Shadow") . , who had kept it for his own privateuse for several years. Leaving our team at the home of a farmerfriend of my companion we struggled througha half mile of very rough country to the lowerend of the valley. When we finally broke coverI stood spellbound for a time gazing at the beau-tiful scene to the delight of my companion, whofinally took off his hat and waving his arm to-ward the upper end begged to introduce me tohis woodcock parlor. This name was very ap-propriate, for a sweeter spot for the longbillsI never saw. Best of all, the birds knew it aswell, for during the years that I have visitedthe place I have never failed to find a goodlynumber at home. Partridges were not very plen-tiful, although we found a few. I persuaded my companion to visit the spotagain in late November, when the birds wouldbe sure to be there, for food was was an off year, and partridges were veryscarce. We nearly gave up the trip, but wefinally decided to try it. I shall never forget theIIO. RUFFED GROUSE ONE WEEK OLD. AUTUMN HABITS. first point old Mack made that day. We weredescending the last little gorge at the foot ofthe valley when the dog followed a shelf of rockuntil he came to the edge, and as he gathered tojump down he caught scent of partridges andstiffened on point. He had gone a trifle too far,however, and he tumbled over the edge, fallingto the ground nearly flat on his back. But heheld his point, to the consternation of my com-panion, who pronounced him dead or in a fit. Ihad seen Mack perform some pretty queer anticsin the way of pointing, but this seemed a littlebeyond the limit. I went toward him, but assoon as I had a fair view I knew it was allright. I motioned my companion to a place ofvantage, but before he had taken more than adozen steps a score of partridges rose just be-yond him and he made a beautiful double, whileI scored on the only one that came my ot


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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecthunting, bookyear1908