This was the eighth year that I had paid rental for this moor, and this
was the second year out of the eight that it would afford shooting for
more than two guns.
I had a very fine stock of birds upon the ground. I had nursed the
stock judiciously. I had not shot it down when recovering from disease,
and at last the moor was full of birds, and for the next two or three
years, until the scourge paid its next visit, we might shoot and hammer
away at the birds, without detriment. Nothing that we could do in the
way of shooting could possibly reduce the breeding stock below what it
should be, until disease again reduced it.
I had relet the Rumsdale side, with 10,500 acres, for three years, at
£300 per annum, leaving, say 13,500 acres to Dalnawillan shooting.
We laid ourselves out for a fine bag, and we had it.
I said to David, "Last season, shooting with Mr. Oliver, we made
together over six hundred brace. Now, we have treble the birds we had
to begin that season. If I go to work shooting steadily by myself,
say seven hours a day for four days a week, can I take off 600 brace
to my own gun and for once make a swagger bag?"--"Yes, you can," says
David.--"Then I will do it," responded I; so it was arranged to shoot
the moor in two parties, myself one party, and two guns in the other
party; each party taking the beats fairly in turn.
The second party of two guns was made up of the three elder boys and
a friend, shooting five days a week, weather permitting, taking their
turns alternately, the men out, going after snipe and ducks and fishing.
I started with 42 brace on the 12th, and on the 14th 52-1/2 brace, and
continued to make good bags. On August 26, my fifty-eighth birthday, I
came in with 50-1/2 brace; it was the second time over the beat, and on
September 15, in twenty-one days shooting, I numbered 617 brace, close
upon an average of 30 brace a day besides sundries.
Generally through Scotland moors had not fairly recovered their full
complement of birds, and I believe it was acknowledged that 617 brace
was the best bag in Scotland made that season to one gun in the first
five weeks shooting over dogs.
We had a fine time and a very enjoyable time, and up to the 16th of
September, when we went south, we had taken off 1138 brace.
In October I returned with two other men to shoot under the kite, and
we took off just 200 brace. When at Glenmarkie, I could do nothing with
the kite, the birds rolled up before it and away for a couple of miles.
October shooting in Caithness and Sutherland over dogs under the kite
when birds are plentiful, is very grand sport. It is the acme of point
shooting.
In October the air is crisp and bracing, there is plenty of walking,
and you are in the best condition, or you ought to be.
The kite is a large kite, much larger than the partridge kite used
in England, and is flown very high, and so covers a large extent of
ground. It is worked down wind in front of the gun, so the dog has to
work down wind and on ticklish birds; therefore I need not say that it
requires clever old experienced dogs. Many good August dogs cannot get
into it.
Packs of six to twelve birds rarely sit well; they rise at sixty to one
hundred yards, but the small lots and single birds sit fairly well,
rising at twenty to thirty yards.
They rise in front like a wisp of lightning, hardly well up before
they turn to the right or left and away behind you. They should be
taken just on the turn. It is very difficult to get in a second barrel
unless, as they turn and go past they are near enough for a skimming
side shot.
* * * * *
Good driving shots have said to me that the man who can walk and kill
October grouse under the kite, and kill them well, can kill anything.
October sport with the kite is very uncertain. There may be too much
wind or too little, and in that month you sometimes get very bad
weather and more snow than is pleasant, and then of course birds are
very wild and unsettled.
Big bags cannot be made under the kite; an average of 15 brace per day
to a gun is very good. I never managed to make 20 brace; twice I have
made 19-1/2, and could generally average 15.
There is an impression that the kite puts birds off the ground, and
generally makes them wild; but I don't think so. Of course the beats
are changed, and my impression is that it has no more effect than an
eagle hovering and then going on.
Those who have kited and driven, tell me that driving disturbs and
unsettles the birds far more than the kite.
Bag. Dalnawillan. Rumsdale.
Grouse 1338 brace. 900 brace.
Sundries 155-1/2 " ----
A number of grouse were, in addition, killed by the keeper during the
winter months.
The total to my own bag was 674 brace of grouse, and 48-1/2 brace of
sundries.