FIRST LESSON IN AUTUMN CONTINUED. "POINT" NOT RELINQUISHED FOR "DOWN
CHARGE."
174. To proceed, however, with our imaginary September day's work. I will
suppose that your young dog has got upon birds, and that from his boldness
and keenness in hunting you need not let him run riot on a haunt, as you
were recommended (in 111) when you wished to give courage and animation to
a timid dog. You must expect that his eagerness and delight will make him
run in and flush them, even though you should have called out "Toho" when
first you perceived his stern begin feathering, and thence judged that
his olfactory nerves were rejoicing in the luxurious taint of game. Hollo
out "Drop" most energetically. If he does not immediately lie down, crack
your whip loudly to command greater attention. When you have succeeded in
making him lie down, approach him quietly: be not angry with him, but yet
be stern in manner. Grasping the skin of his neck, or, what is better,
putting your hand within his collar--for he ought to wear a light
one--quietly drag him to the precise spot where you think he was _first_
aware of the scent of the birds. There make him stand--if stand he will,
instead of timidly crouching--with his head directed towards the place
from which the birds took wing, and by frequently repeating the word
"Toho," endeavor to make him understand that he ought to have pointed at
that identical spot. Do not confuse him by even threatening to beat him.
The chances are twenty to one that he is anxious to please you, but does
not yet know what you wish. I assume also that he is attached to you, and
his affection, from constantly inducing him to exert himself to give
satisfaction, will greatly develope his observation and intelligence.
175. Consider it a golden rule never to be departed from--for I must again
impress upon you a matter of such importance--invariably to drag a dog who
has put up birds incautiously, or wilfully drawn too near them, and so
sprung them--or, what is quite as bad,--though young sportsmen will not
sufficiently think of it,--_endangered_ their rising out of shot--to the
exact spot at which you judge he ought to have pointed at first, and
awaited your instructions.
176. Think for one moment what could be the use of chiding--or beating, as
I have seen some ***** do--the poor animal at the spot where he flushed
the birds. You are not displeased with him (or ought not to be) because
the birds took wing,--for if they had remained stationary until he was
within a yard of them, his fault would have been the same: nor are you
angry with him because he did not catch them--which interpretation he
might, as naturally as any other, put upon your rating him at the spot
where he flushed them--you are displeased with him for _not having
pointed_ at them steadily the moment he became sensible of their presence.
This is what you wish him to understand, and this you can only teach him
by dragging him, as has been so often said, to the spot at which he ought
to have "toho-ed" them. Your object is to give the young dog, by
instruction, the caution that most old dogs have acquired by experience.
Doubtless experience would in time convince him of the necessity of this
caution; but you wish to save time,--to anticipate that experience; and by
a judicious education impart to him knowledge which it would take him
years to acquire otherwise. What a dog gains by experience is not what you
teach him, but what he teaches himself.
177. Many carelessly-taught dogs will, on first recognising a scent, make
a momentary point, and then slowly crawl on until they get within a few
yards of the game--if it be sufficiently complaisant to allow of such a
near approach--and there "set" as steady as a rock by the hour together.
Supposing, however, that the birds are in an unfriendly, distant mood, and
not willing to remain on these neighborly terms, "your game is up," both
literally and metaphorically,--you have no chance of getting a shot. This
is a common fault among dogs hastily broken in the spring.
178. But to resume our supposed lesson. You must not be in a hurry--keep
your dog for some time--for a long time, where he should have pointed. You
may even sit down alongside him. Be patient; you have not come out so much
to shoot, as to break in your dog. When at length you give him the wave of
the hand to hie him on to hunt, you must not part as enemies, though I do
not say he is to be caressed. He has committed a fault, and he is to be
made sensible of it by your altered manner.
Suppose that, after two or three such errors, all treated in the way
described, he makes a satisfactory point. Hold up your right hand, and the
moment you catch his eye, remain quite stationary, still keeping your arm
up. Dogs, as has been already observed, are very imitative; and your
standing stock still will, more than anything else, induce him to be
patient and immovable at his point. After a time--say five minutes, if,
from the hour of the day and the dog's manner, you are convinced that the
birds are not stirring--endeavor to get up to him so quietly as not to
excite him to move. Whenever you observe him inclined to advance,--of
which his lifting a foot or even raising a shoulder, or the agitation of
his stern will be an indication,--stop for some seconds, and when by your
raised hand you have awed him into steadiness, again creep on. Make your
approaches within his sight, so that he may be intimidated by your eye and
hand. If you succeed in getting near him without unsettling him, actually
stay by him, as firm as a statue, for a quarter of an hour by one of
Barwise's best chronometers. Let your manner, which he will observe, show
great earnestness. Never mind the loss of time. You are giving the dog a
famous lesson, and the birds are kindly aiding you by lying beautifully
and not shifting their ground.
179. Now attempt a grand _coup_, in which if you are successful, you may
almost consider your dog made staunch for ever. Keeping your eye on him,
and your hand up--of course the right one--make a circuit, so that the
birds shall be between him and you. Be certain that your circle is
sufficiently wide--if it is not, the birds may get up behind you, and so
perplex him that at his next find he will feel doubtful how to act. Fire
at no skirter, or chance shot. Reserve yourself for the bird or birds at
which he points; a caution more necessary on the moors than on the
stubbles, as grouse spread while feeding. When you have well headed him,
walk towards him and spring the birds. Use straight shooting-powder. Take
a cool aim well forward, and knock down one. Do not flurry the dog by
firing more than a single barrel, or confuse him by killing more than
_one_ bird. If you have been able to accomplish all this without his
stirring--though, to effect it, you may have been obliged to use your
voice--you have every right to hope, from his previous education, that he
will readily "down-charge" on hearing the report of your gun. Do not hurry
your loading:--indeed, be unnecessarily long, with the view of making him
at all such times patient and steady. If, in spite of all your calls and
signals, he ever gives chase to the sprung birds, make him
"drop,"--instantly if possible--and proceed much as described in 174,
dragging him back to the place where he should have "down-charged."
180. When you have loaded, say "Dead,"[31] in a low voice, and signalling
to "heel" make him come up to you, yourself keeping still. By signs--XI.
of 119--place him as near as you can, _but to leeward_ of the dead bird.
Then, and not till then, say, "Find;" give him no other assistance. Let
him have plenty of time to make out the bird. It is not to be find and
_grip_, but find and _point_,[32] therefore the moment you perceive he is
aware that it is before him, make him--by word of command--"toho:"--go up
to him, stay for a while alongside him, then make a small circuit to head
him, and have the bird between you and him; approach him. If he attempt to
dash in, thunder out "No," and greet him with at least the sound of the
whip: slowly pick up the dead bird; call the dog to you; show him the
bird; but on no account throw it to him, lest he snatch at it; lay it on
the ground, encourage him to sniff it; let him--for reason why see
216--turn it over with his nose--teeth closed--say to him, "Dead, dead;"
caress him; sit down; smoothe the feathers of the bird; let him perceive
that you attach much value to it; and after a while loop it on the game
bag, allowing him all the time to see what you are doing. After that, make
much of him for full five minutes: indeed with some dogs it would be
advisable to give a palatable reward, but be not invariably very prodigal
of these allurements; you may have a pupil whose attention they might
engross more than they ought. Then walk about a little time with him at
your heels. All this delay and caressing will serve to show him that the
first tragedy is concluded, and has been satisfactorily performed. You may
now hie him on to hunt for more birds.
181. Pray mind what is said about making your youngster point the dead
bird staunchly, the moment you perceive that he first scents it. Should he
be allowed to approach so near as to be able to touch it--instead of
being made to point the instant he finds,--the chances are, that if
hard-mouthed he will give it a crunch, if tender-mouthed a fumbling of the
feathers; and either proceeding satisfying him, that he will quit it, and
not further aid you in a search. As "pointing" is only a natural
pause--prolonged by art--to determine exactly where the game is lying,
preparatory to rushing forward to seize, it would be unreasonable to
expect him willingly to make a second point at game he has not only found
but mouthed--the evil, however, does not rest here. There is such a
disagreeable thing as blinking a dead bird, no less than blinking a sound
one. For mouthing the bird you may possibly beat the dog, or for nosing it
and not pointing you may rate him harshly, either of which, if he be not
of a bold disposition, may lead, on the next occasion, to his slinking off
after merely obtaining a sniff. You ought, in fact, to watch as carefully
for your pupil's first "feathering" upon the dead bird, as you
did--174--upon his first coming upon the covey. You see, then, that your
teaching him to "point dead" is absolutely indispensable; unless, indeed,
you constantly shoot with a retriever. Pointing at a live bird or at a
dead one should only differ in this, that in the latter case the dog makes
a nearer point. _Begin_ correctly, and you will not have any difficulty;
but you may expect the greatest if you let your dog go up to one or two
birds and mouthe them, before you commence making him point them. The
following season, should you then permit him to lift his game, it will be
time enough to dispense with his "pointing dead." I dwell upon this
subject because many excellent dogs, from not having been properly taught
to "point dead," often fail in securing the produce of a successful shot,
while, on the contrary, with judiciously educated dogs it rarely happens
that any of the slain or wounded are left on the field. Moreover, the
protracted search and failure--as an instance see 217--occasions a
lamentable loss of time. Were a sportsman who shoots over dogs not well
broken to "point dead"--or retrieve--to calculate accurately, watch in
hand, he would, I think, be surprised to find how many of his best
shooting hours are wasted in unprofitable searching for birds of the
certainty of whose untimely fate his dogs had probably long before fully
convinced themselves.
182. As to the word "Dead," whether you choose to continue using it
immediately after loading, or, as I have recommended--XI. of 119--_after a
time_ omit it, and merely let the signal to "heel" intimate that you have
killed, always make your dog go to you before you allow him to seek for
the fallen bird.
183. Some may say, "As a dog generally sees a bird fall, what is the use
of calling him to you before you let him seek?--and even if he does not
see the bird, why should any time be lost? Why should not you and he go as
direct to it as you can?"
184. Provided you have no wish that the "finder"--see 295--rather than any
of his companions, should be allowed the privilege of "seeking dead," I
must admit that in the cultivated lands of England, when a dog "sees a
bird fall," he might in nine cases out of ten go direct to it without
inconvenience. Even here, however, there are occasions when intervening
obstacles may prevent you observing what the dog is about; and in cover,
so far from being able to give him any assistance by signalling, you may
be ignorant whether or not he has seen the bird knocked over, or is even
aware of the general direction in which he ought to seek. But in the
oft-occurring cases in which "he does not see the bird fall," it is
obvious--particularly when he happens to be at the extremity of his
beat,--that you will far more quickly place him where you wish, if you
make him, at first, run up to you, and then advance from you, straight to
the bird, by your forward signal--190. These good results at least will
follow, if you remain stationary, and make him join you. You do not lose
sight of the spot where you marked that the bird or birds fell. The foil
is not interfered with by your walking over the ground--a matter of much
importance, especially on bad-scenting days. The dog, if habituated to
"seek" without your companionship, will readily hunt morasses and ravines,
where you might find it difficult to accompany him. He will feel the less
free to follow his own vagaries; and this consciousness of subjection will
dispose him to pay more watchful attention to your signals. He will the
more patiently wait at the "down charge;" and when you are reloaded will
not be so tempted to dash recklessly after the bird, regardless whether
or not he raises others on the way. If he is dragging a cord, you can the
more easily take hold of its end, in order to check him, and make him
point when he first winds the dead bird--and, should you be shooting over
several dogs, by none of them being permitted to run direct to the fallen
bird they will the less unwillingly allow you to select the one who is to
approach close to you before "seeking dead."
185. The opponents of this method argue, that the practice may give the
dog the bad habit of running immediately after the "down charge" to the
gun, instead of recommencing to hunt; particularly if he is shot over by a
first-rate performer. Granted; but is not the temptation to bolt off in
search of a dead bird still stronger? To check the former evil, endeavor
to make the coming to "heel" an act of obedience rather than a voluntary
act, by never failing, as soon as you are re-loaded, to give the customary
signal--VIII. of 119--when you have killed, or the signal to "hie on"
should you have missed.
186. Moreover, you will sometimes meet with a dog who, when a bird has
been fired at, though it be the first and only one sprung of a large
covey, commences "seeking dead" immediately after the "down charge,"
apparently considering that his first duty. This sad, sad fault--for it
frequently leads to his raising the other birds out of shot--is generally
attributable to the dog's having been allowed to rush at the fallen bird,
instead of being accustomed to the restraint of having first to run up to
the gun.
187. To prevent your pupil ever behaving so badly, often adopt the plan of
not "seeking dead" immediately after loading, especially if the birds are
lying well. Mark accurately the spot where your victim lies, and closely
hunt for others, endeavoring to instil great caution into the dog, much in
the manner--being guided by his disposition and character--described in
144, 145, and 228. As long as any of the covey remain unsprung, you ought
not to pick up one dead bird, though you should have a dozen on the
ground. Your dog ought not even to "down charge" after you have fired, if
he is fully aware that more birds are before him. To impart to him the
knowledge that, _however important is the "down charge," his continuing at
his point is still more so_, you may, when the birds are lying well and he
is at a fixed point, make your attendant discharge a gun at a little
distance while you remain near the dog, encouraging him to maintain his
"toho." If you have no attendant, and the birds lie like stones, fire off
a barrel yourself while the dog is steadily pointing. He will fancy you
see birds which he has not noticed, and, unless properly tutored and
praised by you, will be desirous to quit those he has found, to search for
the bird he conceives you have shot.
188. It is a fine display of intelligence in the dog, and of judicious
training in the breaker--may it be your desert and reward ere long to
witness it in your pupil,--when a pointer--or setter--in goodly turnips
or strong potatoes draws upon birds which obligingly rise one after the
other, while by continuing his eloquent attitude he assures you that some
still remain unsprung, to which he is prepared to lead you if you will but
attend to them and him, and, instead of pot-hunting after those you have
killed, wait until his discriminating nose informs him that, having no
more strangers to introduce, he is at liberty to assist you in your
search.
189. To revert, however, to the point particularly under discussion, viz.,
whether you prefer that your dog go direct to the fallen bird, or--as I
strongly recommend--that he first join you, pray be consistent, exact
which you will, but always exact the same, if you are anxious to obtain
cheerful unhesitating obedience.
190. I have seen the advantage of the latter method very strikingly
exemplified in America, in parts of which there is capital
snipe-shooting.[33] In the high grass and rushes on the banks of the
Richelieu, many a bird have I seen flushed and shot at, of which the liver
and white pointer, ranging at a little distance, has known nothing. As he
was well broken in, on hearing the report of the gun, he, of course,
dropped instantly. His master, when he had reloaded, if the bird had
fallen, used invariably to say "Dead,"[34] in a low tone of voice, on
which the dog would _go up to him_; and then his master, without stirring
from the spot where he had fired, directed him by signals to the place
where the bird had tumbled, and in proceeding thither, the dog often had
to swim the stream. His master then said "Find." At that word, and not
before it, his intelligent four-footed companion commenced the search for
the bird, nor did he ever fail to find and bring; and so delicate was his
mouth that I have often seen him deliver up a bird perfectly alive,
without having deranged a feather, though, very probably, he had swam with
it across one of the many creeks which intersect that part of the country.
If the shot was a miss, his master's silence after reloading, and a wave
of his arm to continue hunting--or the command to "Hie on," if the dog was
hidden by the rushes--perhaps a low whistle would have been better,--fully
informed his companion of the disappointment. He was quite as good on the
large quail, and small wood-cock found in Canada, which latter makes a
ringing noise on rising, not unlike the sound of a distant soft bell; but
reminiscences of that capital old dog are leading me away from your young
one.
191. For some days you cannot shoot to your pupil too steadily and
quietly--I had well nigh said too slowly. By being cool, calm, and
collected yourself, you will make him so. I am most unwilling to think
that you will be too severe, but I confess I have my misgivings lest you
should occasionally overlook some slight faults in the elation of a
successful right and left. Filling the game-bag must be quite secondary to
education. Never hesitate to give up any bird if its acquisition interfere
with a lesson. Let all that you secure be done according to rule, and in a
sportsmanlike manner.
[Illustration: SETTERS.--BOB.]
FOOTNOTES:
[31] As he acquires experience he will wish to rise the moment he observes
that your loading is completed. Do not allow him to move, however
correctly he may have judged the time. Let his rising be always in
obedience to signal or word. You may make a mistake in charging, or your
friend may not load as expeditiously as yourself.
[32] Never being allowed to grip conduces so much to making him
tender-mouthed, that, should he hereafter be permitted to lift his game,
it is probable he will deliver it up perfectly uninjured.
[33] I reserve this anecdote on account of its interest and applicability
to American readers.--H.W.H.
[34] In order to work in silence, I advised--XI. of 119--that the signal
to "heel" whenever the dog could observe it, should supersede the word
"dead." It might be necessary to sing out with a boat-swain's voice should
the dog be far off.