File:American game-bird shooting (1910) (14755457665).jpg

Identifier: americangamebird00grin (find matches)
Title: American game-bird shooting
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Grinnell, George Bird, 1849-1938
Subjects: Game and game-birds Hunting
Publisher: New York, Forest and stream publishing company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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wl shooting, a sport of marsh and water. Spaniels also have appreciative recognition, in a rela-tively limited way, by certain sportsmen whose domi-cile happens to be situated in a locality favorable tospaniels use. But even at that, this breed holds suchan insignificant place in relation to the gun, in America,that it may be considered as a negligible factor. In this country the areas in which the spaniel canbe worked to advantage are so few and unimportant,as compared with the vast areas favoring the work ofthe setter and pointer, that it is obvious that these natu-ral conditions dominate and determine the sportsmanschoice to an important degree. As few sections favorthe spaniels use, few sportsmen own him. His physi-cal powers, compared with those of the pointer andsetter, are exceedingly limited, and he is thus at a dis-advantage in the comparison with them. Nevertheless,in certain areas containing much cover and irregularground, in which the view is constantly obstructed, the 470
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DOGS 471 work of the spaniel fits in admirably, assuming thatgame is present in reasonable abundance. The spaniels working methods, natural and educa-tional, are quite distinct from those of the pointer andsetter. The two latter hunt mute, and, having foundthe birds, indicate the find by pointing them, the flushbeing left to the shooters choice of time and manner.The spaniel trails the birds to their place of conceal-ment, and, the opportunity offering, presses them toa flush without any attempt at pointing, if he actsproperly; hence the term springer. Some spaniels whimper, babble, or give tongue mer-rily while trailing; others work mute. Giving tongueat all is an objectionable trait, as in upland shootingman and dog should work as silently as possible. Thisis especially important when the birds are wild andseek safety in flight at the slightest alarm. Thus theneed of silence in upland shooting would seem to bequite obvious. However, this is contrary to some of the traditionsand usag

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