535. Manifestly it would be worth while to take great pains to teach this accomplishment, for in all countries it would prove a most killing one when birds become wild; and, as Tolfrey shows ([529]), it would be found particularly useful wherever the red-legged partridge abounds,[96]—which birds you will find do not lie badly when the coveys are, by any means, well headed and completely broken. But there are other accomplishments nearly as useful as those already detailed; the description of them, however, we will reserve for a separate Chapter.
CHAPTER XVII.
SETTER TO RETRIEVE. BLOODHOUNDS. RETRIEVERS TO “BEAT.” WOUNDED WILDFOWL RETRIEVED BEFORE THE KILLED.
[536]. SETTER TO RETRIEVE; obtain thereby in one dog the services of two; necessity of having some Dog that retrieves.—[537]. Predilection for Setters confessed; Reason given; in Note, Setters daily becoming more valuable than Pointers; Partridges netted by Poachers, also by Keepers, to make birds wary; Bloodhounds to track Poachers; Education of Bloodhounds; Education of Keeper’s night dog. (See [Appendix]).—[538]. Retrieving not to be taught first season.—[539]. Value of retrieving instanced in Pointer.—[540]. One Dog only to retrieve; Dog that bolted Partridge because interfered with by companion; Birds kept cool.—[541]. Let “retrieving” be done by “Finder.”—[542]. Captain J——n’s three Dogs that alternately retrieved as ordered.—[543]. Such an Education could be given, but unnecessary.—[544]. Seeking Dead with two Dogs; Winged Bird searched for in direction of covey’s flight.—[545]. Scent differs of wounded and unwounded birds.—[546]. Three dead Snipe lifted in succession; Setter that stood fresh birds while carrying a dead one; Pointer that pointed Partridge while carrying a hare; Retriever refusing to relinquish chase of wounded Hare; wounded Woodcock walked up to, not “set” by Dog.—[547]. “Venus” tracking winged Partridge through Pheasants and Rabbits.—[548]. Injudiciousness of retrieving Setter pointing dead.—[549]. Argument against employing retrieving Setters holds against using regular Retrievers.—[550]. REGULAR RETRIEVERS TO BEAT; its Advantages; one Dog does the duty of two.—[551]. Instance of Retriever doing so spontaneously.—[552]. Retriever that never disturbed fresh ground.—[553]. WATER RETRIEVERS (OR WATER SPANIELS) TO RETRIEVE CRIPPLED BEFORE PICKING UP DEAD WILDFOWL; how taught.—[554]. None of these Accomplishments so difficult to teach as a good range.—[555]. Might be taught by your Gamekeeper but not to be expected of regular Breaker.
SETTER TO RETRIEVE.
536. Undeniably there is some value in the extra number of shots obtained by means of highly broken dogs; and nearly as undeniable is it that no man, who is not over-rich, will term that teaching superfluous which enables him to secure in one dog the services of two. Now, I take it for granted (as I cannot suppose you are willing to lose many head of killed game), that you would be glad to be always accompanied in the field by a dog that retrieves. Unless you have such a companion, there will be but little chance of your often securing a slightly winged bird in turnips. Indeed, in all rough shooting, the services of a dog so trained are desirable to prevent many an unfortunate hare and rabbit from getting away to die a painful, lingering death; and yet, if the possession of a large kennel is ever likely to prove half as inconvenient to you as it would to me, you would do well, according to my idea of the matter, to dispense with a regular retriever, provided you have a highly broken setter who retrieves well.
SETTER PREFERRED TO POINTER.
537. I say setter rather than pointer, not on account of his more affectionate, and perhaps more docile disposition (for certainly he is less liable to sulk under punishment), but because, thanks to his long coat, he will be able to work in any cover, and that from nature he “roads” quicker.