Part 1
Transcriber's Note
Text emphasis represented as _Italics_.
A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK
A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK
BY OWEN JONES AUTHOR OF "TEN YEARS' GAMEKEEPING"
AND
MARCUS WOODWARD JOINT AUTHOR OF "WOODCRAFT"
_WITH PHOTOGRAVURE ILLUSTRATIONS_
SECOND IMPRESSION
LONDON EDWARD ARNOLD 1910
[_All rights reserved_]
PREAMBLE
A gamekeeper's notes are written for the most part on the tablets of his mind. He is a man of silence; yet he is ever ready to unlock the casket of his memories if old friends, and sympathetic, are about him. We have known keepers who could talk, when so minded, as well as they could shoot, making their points as certainly as they would bowl over any straying cat that crossed their paths. But few keepers can handle a pen with the same confidence as a gun. Some keepers, it is true, carry note-books, and therein make certain brief notes--simple records and plain statements of fact, interesting enough to glance over, but nothing to read.
The vermin bag has an honourable place in these notes--year by year the keeper may set down precisely how many malefactors (and others) have fallen to his gun and traps. It is a record in which he takes almost as much pride as in his daily and yearly lists of game; the grand total of a good season for game or vermin lingers for ever on his lips. The date of a shoot, the beat, the number and names of the guns, and what luck befell them, all may be noted with scrupulous care, with a word about the weather, perhaps, and possibly also on the benefits in cash received by the keeper at the day's end. Many carry little pocket note-books wherein they keep an account of dates and places--the date of all dates in the year being, of course, that on which the first wild pheasant's egg was found among the primroses. A page of the book may be filled with the names and nicknames of poachers caught, and a record of their transgressions and penalties. For the rest, for all the details, that should clothe the nakedness of these briefly written words, one must go to the keeper's mind. And the best of all a keeper's notes are the ones he never jots down.
In this book the notes set out are culled chiefly from a series of genuine note-books, covering a certain keeper's ten years' experience of gamekeeping and life-long experience in woodcraft: we have taken the rough jottings of his pocket-books, and have done our best with thoughts and memories to sketch in the foreground and background of his facts. Where he has merely noted, "April --, first wild pheasant's egg seen," we have tried to picture him as he set out hopefully expectant, and to describe his feelings as he found that egg, to him more precious than all others of the year. Where, again, he only says, "Saw cubs at play," we have sympathised with him as he noted what wings of partridges and pheasants, what legs of hares and bones of rabbits, littered the playground.
An abundant source of incident and story we have found in our dealings with many good gamekeeper friends, old men and young, some of them locally renowned as "characters," and all good sportsmen. We have elaborated many a note on gamekeepers themselves, about their wives and children, their cottages, their dreams, their ways of speech and their philosophic sayings, matters which no keeper would trouble to record.
Should we be pressed to name the original author of the note-books from which our memories have been mainly refreshed, we should have to name one of ourselves: we would be excused. Together, we share the recollection of glad companionship through many a long day and night; and, above all, that magic interest in the countless phases of a gamekeeper's life and work covered by that wide word, Woodcraft.
Our notes appeared originally in the Saturday editions of the _Evening Standard and St. James's Gazette_, in which journal they have long been and are still a regular feature: we thank the editor for permission to publish them in the present form. We are indebted to the editor of _Pearson's Magazine_ for permission to reproduce the two bird-pictures by Mr. Frank Southgate, R.B.A.
O. J. and M. W.
_September 1910._
LIST OF CONTENTS
SPRING
PAGE
The Keeper's Lot 1 Perquisites 2 Pets at the Cottage 3 Wood-Pigeons 4 The Keeper's Larder 5 Homely Medicines 7 The Earth-Stoppers' Feast 8 The Keeper's Garden 9 Keepers' Holidays 12 An Advantage of Marriage 13 The Keeper seeks a New Berth 14 In North and South 15 Poachers-- 15 And their Dogs 16 Perfect Obedience 17 The Black List 18 A South-Country Record 19 Woodland Gallows 20 The Gallows Martyrs 21 Once Trapped, Twice Shy 22 Cunning Trappers 23 The Time to Catch a Weasel 24 Changes of Coats 25 The Vermin Bag 26 The Ways of Squirrels 27 The Squirrel's Appetite 28 The Departure of Cats 29 Skeletons and Cobwebs 30 The Persecuted Magpie 31 The Merciful Trap 32 The Rabbit in a Snare 33 The Sleep of Birds 34 Animals at Rest 36 Vigilant Fulfers 37 The Eyes of Wild Creatures 38 The Season's End 39 Beaters' Sport 41 Tailless Cocks 43 Preparations 44 Hungry Rabbits 44 To Save Underwood 45 Studies in Fear 46 The Rookery 48 When Rooks Build 49 Ways of the Crows 49 The Crow as Terrorist 51 Imperial Rooks 51 Rook-Pie 52 Birds for Stock 53 Old Hens 55 A Gamekeeping Problem 56 The Hare Poacher 57 March Hares 58 The Cubs' Birthday 59 Courtiers in Pens 60 When Hawks Nest 62 Love-Dances 63 Names that Puzzle Cockneys 63 Hares and their Young 66 Starving Birds 67 The Egg of Eggs 68 Pheasants' Eggs 69 Hens in Cocks' Feathers 71 About Nesting Pheasants 71 The Broody Hen 73 The Frenchmen's Nests 76 The Last of the Hurdlers 77 Hurdlers' Science 78 The Woodman 79 A Dying Race 79 Choice Nesting-Places 80 Hidden Nests 81 A Mutual Understanding 82 Many Guardians 82 Mark's Day 84 The Old, Old Story 85 The Luck of Pheasant-Rearing 86 From Egg to Larder 88 Fine Eggs and good Mothers 88 The Cub-Stealing Shepherd 89 Lures and Charms 90 The Law and the Peewit 92 The Partridge and the Peewit 93 A Friend to Agriculture 93 The Rats in the Stacks 94 Thoughts on Rat-hunting 95 When Cats are Angered 96 Hunters' Thirst 96 Life-in-Death 97 Ideal Ratters 98 Ratting without Ferrets 100
SUMMER
A Keeper Chorister 103 Velveteens 104 Owls and Hawks 105 The Bold Sparrow-Hawk 106 Nest and Young 108 The Keeper Outwitted 110 A Jackdaw Nursery 111 Detective Work 112 Cattle in the Woods 112 A Tragedy of the Woodlands 114 Fox and Partridge 114 A Study in Perseverance 115 The Hut in the Woods 116 Pheasant Chicks 117 The Roosting Habit 119 The Badger's Stealth 121 To Attract Bullfinches 123 Bird Warnings 123 A Rabbit's Fates 124 Game-Birds and Motors 125 Mysteries of the Nightjar 126 The Razor-grinder 127 A Ventriloquist 127 The Cock and the Hen 129 On Finding Feathers 130 When the Dog's Asleep 131 A Story of Rats 132 Blood and Water 133 The Untimely Opening 134 'Ware Wire 135 Witless Pheasants 135 Nature's Laws 136 The Partridge June 137 Favoured Pheasants 138 A Covey of Ancients 140 Keepers' Woe 141 Red-Legs 141 Water for Game-Birds 142 Ideal Coverts 144 The Thrist of Rabbits 145 Puppies at Walk 145 Schooling the Puppies 147 Dogs' Noses 148 The Thief of the World 149 The Cubs' Playground 151 A Fox's Feat 152 Dog-Washing Days 153 Shame-faced Cocks 155 The Turtle-Dove's Summer 157 The Lagging Landrail 157 The Truce Ends 159 The Thieving Jay 160 The Oldest Writing 161 Prospects 162 Useful Work by Game-Birds 163 Life of the Cornfield 164 The Keeper's Hopes 165 Finding the Fox 167 Harvest Sport 167 The Luck of the Game 169 Rabbit-Catchers' Craft 170 Among the Corn 172 The Last to Leave 172 In the Woods 172 Weasel Families 173 Mother Stoat 174 Lurking-Places 176 Studies in Stoat Ways 177 The First 179 Early Birds 179 Walking-up 180 Thoughts on Cubbing 181 Wines of the Country 183
AUTUMN
The Verdict of the Season 185 Weather to pray for 187 After the Opening 187 An October Day 188 Low Flight and High 189 Wily Grouse Cocks 189 Rewards for Cubs 190 "Various"--the Landrail 191 Sport amid the Shocks 192 "Mark" 193 The Keeper's Dogs 195 Woodcock Owls 196 Dogs that Despise Woodcock 196 Pets of Pigs 198 Some Deals in Dogs 199 Marked Birds 200 Colour-Changes in Feathers 200 Nature's Healing 201 A Little Story 202 Accidents to Hares 202 Hares no longer Speedy 203 Starling Hosts 204 Trials of a Copser 205 Wild Birds in Cages 205 Truffles 206 Retriever's Usefulness 206 Nuts and Mice 207 The Hand of Time 209 The Keeper grows Old 210 Rabbit Ways in Autumn 211 The Rabbits' House-cleaning 212 The Guileless Countryman 213 Sporting Policemen 214 The Woodcraft of Gipsies 215 Gipsy Lies 217 Long-netters 219 Training Rabbits 219 Why Birds Flock 221 The Companies of Rats 222 The Fall 223 Late and Early Autumns 223 Hares in the Garden 224 Food for Pheasants 225 The Lingering Leaves 226 Planning Big Shoots 227 Plots and Counter-Plots 228 Indian Summer 229 Winter Sleep 230 A Dish of Hedgehog 231
WINTER
Rustic Wit 233 The Oak City 233 Acorns 234 Plump Rabbits 236 The Stoat's Hunting 237 Mysteries of Scent 238 The Axe in the Coverts 241 The Uses of Underwood 242 The Tipping System 243 Free Suppers for the Fox 245 Clues to the Thief 246 Muzzled by a Snare 247 Cunning Rascals 248 A Hunting Argument 249 The Clever Terrier 251 Born Retrieving 252 Some Sporting Types 252 Victims of Wire 253 Stoat or Weasel? 253 "The Horrid Badger" 254 Chalk-Pit Haunts 255 When the Fox sleeps 255 When Ferret meets Fox 256 February Rabbits 257 The Moucher's Excuse 257 When Hounds come 258 When Hounds are gone 259 Poachers' Weapons 260 Moles' Skins for Furs 261 Covert-shooting Problems 262 "Cocks only"--to compromise 262 What a Cat may kill 263 A Cockney Story 264 Hares in Small Holdings 265 The Sins of the Father 266 The Pheasants' Roosting-Trees 267 The Fox in the Storm 268 Foxes at Pheasant Shoots 268 Pheasants that go to Ground 269 Pheasants' Doomsday 270 The Hungry Retriever 270 The Old Wood 271 Memories of Muzzle-loaders 272 Relics of the Great Days 273 Cleaning a Muzzle-loader 274 The Knowing Beater 275 Old Friends 276 What Shepherds enjoy 277 Lives of Labour 277 In the Folds 278 Shepherds' Care 279 Winter Partridge-driving 279 The Fear of Snow 281 Hard-Weather Prophets 282 Weather-wise Beasts and Birds 282 Green Winters 284 What Rainy Days bring 285 Cubs at Christmas 286 Work for Rainy Days 287 The Old Lumber 288 When Foxes mate 289 A Keeper's Dreams 290 A Death-bed Vision 291 Christmas Sport 292 Cunning Cock Pheasants 293 A Dish of Greens 293 Christmas Shoots 294 Woodcock Talk 295 Spare the Hens 296 A Free-and-Easy 297 A Keeper's Ghost-Story 298 Old Friends in Velveteen 300 The Converted Shepherd 302 A Final Story 302 Careful Wives 303 "What Her was Like" 304
Index 305
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
_To face Page_
A Pipe of Peace _Frontispiece_
Spring's Looking-glass 40
Hampshire Hurdles 78
The Long Day Closes 134
Starlings Roosting on Reeds 204 _From a Drawing by Frank Southgate, R.B.A._
Peewits in Winter 280 _From a Drawing by Frank Southgate, R.B.A._
SPRING
The Keepers' Lot
The position of a gamekeeper in England is a curious one. Admittedly he is among the most skilled and highly trained workers of the countryside. His intimate knowledge of wild life commands respect. Often he is much more than a careful and successful preserver of game--a thoroughly good sportsman, a fine shot. His work carries heavy responsibility; as whether a large expenditure on a shooting property brings good returns--and on him depends the pleasure of many a sporting party. On large estates he is an important personage--important to the estate owner, to the hunt, to the farm bailiff, and to a host of satellites. His value is proved by the many important side-issues of his work--dog-breeding and dog-breaking, or the breaking of young gentlemen to gun work. Yet, in spite of the honourable and onerous nature of his calling, he is paid in cash about the same wage as a ploughman.
* * * * *
Perquisites
The actual wages of a first-class gamekeeper may be no more than a pound a week. A system has sprung up by which he receives, in addition to wages, many recompenses in kind, while his slender pay is fortified by the tips of the sportsman to whom he ministers. This system has bred in him a kind of obsequiousness--he is dependent to a great extent on charity. With a liberal employer he may be well off, and all manner of good things may come his way; but with a mean employer the perquisites of his position may be few and far between.
At the best, he may live in a comfortable cottage, rent free. His coal is supplied to him without cost, and wood from the estate. Milk is drawn freely from the farm--or he may have free pasturage for a cow of his own. A new suit of clothes is presented to him each year. He may keep pigs for his own use, usually at his own expense, but this is a small item, and even here he may be helped out by a surplus of pig-food from the kitchen of the house or from the farms. He has a fair chance to make money by dog-breeding and exhibiting. Then there is vermin and rabbit money which he earns as extra pay, and useful sums may flow into his pocket from the hunt funds. He may keep fowls at his employer's expense, and if not solely for his own use, he has the privilege of a proportion of the eggs, and a reasonable number of the chickens may be roasted or boiled for his own table. The estate gardeners aid him with his gardening operations, and many surplus plants and seeds find their way into his plot. To rabbits he may help himself freely, also to rooks and pigeons. After each shooting party his employer--if a generous master--invites him to take home a brace of pheasants and a hare; and there may be other ways in which game comes to his larder. Commissions and fees of various indeterminate sorts may swell his coffers. All kinds of supplies he secures, if not freely, at reduced prices. And always there is the harvest of tips. Clearly there is every chance for a gamekeeper to receive charity of some form or another, if it is not always offered; and this must tend to weaken that independence which is found by the man who is paid for his labour fairly and squarely in cash.
* * * * *
Pets at the Cottage
One usually sees a pretty assortment of pets about the keeper's cottage, where there are children. The keeper himself is not above a pet animal, though he may not confess it--and, strange to say, the keeper's favourite is often a cat. But you may be sure it is a cat among cats, and without sin--an expert among rats, mice, and sparrows, yet able to sit for hours on the hole of a rabbit, or alone with a canary, and not yield to temptation. At one keeper's cottage a dormouse is to be seen--at this season he is broader than he is long. Here lives "Billy," a buff bantam cock, who will sit on your knee and take a mouthful of bread from your lips; here also is "Tommy," a game-cock, who takes lunch and tea on the inside of the kitchen window-ledge; and here is "Sally," a goose that will lay more than threescore eggs in the spring, lives on grass, likes to explore the cottage's interior, and puts all the dogs to shame as a guard, loudly proclaiming the arrival of strangers. In a coop on a lawn lives a white rabbit, whose mission in life is to keep the grass short; this rabbit will not look at a carrot, but rejoices in bread and milk, and above all in cold chicken. In the yard is a retriever, who is always careful to offer you her right paw in greeting, loves blackberries, and is the special friend of a little terrier. Once there was a pet lamb. On many a little rough grassy grave the keeper's child places wreaths of wild flowers.
* * * * *
Wood-Pigeons
The shooting of pigeons is the keeper's special feather-sport--he is always on the spot to take advantage of favourable circumstances. It goes on in summer as in winter, and remembering the tremendous amount of damage done to pea-fields, corn crops and roots by pigeons, there is a justification for this shooting which cannot be urged in favour of pheasant-shooting. The keeper understands the sport. He knows the pigeons' habits and feeding times, and that concealment is the secret of success. Lying at ease on the ground, with his back to a tree-trunk, he waits in all patience for the pigeons to come to their favourite trees. Or, having noted the part of the feeding-field where the birds alight, he conceals himself in a hedge, or behind bushes arranged by himself, so that from his butt he can shoot comfortably at any bird within range. As birds are shot he sets them up as decoys. A stick about nine inches long is put in the ground, and one pointed end inserted in the pigeon's throat, the bird being set up in a life-like way. Knowing that they are thirsty birds, especially when feeding on the ripe, hard grain, he builds a hut near the pond where the pigeons drink, and if he cannot see them on the ground or in the trees, creeps out to stalk them, and the shots they give as they rise, diving and turning in all directions, are such that no one need despise.
* * * * *
The Keeper's Larder