Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/769056
156 • S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S little drama. Deke was a taut, rawboned pointer with "go-power" to match his nose. Rousey was a big, sturdy, female German shorthair that left no doubt where her name came from. She took charge from the minute she hit the ground and never let up. From that point on I took the occasional shot with the Lewis, but for the most part, was content to watch Dunc and Bud. When Art arrived late that day we alternated, with two on the ground shooting, and two following or riding up top on the jeep. make me feel encouraged. At least I knew that I could still shoot quail. Even if I couldn't shoot them well, I could still make a good effort. And that's all I needed or wanted. T he next morning I took a leisurely gentleman's breakfast, then D. J. and I chased down a couple of coveys to pass the time until Dunc and Bud arrived, which they did shortly before noon. That afternoon Ron Mize took over for D.J. and brought along a couple of new players to add to our When I came abreast of the two pointers, I snicked the left-hand hammer back and waited for D.J. to give Jase the go-ahead. When he did, the happy little fellow didn't take long about his work, and soon, the air seemed absolutely full of buzzing birds. At the flush, I brought the little gun up, cocking the right-hand hammer in the same motion. Some of the bunch peeled off to the right, but most fanned out directly in front, giving me a couple of easy straightaway shots. My first shot tumbled a plump cock- bird into the grass. I swung on a second bird, but just as I began to squeeze the trigger the bird disappeared, only to reappear 20 yards farther down-range. By the time I got on him, he was too far and I held fire. The next rise, which came from the edge of one of the food plots, left me standing, shaking my head with two empty hulls, but nothing for the cockers to retrieve. We found the third covey along the edge of the bay where they were headed to the safety of the swamp for the night. It didn't work for two of them, though, because the diminutive hammergun came up sweet and clean, and when the commotion was over, there were two widening circles in the water. Jase paid the water no heed and soon brought both to hand. We finished the day out with a few more failures, but enough successes to