Nov 17, 1906
Sporting Life http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1906/VOL_48_NO_10/SL4810012.pdfWOMAN AND THE GUN. By Mrs. Will K. Park
The King himself hath said it, but we in America do not agree. In heralding the fact that King Edward (VII) was to entertain two crowned heads with pheasant shooting in Windsor's Great Park a recent Associated Press dispatch concluded with the following
paragraph:
"It is perhaps not generally known that King Edward, though delighted to see the ladies when they join the shooting party at the out-of-doors luncheon, cherishes a deep aversion to having them with the guns, an antipathy shared to the full by Queen Alexandra."
To disagree with royalty might savor of treason in the Kingdom, but in this land of the brave we can with freedom wield the pen on behalf of the woman in the woods, and while we quite understand that the shooting abroad is totally different from American hunting, still the sweeping sentence of condemnation need not go unchallenged.
Shooting is mainly a recreation of the rich across the water, with the estates leased or owned, as the case may be, and house parties arranged for the full consummation of enjoyment of host, hostess and guests. Beaters drive the game toward the sportsmen and the bag is numbered by so many brace of birds, never in singles. The luncheon is a thing of joy, indeed, a matter of much moment, and at this function, in accordance with King Edward's decree, the ladies are welcome to join. They may disport themselves in natty tweeds and fashionable plaids during the noon hour, smilingly, pass the time of day with their lords and masters, then pouf! back to the house for a novel or a bon bon while the knickerbockered element settle to the real enjoyment and pleasure.
Well, we do things differently here;
all hail to the winning American girl. In the first place, not yet does she need a private preserve to set off her charms. And brother's heavy gun has been known to serve as a fowling piece when her heart was set on a bunny, bird or squirrel, either of which are toothsome after the tramp in the woods with its fortunate ending. But if she has her own light-weight shotgun, all the better, and guided by either brother, husband or father bound towards farm land for quail, mountain for grouse or the uncut timber for deer, she is to be envied her chance to ungrudgingly enjoy the grand sport awaiting her good aim. Only very seldom does she care for a big bag, since, quite frequently, the creditable, cheerful work of the dogs holds her undivided attention, or the changing views in Autumn pictures, or again, the enticing hunt for mosses and ferns mean more to her artistic nature than the mere killing of a bird.
Nevertheless, birds were made to eat, and the successful pursuit of one Pennsylvania grouse over the side of a mountain, though brush and brier, O'er fence and log, fully entitles any Diana to feast on the remains, and consider it a just reward of the healthful quest.
The out-doors girl who means business revels in quail or grouse hunting. She would not shine as a tailor's model, for her good sense runs to corsetless rig of duck, denim or covert, with coat practically double, the back one pocket, each side another, all these quite in addition to the regulation outer pockets. Her sensible outfit, including stout shoes and close-fitting cap, permit of the comfortable chase, alike benefiting her mental and physical powers. She is the better for her outing in the woods with lungs breathing unadulterated ozone, undefiled water to be had for the stopping, and pulses tingling
with the excitement of opposing Nature in its cutest form.
Interesting Edwardian anecdote
http://books.google.com/books?id=3dXNoR-...t&resnum=3#
