They were so plentiful that one could walk through thousands of them and they would part and allow the hunter to move among them, without taking wing.
Of course, one never would dream of shooting at a bird unless it was on the wing.

The only time that was excusable was when hunting for partridges among the trees in the foothills.

Usually Injun with his bow and arrow would take first shot at the partridge as it perched in the tree branches.

If he missed, which he seldom did, Whitey would let go his shot-gun when the partridge was on the wing.

And as Injun seldom missed, Mr.Partridge lost both ways.