HOW TO AIM, AND SHOOT. 43 



luents and good shootino- to bring them down. These are 

 difficulties that good judgment alone will overcome. At 

 some seasons of the year most shooting is done in wood 

 and thicket — in thick cover through which you can scarcely 

 force your way. This kind of shooting requires consider- 

 able practice. One half the time you are not able to see 

 your game, and j^ou cannot judge correctl}^ their position 

 and distance, but you must learn to guess at it from all the 

 circumstances. To kill birds under these circumstances it 

 requires a quick e^^e, a clear mind, and a read}' hand. The 

 sportsman will have to serve an apprenticeship at the busi- 

 ness before he can attain the art. Shooting birds in open 

 fields on the wing, is entirely different from shooting bii'ds 

 in thick cover, such as you find in the mountains and hills. 

 swamps, densely grown-up clearings an<l thickets. In open 

 ground you can see the birds, 3'ou can judge with what 

 velocity they are flying, you have no bushes, trees, or ob- 

 structions to interfere with you in taking aim. . You will 

 have more time to judge the distance they are off' at the 

 time of drawing the trigger. You will therefore perceive 

 that shooting birds out in the open on the wing will admit 

 of taking more deliberate aim than shooting under thick 

 cover, because you have more time for deliberation. You 

 can close one eye in taking aim with ease and shoot veiy 

 accurately when a bird rises in open fields, flying in cei'tain 

 directions. But when shooting in Avoods, bushes, and 

 thickets, or difficult places, you have no time to lose in get- 

 ting aim, and tlie only plan to pursue to be successful, is to 

 shoot with both eyes wide open. After years of experi- 

 ence in the field and in shooting all kinds of fast-flying, 

 and running game, I offer you my method of shooting and 

 aiming where game is found in different "locations and un- 

 der certain circumstances. When a >.)ird springs in a thicket 

 and flies straight off' through bushes and hanging branches, 

 })iteh your gun quickl}' to your shoulder, cast both eyes en 

 the iiird, draw the trigger and fire, without an instant's 

 deliberation. When a bird springs in thick cover and flies 

 to the right or left behind bushes, pitch the gun quickly to 



