54 PRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



DESCENDING SHOTS. 



|ESCENDING Shots are courses of flight taken b}- 

 Partridges flying downward from the sportsman, 

 and may include all directions of flight a Partridge 

 flying takes descending. Partridges when flushed 

 on a hill, instead of flying straight off", more usually 

 dart down along the side of the hill in a downward direc- 

 tion, and unless the sportsman takes good care he will 

 find himself invariably missing these birds — even the fairest 

 shots — by shooting too high, because a Partridge flying 

 down hill is all the while lowering, and if the aim is directly 

 at the bird, and the impetus of the gun is stopped at the 

 time of drawing the trigger, the bird will undoubtedly be 

 missed, as the shot will pass over the bird, being driven 

 too high. To be successful in shooting descending shots, or 

 Partridges flying down hill, or sinking or lowering, apply 

 the same rules as I have given for cross shooting. If within 

 twenty-five or thirty yards, aim directly at the bird, and 

 fire, and so on, and always remember to keep the gun 

 moving in the line of flight of the bird, for an instant after 

 the trigger is drawn. Descending shots are like, cross 

 shots — nine times out of ten, it is by arresting the motion 

 of the gun in the line of flight of the bird, at the time of 

 drawing the trigger, that causes you to miss your mark. 

 Sometimes Partridges fly straight off, and all of a sudden 

 will ascend in flight over a fence, or a clump of bushes, or 

 the like, and immediately on clearing the fence, bushes, or 

 the like, will descend again. These minute matters, though 

 seeming of little importance, should never be lost sight of, 

 and it is well not to allow yourself to be thrown off of your 

 guard. It is by these minute considerations, an observant 

 sportsman and good shot surpasses in excellence in shoot- 



