154 WILD FOWL SIIOOTING. 
he flies by, dropping at an angle of about thirty degrees, 
he presents the most difficult shot imaginable to make. 
The twisting, writhing snipe isn’t to be compared to 
him; you can wait on the snipe until it steadies its 
flight, but the longer you wait on a blue-bill, the worse 
you are off. On such a bird one must “let drive ” 
quickly ; hold as near as you can guess about two feet 
under, four feet ahead, and you may hit him. If you 
don't, rest assured, he couldn’t be hit shooting in any 
other way. Should you have the satisfaction of seeing 
him double up, throw his head on his back, and dro} 
like a chunk of lead, his dead body carried by the 
inertia of his now still wings, following the same angle 
he mapped out when alive, you can illuminate your 
blind with your sweetest smile, pat your dog fondly, 
and mark my word, if the dog is an old duck retriever, 
you will plainly see in his honest eyes an expressive 
feeling, showing he appreciates the shot. Don’t try 
this shot too often, lest you fall from grace in the dog’s 
estimation. I know of no way in which the conceit 
will so quickly, so surely, be taken out of a man who 
thinks he is a good shot, as to let him try a few of 
these shots in the presence of an old duck-hunter. 
As the birds begin to come into the decoys, they will 
fly against the wind, fearlessly, but swiftly, then keep 
cool, hold well ahead of them and always try to get one 
with each barrel. If you are anxious for a big * bag,” 
and don't care just how you make it, let them light 
and get two or three in range for the first barrel, but 
if you are out for recreation and fun, don’t let them 
Hight, but just as they are about to light, with wings 
fluttering and feet extended, coolly and quickly draw 
aim about a foot ahead of some bright-eyed, black- 
