84 WING-SHOOTING. 



HOW TO SHOOT GROUSE. 



The fault with many sportsmen is either shooting too 

 hurriedly, or dwelling too long, but there is a happy 

 medium in the time for firing. 



As the bird flushes, the gun should be " on the ready," 

 and as it jumps twenty or thirty feet in the air, the gun 

 should be carried with the bird until the bird reaches its 

 height before moving forward, that instant the gun 

 should be fired. 



When the bird rises seven or eight feet, the gun should 

 be placed upon the bird, a quick and decided aim taken 

 high on the bird at the instant of firing. 



When the bird presents a cross shot, due allowance 

 should be made for the velocity of flight, rise of the bird, 

 and fall of the shot. At cross shots, the muzzle of the 

 gun should be placed ahead of the bird, from one to five 

 or six feet, according to distance ; and the motion of the 

 gun should be kept up, even after its discharge. 



When a bird hugs the ground in its flight, the gun 

 should be carried high on the bird and raised somewhat 

 over the bird, so that when the bird is lost to view, the 

 gun should be fired. 



[A bird, pitching from a tree presents one of the most 



