452 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
target, whether under or over, before or behind. Given 
this information, the shooter corrects his aim accord- 
ingly. 
The many books that have been written on shooting 
give hints and suggestions which are of great value 
to the young gunner, explaining what he should do, 
and, more important than all, cautioning him against 
the mistakes he is likely to make. This is helpful, but, 
after all, nothing can take the place of practice. Each 
beginner must necessarily go through the school of 
preliminary practice, finally coming to clay targets, 
thrown from the trap, which afford the best practice 
of all. He may feel sure that the more practice he 
has the better he will learn to shoot, but I believe that 
the best practice of all, if it be faithfully continued, 
is that taken with an empty gun, for five minutes at 
a time, two or three times a day, throwing up the gun 
on different objects and pulling the trigger the instant 
the sight is caught; or throwing up the gun and then 
swiftly swinging it on to some mark and pulling the 
trigger just as this mark is reached. 
A point that must be remembered, and that has much 
to do with success in shooting, or the lack of it, is the 
disparity in strength and skill which exists in the two 
arms of all men. Most men are right-handed, and are 
constantly performing various tasks with the right 
hand and arm, which thus becomes far more efficient 
and much stronger than the left. A few people are 
ambidextrous, and can use either hand indifferently. A 
few men are left-handed, and can shoot from the shoul- 
