RABBIT SHOOTING. 163 



just started him, and who were making the woods 

 ring merrily in the early frosty morning. 



How it stirs the blood as one hears in the dis- 

 tance the mellow sound of the hounds, when the hare 

 is started ! If you are close on his run and he hap- 

 pens to be coming towards you, leaping between the 

 dark heavy pines and oaks, or dodging the bogs and 

 stumps, as is usually the case, with his head thrown 

 back and his eyes standing out from it, and resem- 

 bling balls of fire, it will require the utmost steadiness 

 of your nerves, and the instantaneous command of 

 your wits, to get a shot at him. At such times look 

 sharp, watch well your openings, and as soon as he 

 comes within range, put your gun forward, according to 

 the distance, as in shooting on the wing, and blaze 

 away. At such times a sportsman should have no 

 doubt or hesitation about when or how he should 

 shoot. He has no time for either. He must act, I 

 might almost say, instinctively as well as instantane- 

 ously j and should consider that, however disadvanta- 

 geous the shot may appear to him, in all probability 

 he will not get another or a better one at the same 

 animal. 



As hares and rabbits are hunted generally when 

 there is a light fall of snow upon the ground, there 

 is but little difficulty in finding their tracks when 

 their haunts are known. In putting out the dog he 

 should be made to follow the track in the direction 

 of the game ; and if the track be a fresh one, he will 

 soon have the hare or rabbit up. If the track be one 

 made the night previous, it may take the dog some 

 little time to work it up. 



