WHEN TO SHOOT. 507 



beginners — indeed, it is not confined to them — is to 

 shoot at the birds too late. The gunner should shoot 

 at crossing birds before they are up even with him. As 

 a rule, if birds are coming from the leeward, let him 

 rise to shoot as soon as they get over the tail of his de- 

 coys, and let him pull the trigger before they get oppo- 

 site the blind. In the same way, at overhead birds, he 

 should shoot before they are actually above him. If he 

 waits until the moment when they are nearest to him 

 he is almost certain to shoot behind them. While it is 

 true that a man must keep down close and out of sight 

 as much as possible, and while it is also true that certain 

 birds, as black ducks, mallards, teal and widgeon, will 

 flare and begin to climb as soon as they see him, it is bet- 

 ter that they should do this than that they should get 

 beyond him before he shoots. If he is obliged to twist 

 around and shoot at them as they are going away, 

 especially if they are birds that have flown over him, 

 he is very likely to shoot behind them. 



Experiments made years ago by Major W. McClin- 

 tock, R. A., and recorded in the Journal of the Royal 

 United Service Institution, have been quoted as throw- 

 ing some light on the question as to how the gunner 

 should hold on his birds. It is said that a charge of 

 four and a half drams best C. & H. powder gives to 

 No. 4 shot a muzzle velocity of 1,344 feet. Inferior 

 powder would, of course, give less. The time of flight 

 for a velocity of 1,300 feet is for 30 yards .093; for 

 40 yards, .1342; for 50 yards, .1797; for 60 yards, 

 .2311, and so on. This will be about the velocity usu- 



