424 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



pointing, even in the act of discharge; while, what with 

 the noise, smoke, and recoil incident to the explosion of 

 black powder, it is extremely difficult to locate both gun 

 and object aimed at in fact it can't be done by any but a 

 person of great experience, and to all such I can give no 

 pointers, while I merely write this article for the guid- 

 ance and help of beginners. Don't be guided in the way 

 of how to handle the gun by the one who is trying to sell 

 it; for, aside from any pecuniary motives, it is always 

 best to put up a gun in the most natural way, and, as 

 nature needs but little instruction, the easiest and quick- 

 est manner will generally prove the best. 



The bore of the gun is, fortunately, a point on which 

 there can not be so much difference of opinion; for, 

 although some isolated cases are found where men stren- 

 uously uphold that a twenty -gauge gun is equal as a 

 game-killer to a ten, yet, fortunately, these are rare; and as 

 the penetration and pattern of any two guns can be readily 

 ascertained, the merits of all bores can easily be discov- 

 ered. For all field-shooting a twelve-gauge gun should 

 be large enough, while such a one, if of sufficient weight 

 to withstand heavy charges with comfort to the shooter, 

 is also a very serviceable weapon on wild fowl. Such 

 game as prairie chickens, quail, snipe, woodcock, all of 

 which are usually killed inside of thirty-five yards, 

 excepting the first mentioned where cover is short, or late 

 in the season, can readily be killed with twelve or six- 

 teen gauge guns, and as every ounce in weight operates 

 against the sportsman in a hard day's tramp, a field-gun 

 should not weigh over 7 to eight pounds, while if a gen- 

 eral utility gun is needed, a twelve of 8-J to nine pounds 

 will prove a very handy weapon; yet it will not be 

 the equal of a nine-pound, ten -gauge, neither will it 

 handle as easily or freely as one of small bore and less 

 weight. 



