PRAIRIE-CHICKEN SHOOTING 



ions. Long ago, when prairie-chickens were 

 not hunted so much, and there was more prai- 

 rie, the birds would fly a short distance when 

 disturbed and settle in the grass again. But 

 now they fly from a half-mile to a mile or 

 even farther, in localities where they are most 

 hunted. They are not hard birds to hit on 

 the wing, but the old ones can carry away 

 quite a grist of shot, so that a man must hit 

 them hard to kill them cleanly. 



The main precaution in shooting chickens 

 is to take time when the birds rise, and not 

 shoot too quickly. They don't fly swiftly like 

 a quail, or make erratic twists, as a jack* 

 snipe does, and you will have plenty of time 

 to get in both barrels at a single bird, or 

 make " doubles " when the coveys get up, if 

 you don't spoil things by firing too soon. It 

 is a rare thing to have an entire covey of 

 chickens rise at once. Sometimes the main 

 bunch rises and then a few scattering ones 

 follow. Sometimes all but one fly at the first 

 alarm, and occasionally a stray bird flies up, 

 followed by the rest of the covey, except the 

 one which usually waits until the rest have 

 gone. This is a peculiarity of the pinnated 

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