QUAIL SHOOTING 



in cross-shots. In the quartering shots a few 

 inches ahead is enough in twenty or thirty 

 yards. In the straightaway shots the bird is 

 usually rising at first, and the gun should be 

 held a trifle over. Quail, when full-grown, 

 can carry away quite a few shot, and even 

 when hit hard will manage to flutter off and 

 hide. Give them the centre of the charge. 

 On the cross-shots you should hold ahead 

 several inches when the birds are close, and 

 farther whence bird is some distance away. 

 Either a setter or a pointer dog will do the 

 work acceptably if broken to quail shooting. 

 Don't keep shouting at your dog. Be patient 

 with him, even if he does poor work, and try 

 to help him do better. Nothing in field 

 shooting is quite so disagreeable as the spec- 

 tacle of a man shouting at his dog and 

 making every one along feel uncomfortable. 

 " Jolly " the man who has the dog by raptur- 

 ous exclamation at every point the dog 

 makes. Tell him that you wish you had a 

 camera along to take the picture; the most 

 suspicious man on earth will accept as gospel- 

 truth any flattery you may give him about 

 his dog. Get him to talk about his dog when 

 261 



