38 SPORTSMAN'S HAND BOOK. 



tance to which he should direct his gun ahead of its flight, 

 this distance depending on the velocity of the bird's 

 flight and on his distance from it. This manner of shoot- 

 ing is practiced the more generally by upland gunners in 

 shooting quail, grouse and woodcock. 



"The other style of shooting may be designated as ' the 

 swing shot,' in which the gunner swings his gun ahead of 

 the cross flight of the bird till he attains the proper distance 

 ahead of it, and then fires; but he keeps his gun moving 

 with a regular angular velocity till even after its discharge. 

 This method of shooting is, in my opinion and from my ex- 

 perience, the proper method whenever it can be practiced, 

 and is certainly the only one which has been found success- 

 ful in the shooting of bay fowl, as ducks, brant and wild 

 geese. Yet there are sportsmen who will contend that they 

 merely follow the bird with the gun, and discharge it while 

 it is pointing directly at the bird. I put this opinion to the 

 test this summer in the following manner: Four willets 

 came over the decoys flying in line with a good speed. 

 With my gun I followed the first bird coolly and accurately, 

 and kept the gun moving regularly after its discharge. In- 

 stead of killing the first bird, the third from the leader 

 dropped dead. 



" To give a rule applicable to all gunners for the distance 

 at which a gun should be held ahead of a bird is not pos- 

 sible. Some sportsmen follow a bird, and then after reach- 

 ing before it the proper distance suddenly stop the angular 

 motion of the gun and then fire. Others, after following 

 the bird a short distance, give a quick, lateral motion to the 

 gun and then fire. Others, again, bring the gun with a lat- 

 eral motion ahead of the bird and keep the gun moving till 

 their experience decides the proper distance ahead of its 

 flight, and then fire while the gun is keeping its previous 

 regular angular velocity. 



