FliKKSTEK 1^ FIF^LD SroTITS. 



Still (lesporate runs, and clesperate riding do dccnr, and rnc 

 j?/d/ce Hakky W., of South Carolina, for whoso " workman- 

 like .stylo of putting a certain small bay horse over the coun- 

 try," Mr. Porter vouches on page 351 of Hawker on Shooting, 

 descrilii's there and thereabouts as pretty a burst which he rode 

 on " Daredevil," in Mississippi, as I have ever seen from "Bil- 

 lesdou Coplowe," " Misterton Gorse," or across the " Whissen- 

 dine." 



T'lis sport I have never had the fortune to enjoy on this side 

 of t io water, though I trust that I may do so during the com- 

 ing winter, after which, I dare say, I shall find reason to alter 

 my present opinion, which decidedly now leans to the side, 

 that Deer-hunting in America is rather slow work. 



I have no remarks to make on any of these kind of sports, 

 except to hint to stand-shooters for Deer, that they cannot too 

 carefully adapt the color of their clothes and caps to the preva- 

 lent colors of the foliage at the time being, and to stand perfectly 

 still when a Deer is approaching. These animals, timid as they 

 are, will often come directly up to a man in full view, if he move 

 no limb, and more especially avoid turning his head, when they 

 will stop short and dart off at a tangent on the slightest motion 

 (jf a person, who may flatter himself tolerably well concealed 

 by brushwood or other coveit. 



In shooting at a Deer on the leap, with a gun and buck-shot, 

 even more than with a rifle, shoot well forward, and low, as the 

 animal descends from its bound ; and, in shooting from horse- 

 back, at speed, bear well on your off" stirrup, if firing on the 

 nigh side, and, vice versa, bearing hard with your hand on the 

 rein to which you shoot. The cause of this advice is obvious — 

 the body is naturally thrust forward in the direction toward 

 which you present your gun, and the best broken horse will 

 swerve a little from the sudden flash. Your business is to balance 

 the tendency of your own body by the bearing on the stirrup, 

 and to check the swerve by the rein. 



No one should attempt to ride across country, uniliout a dou- 

 ble bridle, snaffle and curb, or with a martingale. 



