164 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



lightly feathered parts under the wings, offer a good 

 chance of killing rather than wounding. 



A high side bird, that has flown so far past you 

 that its head and neck cannot be plainly seen, but 

 only its tail and beating wings, is best left alone ; the 

 bird may be hit without difficulty, but killing it is 

 another affair. 



Ladvise a young shooter not to allow an approach- 

 ing pheasant to fly so directly overhead before he fires 

 that he is unable to discharge his second barrel 

 without turning round should he miss with his first. 

 This kind of second shot at a high straight- over bird, 

 especially at a fast downwind one, is uncommonly 

 difficult. Better far have two fair chances at your 

 bird as he flies toward and over you, than only one 

 shot in front, and then, from your unsteady tumble- 

 round position, an uncertain chance for your second 

 barrel should another shot be necessary. 



For the same reason, when a brace of pheasants 

 fly together and high towards you, if you wait till the 

 first one is directly overhead, the second bird will 

 offer an awkward shot through your being forced to 

 twist backwards after him in order to fire. 



If by ill luck pheasants fly really low, and have to 

 be killed, aim for their heads alone, and only as 

 approaching shots. I have seen one low bird after 

 another dropped without the least damage save to 



