406 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



is always more likely to make some unfortunate 

 beater skip and swear in the distance than a shot 

 taken downwards towards the ground at a reasonable 

 range, as in the latter case there is not much fear of 

 a ' ricochet.' 



In rabbit shooting I have noticed more risky shots 

 fired in one day than in a whole season at winged 

 game, especially when the land is undulating. A 

 rabbit careering along the top of a ridge can often be 

 killed neatly and to the satisfaction of the shooter, 

 though perhaps the man coming up with the luncheon 

 or spare cartridges on the other side of the ridge may 

 have less reason to feel gratified. 



ON SHOWING RABBITS TO THE GUNS IN COVERT 



The first principle to be observed under this head 

 whether the shooters are merely a couple of friends 

 working together, or whether they consist of a party 

 of six or seven is to see that the ground is thoroughly 

 beaten. If, for example, you brush through a wood 

 in too open a line, half the rabbits it contains may 

 not be roused from their seats ; but if you walk the 

 same wood carefully over in two or three narrow 

 strips, instead of in one beat only, and take these 

 in close line, you may easily double or treble the 

 bag. 



