xxvii. U'OODPIGEON SHOOTING (PART /) 431 



twenty to thirty yards in front of the tree on which 

 his decoys are placed, and on all occasions he should 

 stand with his back to the wind. This is a sine qua 

 HOR. He then faces and intercepts with his gun the 

 lir.e of flight of the pigeons as they fly against the wind 

 towards the decoys immediately behind him, which 

 latter will be pointing in an opposite direction to him- 

 self (fig. 90, next page). 



Choose a small opening in the wood with good 

 shelter in front, as you stand facing downwind ; 

 shelter to one side or the other, or behind you, is not 

 of near so much consequence. The best of all shelter 

 is a wall of dark firs some, forty feet high ; for in 

 such case you can stand a dozen yards back from 

 them, and yet have good chances at the birds before 

 they realise your presence as they top the trees in 

 front of you (fig. 90, next page). 



If you select very tall trees to conceal you, the 

 pigeons will come into first view straight overhead, and 

 afford too sudden chances for fair shots, or else, from 

 the fact of your being forced to stand farther back in 

 order to avoid such momentary aiming, the birds will, 

 from their altitude, see you in time to sheer off at a 

 long range. 



If you stand under or to windward of the tree on 



which your decoys are placed, you will never obtain 



idy shots at the birds flying thereto as if you 



stoo<" ) fire at them on their way to the decoys. 



You may lire as many shots, perhaps, but these 



