xxvin. WOODPIGEON S HOOTING (PART II) 445 



round to see if all is safe. It is sometimes easy to 

 stalk them on these occasions and obtain a shot into 

 4 the blue ; ' but it is an unwise act, as by firing you 

 will certainly scare them away for the evening, when, 

 if you leave them alone, they will probably separate 

 on taking wing, and afford single shots as they visit 

 your decoy later on one by one. For a similar reason, 

 do not fire at a large flight of pigeons flying over a 

 wood early in the evening. 



For the months of December and January your 

 best chance of sport is from 3 to 4.30 ; in November 

 and February from 3.30 to 5 o'clock ; and in March 

 from 4.30 to 5.30. If you commence shooting too 

 early in the afternoon, you will drive the birds to 

 other woods ; and if you continue when it is almost 

 dark, the flash from your gun will frighten them away 

 altogether for several nights. Always allow the first few 

 pigeons that come in to roost to pass unharmed ; their 

 movements are probably watched with interest, and 

 the lead they give may be followed by many other 

 birds at a distance which you cannot see. 



Pigeons should not be attacked with the intention 

 of making a good bag till they have taken up their 

 quarters in a wood for two or three nights, or have 

 been seen to frequent it during the daytime ; as, 

 provided they do not take it into their heads to quit 

 tin.- neighbourhood, the longer they are left in peace, 

 in larger numbers will they collect, and the less liable 

 are they to be driven away by shooting. Longer 



