456 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



of a bare tree in the same hedgerow on your left-hand side, 

 with the wind blowing from you to the fence beyond the 

 pigeons. Do not post yourself directly to windward 

 of the pigeons as they feed, or the report of the gun 

 will be carried straight to them. Place one decoy on 

 the extreme top of the tree that is within shot of your 

 post of concealment ; and stand on the ground, thirty 

 yards in front of you, on props (fig. 99), a dozen dead 

 pigeons, to act as decoys, and fixed to sit pretty high 



FIG. 99. DEAD DECOY PIGEON* FIXED ox J-ix. THICK IRON WIRE PROP. 



Place the longest prong under the bird's breast, and the point into the chin. 

 The long prong is 6 in. in length, the side ones 3 in. and 4 in. apart. If 

 properly set up you can make a dead bird look wonderfully lifelike. Cover 

 the iron with the feathers of the bird it holds. Do not attempt to make the 

 decoys appear as if picking up food by inclining their heads forward, as 

 pigeons never remain posed in one position when feeding. (Stuffed pigeons 

 will last for a time.) 



one and all with their heads accurately pointing 

 towards the wind, and towards you too (fig. 100). 



Commence shooting at 8 A.M. (at daylight if you 

 wish to make a good bag) , for the birds always feed 

 most greedily in the morning. They are apt to scatter 

 about the country to drink and rest on trees in the 

 afternoon. Do not send a man to frighten the 

 pigeons off the field, as every time you fire they will 

 rise and wheel round and resettle, many of them 



