460 



LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS 



Always shoot in a sitting position (fig. 101). If you 

 shoot standing, you will require too high a shelter, 

 and the pigeons are more likely to see you moving 

 about. Be careful the side of your shelter next the 

 decoy tree is not too high, or it will interfere with the 

 use of the gun (fig. 102). 



FIG. 103. SHOOTING WOODPIGEOXS ix THE FIELDS ix Sxow. 



(A) is an ambush in the hedge on the west side of a field ; (B) the broad track 

 swept in the snow, the dots on which represent the decoys ; the arrow 

 shows the wind is from the south ; (C) are the wild pigeons flying up from 

 the north against the wind to the decoys and food. If the wind was in the 

 opposite quarter the shooter would also obtain shots at the birds as they 

 crossed his front, but coming up in that case from the south. 



If a fall of snow occurs, farmers often do great 

 execution on the pigeons by sweeping a patch of 

 ground within shot of a hedge, and feeding the bare 



