126 GUNS 



If you are by yourself shooting rabbits, ferreted 

 or driven by dogs out of hedges, never shoot into 

 the hedge if there is the faintest HkeHhood of there 

 being any one, hidden from you, on the other side. 

 When two or more guns are shooting, one or more 

 on either side of a hedge, never shoot into the 

 hedge at all. I lay this down as a rule which 

 ought to have no exceptions whatever. Don't be 

 tempted by the deadly rabbit which is creeping or 

 running along in the hedge. Wait till it comes 

 into the open field, which it may for a few yards 

 at any rate, even if to retire precipitately a few 

 seconds later ; it will be a cleaner, a more sporting, 

 and a far safer shot in the open. 



What I have said so far relates to the safety of 

 the human members — shooters, beaters, and game- 

 keepers — of the shooting party. I turn now to the 

 canine members, who deserve much more con- 

 sideration than some shooters seem always ready 

 to extend to them. When there are many dogs, 

 and the covert is thick and rabbits abound, it is right 

 to be very careful and sternly to decline a good 

 many alluring shots. A few hours before writing 

 this I was shooting with dogs. Three or four 

 times I half got up my gun for a shot at a rabbit 

 going hard, but dropped it ; as many times I did 

 not even half swing at the rabbit. In both 

 cases the deterrent was the same — one or more 

 dogs inconveniently near the rabbit as it bolted. 

 Several of these rabbits might have been killed 

 without a dog being hit, but it seemed to me 



