THE RIFLE ON GAME AT REST. 279 



at perfect rest. And during that time, short though 

 it be, the trigger is pulled. 



The second way is about the only method available 

 to nervous persons. Since being broken down by ill- 

 _ health several years ago I am unable to shoot in any 

 other way. It is utterly impossible for me to hold the 

 sight at rest on the mark as I once could. By this 

 method many shots can be made as well as by the 

 first way. But one is liable at any time to send a 

 ball flying wild when firing at the easiest kind of a 

 mark. And on days when an unusual degree of nerv- 

 ousness is present this liability becomes provokingly 

 frequent, and is often attended by the still more pro- 

 voking trick, also the result of nervousness, of balking 

 or flinching at the trigger, giving it a nervous twitch 

 either without firing at all or else firing it a yard or 

 two off the mark. But whenever the hand of the 

 hunter is made unsteady from any cause this is the 

 only way to shoot, as it is generally useless to wait for 

 the hand to reach its complete natural steadiness. 



A hard trigger may be drawn in three ways. 



ist. By a slow steady pull. This is the best way 

 when shooting a very hard trigger with a rest. But 

 when shooting off-hand a better way is 



2d. Resting the finger upon the trigger with about 

 two thirds or three quarters of the pressure needed 

 for release and then suddenly applying, when the ex- 

 act instant arrives, the rest of the necessary pressure. 



3d. Pulling trigger with a jerk, the finger being kept 

 off of the trigger until the instant of pulling. This is 

 the same as is done with the shot-gun at flying game, 

 and is worthless fo:: the rifle except for snap-shots. 



There are two ways of pulling a set trigger. 



ist. Keeping the finger free of it until the exact in- 



