. THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE. 



of steady aim absolutely impossible. Wben at length 

 the birds have sprung, I have, in the utmost agitation, 

 fired, before they had flown perhaps two yards; and I 

 need hardly inform the reader, had almost uniformly 

 the mortification of seeing them all fly away unhurt. 

 That this is more or less the case with most juvenile 

 sportsmen, I have no hesitation in supposing: self- 

 command will remedy this defect a little practice 

 is necessary in order to acquire it. 



In shooting, the sportsman should be cool and 

 deliberate, and of all things avoid shooting too 

 soon, I am aware, that the anxiety felt by persons 

 on commencing shooters, induces them to fire 

 much sooner than they ought, fearful lest the game 

 should be got out of their reach ; this hurry, however, 

 will be sure to prevent that which they are so anxious 

 to attain; and I can confidently inform the reader, 

 that he may rest assured of having plenty of time, af- 

 ter the birds rise, deliberately to select his object, 

 cock his gun, and afterwards take aim. 



Exclusive of the above causes, there are others 

 which may occasion the object to be missed. Some 

 persons at the critical moment of pulling the triggef, 

 shut both their eyes ! Strange as this may appear, it 

 is a fact; and it is hardly necessary to observe, that 

 till such time as a little practice has removed this 

 glaring absurdity, it will be in vain for a person to ex- 

 pect to kill a single bird. Others again have a me- 

 thod of jerking their heads at the instant of pulling, 

 which is consequently another cause of missing : prac- 



