SNIPE SHOOTING 329 



birds. I have been told by men who have hunted with 

 him that he is a most indefatigable walker, and pos- 

 sesses extraordinary quickness and accuracy in the use 

 of the shotgun, snapping the birds almost on the instant 

 that they take wing. 



In that land of game abundance, at that day, it was 

 not considered unsportsmanlike to kill all that the 

 sportsman pleased to kill, for however great the bags, 

 there was no apparent diminution in the numbers of 

 the birds. If the sportsmen killed many, their neigh- 

 bors derived the benefit of it. The killing, too, was at 

 irregular intervals, differing from the steady drain 

 made on the bird supply day after day by those who 

 shoot for market. 



This circumstance of the record bag was a happen- 

 ing of many years ago, when the sentiment concerning 

 game preservation was different everywhere, North and 

 South, from what it is to-day. 



As to snipe shooting, and the way of it, the proper 

 manner to shoot them is to go forth and shoot them. 

 In other words, the set manner of doing this thing 

 and that thing, as taught by some writers, is all very 

 well if one can do no better. 



There is no rule whereby snipe shooting can be 

 made soft and easy, and there is no sportsman with 

 proper ambition who will care to have his skill less 

 than the best test that the bird can offer. If the sports- 

 man's skill is equal to the test, practice will improve 

 it. In any event, there is at least the pleasure of try- 

 ing to cope with the conditions. The proper skill is 



