6o How I Became a Sportsmax. 



sort of fellow, very slow and deliberate, and one 

 of those poking shots who took a steady aim 

 at his birds by looking all down the barrel 

 of his gun. But he was very sure ; he made 

 a practice of never cocking his gun till the 

 birds were on the wing; and when his dogs 

 stood, he was in no hurry, but generally pulled 

 out his box and took a pinch of snufF. On 

 one occasion he killed twenty-four brace of 

 birds on this very ground ; but there were few 

 shooters in those days, the stubbles were knee- 

 deep, and the undergrowth of weeds and long 

 grass was abundant. He had a brace of good 

 old-fashioned, steady pointers ; birds were plen- 

 tiful, and he rarely missed a shot. He did not 

 shoot at wild birds, and if he did not feel sure 

 he would pull his gun down from his shoulder 

 and wait for a better opportunity. 



This is not the style of shooting T like — the 

 slow, steady, and sure ; I would rather see a 

 man miss a shot now and then than be always 

 picking his shots. You should be measured 

 for your gun by a first-rate maker, and it 

 should fit you as a coat would made by 

 Poole. And then all you have got to do, if 

 your eye is correct and your nerves in good 



