THE RIFLE ON MOVING GAME, 307 



ist. Raise the rifle ahead of the game, remembering 

 it is a rifle and not a shot-gun. 



2d. Raise it deliberately, getting the same fine clear 

 view of the sights that you would take at a deer stand- 

 ing at a hundred yards; or if you cannot do that, then 

 hold low. 



3d. Keeping your eye on the sights, carry the rifle 

 along ahead of the deer until you catch the motion of 

 the body enough to see where it will be when the 

 hoofs touch ground. 



4th. Fire at that point, but fire when the deer is in the 

 air, 



The great point is not to be in haste. Be not at all 

 alarmed by the fact that the deer is getting farther off. 

 Your chances of hitting at a hundred yards with a 

 well calculated and directed shot are better than the 

 chances of hitting with three or four careless ones at 

 fifty yards. Place no dependence on speed of fire. 

 Even from a repeater, fire every shot as though it were 

 a single muzzle-loader. Speed of fire is a splendid 

 servant but a wretched master. 



Of course there will be times when a pure snap-shot 

 is necessary. At very short distances snap-shots will 

 of course often hit. But never take one even at a 

 short distance unless another bound or two will take 

 the deer out of sight. 



When in timber you may be edified by the whack of 

 your bullet into a tree-trunk. Watching for an open 

 place in timber is quite as essential as any other part 

 of the operation of shooting running deer. And this 

 can be done better if the rifle be raised ahead in the 

 first instance. 



It seems to be supposed by some that shooting mov- 

 ing game is much easier if both eyes be kept open. 



