278 SHORE BIRDS 



Forester, who had excellent opportunity for study- 

 ing the snipe when they were abundant on the Passaic 

 meadows, near his home, says he made a much better 

 bag when shooting one day in sight of another gunner, 

 an equally good shot, and who had better dogs, for the 

 sole reason that he knew how to beat for the game. 

 When they met at the local tavern in the evening the 

 other gunner expressed surprise at being so badly 

 beaten, especially by one who, from his point of view, 

 was hunting the wrong way — with the wind. 



When Forester explained that he purposely shot 

 down wind his rival accepted the situation, glad of the 

 excuse for being so badly beaten. 



Bogardus gives the same advice. " When hunting 

 along a slough," he says, " your companion will com- 

 monly be willing that you shall take either side you 

 choose, as few men know that it makes any difference. 

 But it makes a very material, difference when the wind 

 is blowing across or nearly across the slough, and if 

 you take the windward side you will have the most 

 shots. I have always done so, and have often killed 

 two or three snipe to one killed by my companion. 

 The reason is simply this : the snipe fly up wind, and 

 those which rise on the leeward side of the slough 

 cross it to windward, while none of those which get 

 up on the latter side fly to leeward." 



On one occasion, when shooting near Reynolds, In- 

 diana, I met two men who were beating toward me in 

 a very large field. They had an excellent dog and 

 were very good shots. We entered the field at oppo- 

 site sides about the same time, and when we met I 

 had killed some thirty birds, while they together had 

 not killed over a half-dozen. The birds arose wild be- 



