i64 SHOOTING THE PHEASANT 



yond your neighbour ; so that this does not somehow 

 seem to be the right way to take him. But there is 

 another mistake you may certainly avoid, and that is 

 shooting too soon at him. While he is still rising 

 rapidly and the inward curve has begun, unless you 

 are a very first-rate shot, you are as sure to miss him 

 as possible, and it is beyond me to tell you how to 

 kill him, except that it must be done by instinct ; but 

 if you take him just at the moment when he becomes 

 helpless and has to turn and go with the wind, you 

 may have the satisfaction of crumpling him up. 

 Here, again, is an exceptional instance, absolutely 

 proving the rule, where you will shoot straight, or 

 almost straight, at the bird ; but unless you are rather 

 over than under him even in this instance the wind 

 will just lift him out of your shot, you wound him, 

 and back he goes down the covert a dying bird, but 

 carried on the breeze for perhaps two hundred yards 

 before he reaches the ground. 



If you are not near enough to the flush to do this 

 you will get the most difficult shot which a pheasant 

 ever presents. He will be passing over and towards 

 you on the aforesaid inward curve from a point out- 

 side you on your right front to another outside you 

 on your left rear, and at a terrific pace. The only 

 hint I can give you here is to rely on your left arm 



