SHOOTING THE PHEASANT 



The two guns placed forward can here shoot freely 

 at game crossing the ride between them, instead of 

 either shooting one another or letting the game escape, 

 which is what has to happen when the ride is straight. 



In every covert there should be a proportion of 

 spruces, silver firs and other thick evergreen trees, 

 planted in clusters as shelter for the roosting of 

 pheasants, and if the place for these be judiciously 

 chosen they will add to the beauty of the woods as a 

 whole. They are your only sure protection against 

 shooting by poachers, and if placed as near as pos- 

 sible in the centre of your coverts, are of great use in 

 keeping birds at home. 



I am not one of those who believe that pheasants 

 where they have good food and shelter can be easily 

 driven from their favourite haunts, and think a good 

 deal of nonsense is talked about ' disturbing the 

 coverts.' Hares are, of course, easily disturbed and 

 driven from a wood, and where these are an object the 

 place must be kept very quiet for some weeks before the 

 shooting. But as regards pheasants, even the draw- 

 ing of the covert by the hounds, or occasional shoot- 

 ing at wood-pigeons coming to roost, will do very 

 little harm, if any ; and should the covert lie well in 

 the centre of your property, I think the birds should 

 be encouraged to fly and run about. But they must 



