72 
HIGH PHEASANTS : 
The orthodox way to kill a high pheasant, whether coming 
directly overhead, or a little to one side or the other, is to first 
t 
Fig. 7. — The upper edge of the muzzle of a double gun, and an over- 
head pheasant at 40 yds., showing their apparent size as seen by 
the shooter. 
quickly realise its line of flight as indicated by its head and 
neck. 
Then, with a more or less, as required, forward allowance, 
to swing the gun in the direction the bird is flying and pull 
trigger, if possible, without consciously checking the movement 
of the gun : in fact, to a slight extent, try to ' carry through,' 
as it is termed in golf, though you cannot really do this, as the 
gun must cease swinging when it is discharged. 
The space at the moment of pulling trigger, between the 
muzzle of the gun and the head of the bird, to be the same 
as it was at the commencement of the swing, when the gun 
was, in order to gain, primarily, this space ahead of the bird, 
at first jerked quickly forward rather than swung forward.^ 
^ Though it is impossible to measure feet and inches in the air in front of an 
overhead pheasant, still, if we could do so, here are the approximate allowances that 
should be made for birds flying at 40 miles an hour, or 60 ft. per second. This is 
an average speed for a high pheasant on a calm day, but one much increased if the 
wind is strong and in favour of the bird's flight. These allowances are for the 
centre of the shot-pattern, and include the separate one pertaining to the gun, as 
explained on page 7. 
At 30 yds. . . . 7 ft. 
„ 35 ». . . . 8 
„ 40 • • ' 9 „ 
