THE DEAD SHOT. wu /? % THE SPORTSMAN'S COMPLETE GUIDE THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID THE DEAD SHOT. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS ON PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THIS WORK. "In The Dead Shot, sportsmen will find expounded the most scientific and diffi- cult problems of the art of killing birds on wing The causes of missing, and errors of young sportsmen in the field, are clearly and ably explained The book should be read twice or three times in the season by everyone who desires to improve his style of shooting."— The Sporting Review. " The Dead Shot is in every respect the best work on the art of shooting for the young sportsman. It comprises a searching and clear exposition of the secrets of good shooting, with the best practical instructions in dog-breaking. All who read it will assuredly profit by its truthful and convincing explanations. Bad shots, nervous and inexperienced sportsmen, who peruse this little treatise, will find much light thrown on the mystery of shooting with unerring precision."— Sporting Magazine. " This is the most complete sportsman's manual that we have yet seen ; and we feel a pleasure in recommending it to the notice of everyone who carries a gun after game, whether he be an old hand or a mere tyro. If the former, he will find much to enjoy in the record of work cleverly done, together with a profusion of useful hints that cannot fail to satisfy and please : if the latter, in Marksman he meets a friend, who will lead him from the first rudimentary lesson in handling a gun to the proficiency of a Dead Shot. We have not read a more useful or agreeable sport- ng book for a long time, and heartily recommend it to every sportsman, old as well as young." — Era. " Marksman's opinion is entitled to respect, because he shows in every page of his book that he understands the subject of which he treats. His advice to young sportsmen is brief, clear, and practical ; and we believe that he who acts upon it steadily cannot fail to improve his shooting ; and, if Nature has given him a quick eye and steady hand and nerve, he will have placed himself in the right road to attain the reputation of a Dead Shot." — Saturday Review. ""We fully believe that the careful study of this book will be equivalent to a considerable amount of practice, in fitting a man to do his work in the field with credit to himself. The Author writes like a man who thoroughly understands his business. His maxims are all plain, intelligible, and founded on common sense The book is full of practical and precisely-expressed rules, Avhich are fully supported by reason ; and which, if they are carefully observed, will bring auyone, with a reasonable amount of practice, steady nerves, and a good eye, up to the level implied in the phrase 'a Dead Shot.' " — John Bull. " This is a capital little book, the work of a man who thoroughly knows what he is writing about. The Volunteer movement has naturally led to the publication of several treatises on the use of the rifle ; but we do not call to mind any one that so completely comes up to our own notion of a useful manual of the science of shoot- ing as this of Marksman's. We feel quite sure, that by a close adherence to the rales and instructions here given, the shooter cannot fail to become a good shot, and will very probably become a Dead Shot." — Morning Chronicle. " To teach the novice how to handle a gun, and to hit with certainty, and to cure defects in bad marksmen, is the object of the Dead Shot. Commencing with the gun itself, Marksman enters con amove upon his task, and proceeds from the A B C of the art to the utmost limits which theory can reach. Directions for Dog- breaking are added, so that the Dead Shot is, as its title professes, the Sports- man's Complete Guide."— Mornin g Post. ,j a ° >■ "8 f ft ° r iv 4 r I -^: r i. ? i BANG! BANG Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/deadshotorsportmOOmarkrich THE DEAD SHOT OR SPORTSMAN'S COMPLETE GUIDE BEING A TREATISE ON THE USE OF THE GUN. "WITH RUDIMENTARY AND FINISHING LESSONS IN THE ART OF SHOOTING GAME OF ALL KINDS, AND WILD FOWL: ALSO PIGEON-SHOOTING AND DOG-BREAKING. By MARKSMAN, FIFTH EDITION LONDON : LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1882. [ All Rights are reserved.'] LONDON : BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO., PRINTERS, WHITEERIARS. /Was PKEFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION. This work has now been several years out of print, for the reason that the author could not spare time to bestow that care and attention upon a new edition which, in his view, it imperatively demanded. The welcome reception afforded to previous editions of the work, has encouraged the author to devote his best energies towards rendering this as full and complete as possible upon every branch of the art of shooting. And accordingly, much new matter has been added throughout the entire work. Besides which, several subjects not included in either of the previous editions have been introduced for the first time within the pages of this; notably, those on the various branches of wild-fowl shooting; which, ike the rest of the work, are founded entirely on VI TREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION. the author's individual practical experiences, ex- tending, now, over the long period of upwards of thirty-five years. The emendations and additions have, therefore, been so considerable that the present edition is more than double the size of either of the previous ones. The whole of the engravings are also entirely new. Most of them are intended merely as illustra- tions (photographed from life) of the safe and proper modes of handling, holding, carrying, and using the gun. In this edition, as in the previous ones, the main object of the author has been kept in view, viz., that of placing in the hands of young Sportsmen a complete guide to the safe and skilful use of the gun, in every branch of the art of killing birds on wing ; with notes also on the haunts and habits of game and wild-fowl, and on the best modes of beating for and approaching the same ; with special instructions also in the breaking and training of dogs for the gun, and in the management and control of them in the field. PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION. VI! In the early clays of the author's own career as a Sportsman, he felt the want of a work of the kind : he has therefore endeavoured to supply the vacancy, in the hope that some of his junior brothers of the trigger may see reflected in its pages their errors, failings, and causes of ill-success. They are there- fore invited to study, first, the rudimentary principles enunciated in the early part of the work ; and then to follow on with the finishing lessons, combining therewith from time to time practice in the field with dog and gun. And if all such be attentively considered, and steadily pursued, the author con- scientiously believes that, sooner or later, their efforts will be crowned with complete success, and many a bad marksman cured of his defects ; whilst many an intelligent young Sportsman may acquire such proficiency in the art of shooting, as to be able to hit, with unerring certainty, the swiftest birds that fly ; and so obtain for himself the reputation of a " Dead Shot." CONTENTS. PAGE The Dead Shot 1 Who and what is 1 The Gun 4 The barrel 5 The gun-stock 7 The balance i) Gun furniture 10 Gun mountings, &c ib. Gun-locks ib. Technical names relating to ib. Principal parts of 12 To strip a gun-lock IS Cleaning and oiling do 14 To put the lock together again 15 Disadvantages of a foul gun : with suggestions for keeping guns in order ib. Breech-loading guns 20 Various forms of, and modern improvements relating to . ib. Advantages and disadvantages of 27 The choke-bore system 30 Hammerless guns 34 CONTENTS. On tlic choice and selection of a gun The gun-stock gauge Instructions for self-measurement . Ammunition Gunpowder Shot ....... Standard sizes of shot Cartridges Gun wads Charging (or loading) the gun . - . Sizes of shot for various kinds of game Pattern and penetration .... Rudimentary Lessons . . . I nitiatory practice, etc. Wiping the eye Errors of young sportsmen and causes of Taking aim . . . . Gravitation . . . . Deflection Range The three deadly ranges . , . Straight-forward shots ... Cross, quartering and angular shots . Ascending shots Descending shots .... Approaching and perpendicular shots ., Snap shots Finishing Lessons Golden secrets The man who never misses sing CONTENTS. XI f.v.k The bad shot 122 The pot-hunter . . 126 The nervous sportsman 128 The careless sportsman 133 Gun accidents through barrel bursting 14:0 The flight of game 143 Young partridges 145 The haunts and habits of partridges 149 Beating for game 151 Partridge-shooting 160 Coveys of partridges 169 Dispersed coveys 171 The flight of partridges 173 Partridge driving 176 The artificial kite 173 Towering birds 179 French partridges 1S2 Special instructions for shooting them . . 1SG Grouse-shooting 190 The haunts and habits of grouse ib. Grouse-driving 199 The flight of grouse 205 As to the choice of a grouse-moor 207 Black game shooting 211 The flight of black game 215 The office and duty of marker 216 "Wounded game, how to capture 218 Woodcock shooting 221 The haunts and habits of woodcocks ib. The flisrht of woodcocks 230 XU CONTENTS. PAGE Pheasant shooting 233 The flight of pheasants 239 Cover shooting 241 The battue 246 Snipe shooting 253 The haunts and habits of snipes ib. The flight of snipes 262 Hares 264 Kabbit-shooting 267 A few Stray Hints 273 Wild-fowl Shooting 277 Wild-duck shooting, and the haunts and habits of wild ducks 280' Guns for wild-fowl shooting 284 Wild-fowl shooting in the Fens 285 Teal shooting 286 Plover shooting 288 Flight -shooting 290 Stalking wild-fowl and shore-gunning generally .. . 294- Wild-fowl shooting with punt and gun . . . . 297 Punting by daylight 305 Night punting 308 Widgeon — their haunts, habits, and mode of shooting them on open waters 310 The gunning, or hand-paddle punt 313 Punt-guns 319 Gun-breechings, recoil springs, etc. .... 328 Charging the punt-gun 332 The adjustment and elevation of the punt-gun . 334 Tipping and balancing the punt-gun . . . . 339 CONTENTS. Xlll PAGE Wild-fowl Shooting— continued. Wild-fowl shooting under sail 340 The stanchion gun 343 Wild-fowl shooting from the sailing punt . . . 347 A few Stray Hints to Wild-fowl Shootees . . . 350 Pigeon Shooting 352 Traps for pigeon shooting 356 Arrangement of the traps, and other proceedings at pigeon matches 359 General observations on pigeon shooting . . . . 363 Blue rock pigeons 365 The Hurlingham Shooting Rules 369 General rules for conducting shooting matches in the country 375 Glass-ball shooting from glass-ball traps . . . 381 Rules for glass-ball shooting 383 Dog Breaking 386 Pointers and setters 391 Spaniels 405 Retrievers 407 Sporting nomenclature and phraseology . . . .414 Index 4P ILLUSTRATIONS. BANG ! BANG ! Frontupieee. IN THE FIELD To face page 74 So HO ! Poxto ! ,,112 In the Stubbles ,, 160 On the Moor 190 In the Cover ..241 The Wild-fowl Shooter ,, 297 Beady ! Pull ! „ 361 WOODCUTS. PAGE Gun-stock, and hammerless gun 7 Principal parts of a gun-lock 12 The gun-stock gauge 47 Hand-paddles for gunning punt 317 Gun-breechings for punt-gun 329 THE DEAD SHOT. I can, I'll not the truth disguise, Myself kill bees and butterflies, "While flying quick from flower to flower. Tomtits and sparrows, pippits, larks, Are all to me as easy marks. — W. Watt. WHO, AND WHAT, IS A DEAD SHOT. A " Dead Shot " is a Sportsman in the truest sense of the word ; he is one who is thoroughly master of the art of shooting, and who can be sure of his bird let it fly off in whatever direction it will, so long as it takes wing within range of his gun. Whether flying slow or fast, to right or left, rising or descending, flying overhead, down wind, up wind, or across wind, in a strong wind or a dead calm ; — in one and all, the bird is an unerring mark to a " Dead Shot." And he does not merely wing or wound the bird, so that there is considerable diffi- culty and delay in recovering it ; nor, on the other hand, does he cut and mangle it, so as to render it unfit for the table ; he simply kills the bird by 7 K 55 THE DEAD SHOT. hitting it in one of the most vulnerable parts of Its body ; it fairly dies in the air, and drops dead to his unerring aim. There is no need to rush forward in an unsportsmanlike manner to pick it up for fear of its straggling away, for where a dead bird falls, there it lies ; and when the gun is reloaded, the " Dead Shot," as well as his dog y knows where to find the bird. A " Dead Shot " is also a man of cool, calm, and collected demeanour ; he is neither hasty nor nervous ; he never appears to make a very quick or sudden movement in shooting ; and yet, if a brace of birds get up within range of his gun, they are no sooner on fair wing and at fair range, than down they drop, as if by mechanical contri- vance, first one and then the other, to his deadly aim. All his movements are easy and apparently slow, and yet the quickest bird never escapes him. A " Dead Shot " is, too, of necessity, a ready and accurate calculator of distances ; also of the velocity of flight and speed of the objects of his sport. If it were not so, it would be impossible that he could kill with so much certainty. He estimates, in- tuitively, the distance at which a bird rises, and the rate of its flight, and so he never shoots out of range ; for it is no sport to him to wound his birds and not to bag them. The pleasure to be derived, and the instruction to be gained by a young sportsman through being an WHO, AND WHAT, IS A DEAD STIOT. 6 associate with a " Dead Shot" can only be appre- ciated by those who have had the advantage of actual sport in company with him. A few days' sport with such a man never fails to enkindle in the breast of a young aspirant, a thorough sportsmanlike feeling. To shoot as a "Dead Shot" shoots is the very ambition of those who delight in the use of the gun ; but such skill cannot be acquired without a patient training and painstaking attention. A "Dead Shot" is by nature gifted with the physical qualities pertaining to good shooting:; particularly those of precision of the eye and hand, with steadiness of nerve, and good muscular power. Similar if not identical qualities are usually found in skilful cricketers. But whatever the talent, a man can no more become a " Dead Shot " than he can a good cricketer, without considerable practice and experience. A gun, like a cricket-bat, requires practice in the use of it : and the art of finding game, beating the field, and other sportsmanlike accomplishments, require to be as practically taught and learnt as the various qualifications that belong to the dex- trous handling of the cricket-bat. True it is that some persons are far more apt than others, and take to shooting with an early success ; whilst others spend the best part of their lives in endeavouring to acquire proficiency in the use of the gun, but are never able to accomplish it. B 2 4 THE DEAD SHOT. 1 There are many good sportsmen who are ex- cellent marksmen, and who shoot fairly well, and kill a great many birds in the course of the season : some of such sportsmen may be termed "good shots;" but they are, nevertheless, far from being " Dead Shots." A man is veiy far from being a " good shot " who misses half his birds ; and he is a very " bad shot " if he merely wings or wounds at fair distances, when he ought to kill : and no game is considered killed that is not bagged. Where game is abundant, a great many birds may be killed in a day by a very ordinary marksman; but he who, with few birds and few shots, fills the game-bag, is, at least, a " Sportsman," if not a "Dead Shot." Finally a " Dead Shot " is like a well-trained lawyer: the one is a man of few shots, but the} 7 alwaj^s hit; the other, of few words, but they are always to the point. THE GUN. As the gun is the instrument with which the sportsman kills his birds, and by the skilful hand- ling and use of which he acquires the art of the "Dead Shot," it is obvious that he should have sufficient knowledge of its component parts, and of THE GUX. 5 its form and construction, to enable him to use it with safety and effect ; and also to choose one to suit him, having regard to the length of his arms, and neck : for unless the gun fits him he will never shoot well. The reader will, however, kindly bear in mind that this little book is not the production of a gunmaker, but of an English sportsman ; therefore the observations under this head will be confined to such only as, in the opinion of the author, every sportsman should be familiar with. The guns of no maker in particular will be recommended ; the author's object being, not that of puffing the guns of any individual gunmaker, nor even that of advising his readers of whom to buy a gun ; but how to choose one ; and having done so, how to use it ; of whosesoever invention it be, by whoever made and of whomsoever bought. For whether it be breech or muzzle loader, and whether plain or choke bore, percussion, central fire, ham- merless, or otherwise, the requisite skill and pre- cision in the use of it are the same. The gun is composed of three principal parts, — the barrel, the stock, and the lock. The barrel. — The size of the barrel of a shoulder gun is determined by its gauge or calibre, which is ascertained by means of a spherical bullet fitting exactly into the barrel ; and the number of such bullets which make up a pound in weight, designates THE DEAD SHOT. the number of the gauge of the barrel. Consequently the smaller the number, the larger the gauge, as for instance — No. 4, which indicates a large bore, such as is used for shooting wild geese and the larger species of wild fowl ; whilst No. 20 indicates a gun of very small bore, such as is used for shooting snipes and the smaller sized birds. Gunmakers are always provided with a barrel - gauge, on which the gauge numbers are marked ; so that by dipping it into the muzzle of the gun, the gauge can be immediately ascertained. Gun-barrels that are made of the best quality of gun-metal contain a large percentage of laminated steel, and are well and carefully welded. Gun- barrels so constructed are at once the safest and most serviceable, though of course the most costly. Inferior barrels are made of a cheaper kind of gun metal, less elaborately wrought and welded. The latter may last a long time, with care in the use, and by loading with small charges ; but they are liable to be burst on being heavily charged ; particu- larly after long usage. The elevated rib which divides the barrels, is, with some sportsmen, an object of first import- ance; because, in proportion to the elevation of the rib at the breech-end of the barrel, so the gun throws the shot above or below the horizontal line of aim. Young sportsmen will do well to avoid using " low- THE GUN. .shooting guns" — i.e. those which throw the centre shots of the charge under the visual line of aim. Guns of this defective construction are old- ifashioned, and seldom met with at the present day except in ancient flint-guns, which have now become mere objects .of curiosity. The remedy consists chiefly in the barrels of the gun being 2)rovided with an elevated rib, or made stout and thick at the breech-end, but gradually tapering to the muzzle. The gun-stock. — The techni- cal names of the various parts .of the gun-stock will be best understood by reference to the .annexed engraving. No. 1, is the head, 2 the fore- .end, 3 the neck or grip, 4 the comb, 5 the heel, or bump, and 6 the toe. It is of first import- ance to the shooter that .the length and bend of he gun-stock be suit- 8 THE DEAD SHOT. able to his stature and length of arms and neck (or " build "). The " cast-off" is the outward inclination of the stock at the butt-end, from the longitudinal axis of the barrels. The object of the " cast-off" is to bring the rib which divides the barrels, in line with the eye of the shooter, without the necessity of flattening the cheek against the gun-stock. A gun-stock that is long and much bent, is- commonly said to be "high mounted:" whereas one that is short and nearly straight is " low mounted." If the stock be too straight the sports- man will be apt to shoot too high. A short man with short arms and neck requires a low-mounted gun. A tall man with long arms and neck requires- one high mounted. It is, assuredly, a very important element in the gun that it be fitted so as to suit the length, or grasp, of the shooter's arms, neck, and shoulder ? or it cannot always be brought up quickly and truly to the eye. On the gun being brought to the shoulder, if on taking aim, the barrel and muzzle appear to slope downwards, it indicates, that the stock has too much bend. If, on the other hand, the muzzle seems to point upwards, the stock is either too straight or too short, or the slope of the butt-end is wrong; or, in other words, the angle of the gun from muzzle to heel THE GUN'. X) is incorrect ; and therefore the gun does not fit the shooter. A man whose neck is long cannot use with effect a gun with a straight stock ; nor can a man with a short neck do so with a gun which has a stock that is much l>ent. If you find you have to move j-our head ahout to right or left to enable your eye to catch the sight- piece, the gun does not suit you. The gun that comes up to the shoulder with most ease and accuracy, without any straining of the neck on taking aim, is the one with which the shooter will do most execution. Sometimes the shape of the heel-plate is the primary cause of the gun not coming up to the shoulder in true position ; this may arise from either toe or heel, or both, being too prominent. The balance of the gun is also a very important element for consideration ; for an ill-balanced gun is very unhandy and uncertain on being brought up to the shoulder. If too heavy at the butt, the gun comes up to the shoulder with the muzzle at too high an elevation, whereby the shooter is prone to fire too high. If too heavy at the muzzle-end, the shooter is apt to fire too low. It is the gun-maker's business to take care that the gun is properly balanced before it is finished off; but it should be the shooter's care to detect the fault before he buys the gun. 10 THE DEAD SHOT. Gun furniture. — The furniture of the gun usually consists of the triggers, trigger-plates, trigger-guards, heel-plates, &c. Gun mountings. — The mountings of the gun con- sist of fore -end fasteners, safety-bolts, thumb- pieces, nipples, strikers, sights, horn-tips, and screw-pins. Other parts of a modern gun are, levers, bolts, and wedge-fasteners, for opening and closing the breech, and bolting and otherwise securing the barrels to the stock ; hinge pins, standing breech, cartridge- extractors, safet} r bolts, and indicators, &c. &c. Gun-locks, — The gun-lock constitutes the ma- chinery for cocking, uncocking, and (with the aid of the trigger) setting the hammer in motion, and firing the charge in the barrel : it therefore forms a very important and interesting part of the gun. Those which are of the best and most finished work- manship have the finest and quickest action — a highly desirable feature in a gun — and such are, besides, the safest and most durable. Technical names relating to the parts of Gun-locks. Bridle : the piece w T hich caps the tumbler, and by aid of three or more screws, holds various parts of the lock to the lock-plate. Exploding pin : this is no part of the inside of the lock, but is fitted to the nipple of the standing- TARTS OF GUN-LOCKS. 11 breech : it is the pin which explodes the cap inside the cartridge. Hammer or striker : the moveable piece outside or inside the lock ; which, on the trigger being pulled, strikes the pin or nipple, explodes the cap and fires the charge. Lock-plate : the flat surface forming the outside of the lock ; to the inside of which the various parts are screwed. Main-spring : the larger steel spring which, on the trigger being pulled, causes the hammer to strike the pin and explode the cap. Scear : the piece which catches the tumbler, on the hammer being moved to half or full-cock. Scear-spring : the small spring which holds the scear in the notches of the tumbler at full or half- cock. Spring-cramp : a most useful little instrument for taking off and replacing the main-spring of a gun- lock. Swivel: the smallest piece of all, one end of which fits into the neck of the tumbler, the other end being held in the claw of the main-spring. Tumbler : the moveable centre-piece subservient to the hammer and scear. Tumbler pin : the outside screw which secures the hammer to the tumbler. In hammerless guns, the tumbler is sometimes both striker and exploding pin. 12 PRINCIPAL TAPTS OF A GUN-LOCK. TO STRIP A GUN-LOCK. 13 On the opposite page is an illustration of the principal parts of an ordinary gun-lock, as they appear when removed from the lock-plate. No. 1 is the seear-spring ; *2. The scear ; 3. The main- spring; 4. The hammer, or striker; 5. The swivel; 6. The bridle; 7. The tumbler; 8. The tumbler pin. In the hammerless guns of different makers, the mechanism of the locks varies considerably : in fact scarcely two are alike. In some of them the mechanism is composed of a great many parts or pieces ; in others there are even fewer pieces than in that of an ordinary gun-lock with outside hammers. To strip a nun-lock. — To strip a gun-lock is to take it to pieces ; and although such is an operation usually left to the gunsmith, there are many sports- men who prefer to see to then- gun-locks themselves; and in some instances, where no gunsmith is reason- ably accessible, they have no alternative but to do so, or to allow them to rust and spoil. And although it be rarely necessary to remove the gun- locks in a well-made gun, there are occasions when it is essential that they should be looked to ; at all events, once or twice in the season : and parti- cularly if the sportsman be residing in a tropical climate, where it is indispensably necessary to pay frequent attention to the gun-locks. In order to clean a gun-lock it is necessarv to 14 THE DEAD SHOT. strip or take it to pieces — an exceedingly simple process, with which every sportsman should be acquainted. The only tools requisite for the pur- pose are a spring-cramp and a small screw-driver. The first thing to be clone is, to cramp and re- move the main-spring : to do which, raise the hammer to full cock ; apply the spring-cramp, and carefully screw it up till the hammer is powerless (one or two turns of the screw will be sufficient) ; press the scear and let down the hammer, and the main-spring may be taken off in the claws of the spring- cramp. The other parts of the lock, with the exception of the tumbler, may then all be taken off the lock-plate by merely turning out the screw pins ; beyond which no force whatever need be used : the scear-spring should be the last piece to be taken off. To remove the hammer and tumbler, first unscrew and turn out the tumbler-pin, then insert a small wire punch in the pin-hole, and gently knock away the hammer from the lock-plate. A well-fitting hammer can only be removed in this manner without injury to the pieces. As to cleaning and oiling the gun-locks. — It is seldom that the lock of a well-made gun requires to be taken to pieces and cleaned ; but when neces- sary, all adhering substances should be carefully brushed off each piece. The parts should be then wiped over with soft rag or lint, and each piece TO PUT THE LOCK TOGETHER AGAIN". 15 rubbed up with soft dry waslileather ; the cleaner being careful not to breathe upon the metal and that no dampness be left upon it. Oil should be used very sparingly and applied with a small feather after the lock has been put together, to those parts only where there is friction, viz. the stud or pivot of the tumbler, which passes through the lock-plate ; the stud of the sceai', scear- spring, and the roller of the tumbler. These are the only parts requiring oil. The cleaner should use for the gun-locks very pure refined oil such as is prepared expressly for gun-locks and other fine-working machinery. To put the lock together again. — First screw on the scear-spring, then the scear; then put in the tumbler with the swivel attached ; then the bridle and screw it to the lock-plate ; after these are all in their places, put on the hammer, tapping it home to its berth at half-cock. The main-spring may then be replaced ; first cramp it with the spring- cramp, then hook it on to the swivel, and slip the stud into the stud-hole ; take off the cramp, and the lock will be ready for action. In all these operations, remember that no force whatever should be used except in cramping the main-spring, and that must be done cautiously with the spring- cramp. Disadvantages of afoul gun, with suggestions for keeping guns in order. — When a gun is foul and 16 THE DEAD SHOT. dirty inside, it "kicks" much more mischievously than when clean, because of the increased friction and difficulty of forcing the charge. A gun that is clamp or greasy inside, though in other respects perfectly clean, kicks violently, by reason of the moisture creating resistance. A gun that has been carelessly put away, or long neglected, must not be expected to shoot so well or last so long as one which has received all proper and necessary attention. The insides of the barrels should be kept as clean and lubricous as polished stone or steel ; and the gun will shoot so much the better. Guns, when not in use, should be often looked to, wiped, and re-oiled with clean fresh-oiled flannel or lint, free from all manner of dampness ; and the hands should be free from moisture or perspiration during the process ; in fact, if per- formed with gloves on, so much the better. When a gun is laid by for any length of time, the barrels should be well greased with neatsfoot or other animal oil, or pure tallow, or half and half of each ; the muzzle should be plugged with a greased cork, or two or three tight-fitting waddings well greased ; or better still, a dry wooden rod covered with flannel, and fitting the barrels closely from muzzle to breech-end. Sportsmen should see that their guns are not neglected, or they very soon become damaged ; and CLEANING AND KEEPING GUNS IN ORDER. 17 if long laid by in a damp or dirty state, tliey some- times receive irreparable injury. It should not be forgotten that they are made of a metal which corrodes and rusts by neglect or damp ; but with care and attention may be kept bright and clean as if fresh from the gunsmith's. Remember, also, that few servants can be trusted at all times : and inside rust cannot be seen. Generally speaking, after a •da} T 's shooting a gun requires cleaning. The only tools required for taking a gun to pieces and cleaning it, are a turnscrew, and a cleaning-rod. Use cold water first, in washing out the barrels after shooting ; then finish the washing with hot water. Wipe with tow, rag, or cloth ; and as the barrels dry, bind fresh pieces of the same on the cleaning- rod, so as to fit tightly in the barrel, and then, bj' rapidly forcing it up and down, the suction and expulsion of air quickly dries the barrels. Wipe them thoroughly dry both inside and outside ; and do it quickly, or the rust will soon appear. If a muzzle loader, be careful to leave no particle of tow in the chamber. Serious accidents have occurred through small pieces of tow being left sticking in the chambers of muzzle-loading guns. The accident occurs on reloading immediately after the first discharge ; when, a small particle of ignited tow being left in the chamber of the gun, on tossing in the powder to reload, it instantly ignites 18 THE DEAD SHOT. and explodes ; probably blowing off the sportsman's hand, or producing some such fearful result. Patent powder-flasks have long been in use, which guard, in a great measure, against the serious effects of accidents arising from such a cause. All such dangers and accidents are, however, entirely ob- viated in modern breech-loading guns. Occasionally unscrew and take out the nipples of the muzzle-loader, to see that there is no rust or corrosive substance inside ; but this need not be done on every occasion of cleaning the gun. Always turn them in again with a drop of oil. The brass- n ire brush may be used now and then for removing the accumulations of " leading " — that metallic corrosion which, after much shooting ad- heres to the barrels, inside, just above the place where the charge lies. But this process, it must be remembered, should only be performed when the gun is perfectly clean and dry inside. The steel brush is apt to scratch and injure the barrels, therefore the brass brush is preferable. But if the inside of the barrels be well polished with spirits of turpentine or paraffine every time the gun is cleaned, there will be no accumula- tion of lead, and consequently no necessity to use either brass or steel brush. If the barrels become rusty inside through long neglect, of course they receive injury. In such an event, a piece of very fine emery cloth or paper CLEANING BREECH-LOADING GUNS. 19 should be used for scouring them ; this may he done by winding some tow round the cleaning-rod so as to fit tightly into the barrel, then roll the emery cloth round the tow; securing it with fine thread. When judiciously emplo} r ed, this process, on being repeated a few times, removes all rust, and polishes and smooths the insides of the barrels to great advantage. Use none but the finest emery that is made. The barrels of the breech-loader may be cleaned with far greater facility than those of a muzzle- loader, owing to the absence of the solid breech, and the fact of the barrels being open at both ends. "When in daily or frequent use they may be cleaned without washing by the use of tow moistened with petroleum or turpentine, which will also remove any leading with which the barrels may have become corroded by much firing. After cleaning they should be wiped dry, and then oiled. In cleaning the barrels of a breech-loader always bear in mind that the breech ends require special protec- tion, as they are easily injured, and the essentially close fitting of the breech may soon be put out of order. Therefore, never rest the lower ends of these barrels on a stone floor or other brittle sub- stance, and never touch them with emery powder or other brightening composition which wears away the metal. And so also with regard to the flat surface of the standing breech. 20 THE DEAD SHOT. The hinge or joint and other working parts of the barrel fastenings should be kept clean and well oiled, so as to facilitate freedom of action in re- loading. Guns that are used on salt-water, or by the sea- side, require careful attention, both to the insides and outsides of the barrels, or they may very soon become injured. The barrels should be well wiped with a dry cloth immediately on returning home, and should then be rubbed inside and outside with petroleum or turpentine ; after which they should be wiped dry and oiled. For punt-guns, and, in fact, any large guns that are kept in use on salt- water, raw neats-foot oil should be used for the outsides of the barrels. BREECH-LOADING GUNS; VARIOUS FOEMS OF, AND MODERN IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO. When this work was first published (1860), breech- loading guns were in their infancy as it were. Most of the early inventions were defective, and inferior to the percussion muzzle-loader in many respects, particularly in that most essential particular, the force with which the charge was driven, and con- sequently in the range of the gun, and the penetra- tion of the shot. Great improvements have, how- ever, since been made ; and what with the central BREECH-LOADING GUNS. 21 fire and other improvements, and finally the choke- bore, breech-loaders can now be obtained which shoot quite as well in every respect as muzzle- loaders. Improvements in the manufacture and mechanism of guns, for the use of sportsmen, have therefore advanced with the spirit and requirements of the age ; and mechanical ingenuity, combined with scientific experiments have finally succeeded in pro- ducing breech-loading guns apparently as near per- fection as may be ; and as powerful and effective in the hands of sportsmen as muzzle-loaders of the best and most improved construction. Indeed the improvements of late years have been so great and complete that the breech-loader is now, undoubtedly, the best, safest, most serviceable, and effective gun that can be had ; besides which, the breech-loader possesses so many other advantages, that it is deservedly the favourite gun in the hands of most sportsmen of the present day. The invention of the breech-loading system is not, by any means, of recent discovery ; it was tried in various forms by several inventors soon after the introduction of fire-arms. Subsequent inventors have from time to time applied the most searching ingenuity to the subject ; and though they succeeded in almost every case in producing a breech-loader, it was long before they were able to make one possess- ing equivalent advantages to a muzzle-loader. 22 THE DEAD SHOT. Breech-loading rifles are among the most impor- tant improvements of modern times. For military purposes they are simply invaluable. So also to the hunter who treads the wild forests and jungles of eastern countries, or the western prairies of America, where successive instantaneous loading may sometimes save him his life, or afford him double and treble sport, there is no weapon on which he can so faithfully rely as the breech-loading rifle. Breech-loading guns are made upon various principles of construction as regards the breech, its opening, closing, and security. There are, as already observed, various contriv- ances for connecting the barrels of the breech-loader with the standing breech. The most primitive of the drop-down systems, is that in which the joint is fitted so close to the break-off, that on opening the gun to reload, the barrels have to be dropped so as to hang down at nearly right angles to the action before the cartridge can be inserted ; this system, although applied to a modern form of breech-loader, is never- theless a very ancient contrivance, dating as far back as the sixteenth century. Many breech-load- ing arms on the same principle, called " wheel-lock arquebuses," were also made during the seventeenth century. It is now considered, by practical sports- men, to be the weakest and most objectionable drop- down form of any that is used. In the modern arrangement of this ancient system, the barrels are BREECH-LOADING GUNS. 23 connected with the standing breech by a very broad and heavy hinge extending the whole width of the under part of the gun. The system also renders the gun heavier than that of any of the other modern forms of breech-loader. Another disadvantage of this system is, that the barrels depend mainly for support on a single top fastening, which closes over a stud on the top of the standing-breech, necessi- tating also a very thick and heavy upper rib ; -whereas one of the chief advantages in the modern breech-loader is that in which the joint of the breech action is moved further forward for the purpose of giving extra support to the barrels, with facilities for fastening them so much more securely to the breech, by means of one, two, or more under-bolts, or wedges : the strain on discharge is also thereby ecmalised, whilst the gun itself may be reloaded with greater facility, as a very slight drop of the muzzle, tips up the breech ends sufficiently for the purpose. This improvement upon the ancient drop- down system before mentioned, was one of Lefau- cheux' earliest and greatest successes, and it has been universally adopted in the improved modern breech-loaders. Indeed, the importance attached to ihe advanced position of the joint, or pivot, upon which the barrels turn on opening and closing the breech, and the advantages of that system, are now so fully recognised, that a breech-loader upon the ancient "wheel-lock arquebuse " principle, is not 24 THE DEAD SHOT. a gun to be recommended to the modern sports- man. Other breech-loading guns, which are not upon the drop-down system, are those in which the barrel is opened for reloading, just in front of the breech, by turning up a thumb-piece towards the rib of the barrel, which removes the breech-block, and leaves open a recess for the cartridge, which on being inserted, is then pushed into the barrel, and the breech-block is then turned back into its place. Another is called the side-motion breech-loader, in which the barrels are made to turn on a vertical joint-pin, and by means of a lever are moved a few inches to the right for the purpose of being loaded. There is also the sliding-motion breech-loader, in which the barrels are made to slide forward about three inches from the breech, without dropping at the muzzle, leaving just sufficient space for inserting the cartridges. But these and other contrivances appear to have given place to the drop -clown system of Lefau- cheux, with the advanced pivot, of which there are many modifications : different makers having each a breech action of their own, with a method of opening and closing the breech, and of holding or securing the barrels to the discs. The first successful breech-loader, on what gun- makers term the modern drop- down sj'stem, was in BREECH-LOADING GUNS. 25 1836, by the Frenchman before mentioned, named Lefaucheux. The success of the invention was mainly attributable to the placing of the joint of the breech action further forward on the barrels, and securing them to the breech action by a wedge-fast fastening between the joint and the standing breech; the fastening being worked by an outside lever, which on freeing the bolt permitted the barrels to drop at the muzzle, whereby the breech-end was tipped up, just sufficiently for the purpose of receiv- ing the cartridge on reloading. For a long time, however, the great difficulty encountered was, the escape of gas at the joint, or opening, between the breech end of the barrels and the standing breech of the stock. Nor was this defect remedied until the invention of the metallic cartridge case, containing the charges of powder and shot, which was made to fit into the breech end of the barrels so closely, that on exploding the charge, the case, by expanding at the moment, so completely closed up the interior of the barrel at the breech, that it prevented the possibility of the escape of gas. Further improvements quickly followed in the construction of the cartridge case, making it in fact both breech and nipple of the gun, the percussion cap being thus placed inside the barrel, and exploded on a pin or plunger being struck by the hammer. The pin cartridge case was then further improved 26 THE DEAD SHOT. upon by the rim-fire and central fire systems, both which are, however, but modifications of the Lefau- cheux principle. Further improvements are those by which the barrels are more closely, firmly, and securely fastened to the stock, and breech action, by means of self-acting locking bolts, passing through solid metal blocks attached to the under part of the barrels, and by various other ingenious contrivances of strong metal receptacles for wedges and bolts, moved to and fro by powerful but neatly fitting levers, which in some of the inventions are made to work under the breech action, in others above it, and in some at the sides, and some with both upper and under fastenings. These are known by various names, as the wedge-fast, double and treble wedge- fast, lock-fast, snap and grip actions. There are also the side-lever snap action, and some others ; in all of which a ready means is provided of dis- engaging the barrels, so that they may be opened at the breech, reloaded, and rebolted with facility and quickness. The various modes of igniting the powder were the subject of many inventions, but the most approved are the central fire systems before referred to, whereb} r the cap is placed at the centre base of the charge of powder, and ignited by the exploding pin, on being struck by the hammer and driven through the standing breech into the cap. BREECH-LOADING GUNS. 27 The chief advantages of the improved central lire system are, the complete enclosure of the detonating cap ; the instantaneous ignition of the charge at the very centre of its base ; the entire prevention of the escape of gas at the breech and the absence of any pin-hole in the barrels through which wet can penetrate. All which are advantages of great merit, and have deservedly brought the central fire S} T stems into almost universal favour. The introduction of breech-loaders has in some respects tended to increase both the size and weight of sportsmen's guns. In the bygone days of the flint and the percussion muzzle-loaders, the ordinary sized guns for partridge and pheasant shooting were those of the gauges Nos. 14, 15, and 16. Guns of the No. 12 gauge were the exception, rather than the rule. But now the reverse is the case, and most sportsmen use a No. 12 gauge breech- loader, where a No. 14 or a No. 16 gauge muzzle- loader formerly sufficed. The chief advantages possessed by the breech- loading gun over the muzzle-loader, are : — The simplicit} T and quickness with which it ma}' be charged and re-charged. And the risks incident to carelessness or negligence, in loading one barrel whilst the other is charged and capped, or at full- cock, are avoided. The ramrod, loading-rod, powder-flask, shot-pouch, .and cap-holder, are all dispensed with. 28 THE DEAD SHOT. Much of the time, trouble, risk, and waste of ammunition on drawing a charge are obviated ; because the cartridge may be easily and quickly withdrawn from the breech-loader. Therefore there is no occasion to fire off the gun at the close of a day's shooting; the charge may be simply drawn out of the barrel and replaced in the cartridge-belt. A rapid succession of shots may be made ; and when the birds lie well such is a great advantage. The breech-loader may also be charged in rapid succession, in whatever position the sportsman may be ; even if lying upon the ground. The moisture, which it is said is sometimes forced down upon the powder by the wadding from the sides of the barrel of a muzzle-loader, is not dis- turbed in the breech-loader ; but the powder, in its- purest state, is deposited at the breech end of the barrels inside the cartridge case. The barrels may be cleaned with much greater facility than those of a muzzle-loader. In addition to these, it may also be stated that there are some other minor advantages which should not be overlooked. For some purposes of sport it is sometimes desirable, when in the field, to change the shot as quickly as possible : for instance, when snipe-shooting, it is not unusual to fall in with wild duck or teal, when, if the sportsman is enabled to- mark them down, or discover them before they rise, he proceeds to extract the snipe shot, and load with. BREECH-LOADING GUNS. 29 No. 5 or G, or a cartridge. With a breech-loader the risk and trouble of drawing the charge at the muzzle are avoided ; and the cartridge containing snipe shot may be withdrawn in a moment, and re- placed with one containing large shot. And then, should the sportsman fail in his attempts to stalk the wild fowl, the cartridges may be changed again with the same facility ; whereas under similar circumstances, a muzzle-loader would necessitate the trouble and risk of twice drawing, changing, and replacing the shot. In the hands of careless or excitable sportsmen, a breech-loader is, unques- tionably, the safer gun of the two ; because all the risks incident to loading and unloading are avoided. Carelessness, nervousness, haste, or inattention in loading, would scarcely incur danger with the breech- loader ; whereas, in the muzzle-loader, they are the causes of many accidents. On entering a house with a muzzle-loader, or on riding or driving along the road, it is usual to re- move the caps from the nipples. But with the breech-loader the whole charge may be as quickly withdrawn, and the gun is then comparatively harm- less. On the other hand the breech-loader is, usually, somewhat heavier than a muzzle-loader of the same gauge ; owing to the barrels of the former being stouter and more substantial at the breech end than those of a muzzle-loader of the same gauge ; and 30 THE DEAD SHOT. the additional solid metal required for the wedge- fastenings, joints, pivots, grips, levers, and holts, also add to the weight of the gun. The crowning feature, however, in eveiy gun, he it breech or muzzle-loader, is the force and effect with which it throws the shot ; the gun that will make the best pattern and throw the shot sharpest and strongest, and consequently killing the farthest, is, to all intents and purposes, the better gun in the hands of a good sportsman. THE CHOKE-BOEE SYSTEM. The principle of the Choke-bore system is that in which the barrel of the gun is bored so that the interior is not a true cylinder ; but is contracted at one or more parts on the inside, generally at or near the muzzle, with the object of producing greater compactness in the spread of the shot (called "Pattern "), and also greater force (termed "Pene- tration "), in driving the charge. Although only recently recognised and adopted by English gunmakers, the system of choke-boring' is by no means new. It is said to have originated with a Spanish gunmaker more than a century since : from which date it was commonly used by several of the old French gunmakers. The notion of some of the latter was, that in THE CHOKE-BORE SYSTEM. 31 order to throw the shot more closely, the calibre of the barrel should be narrowed in the middle ; others that it should be narrowed at the muzzle ; whilst others affirmed that the calibre should be gradually contracted all along from the breech to the muzzle ; and probably barrels bored upon all three systems were manufactured. It is well known that the principle of choke- boring was appreciated and adopted by some at least of the old French gunmakers, particularly in the manufacture of large guns for shooting wild fowl on the French marshes, from huts and other places of concealment ; and also in the construction of French punt-guns. Some of the latter I have occasionally met with, upwards of twenty years ago, when wild fowl shooting in France. I used to term them "bell-muzzled guns," because the barrels were opened larger at the muzzle than elsewhere, and choked or contracted on the interior ; some in the middle, others at the throat, about a foot, or less, from the mouth. It is clear however, that the old French gun- makers never thoroughly mastered the theory of choke-boring, though they very nearly succeeded in so doing. The difficulties of boring were in those days a formidable obstacle to the success of the enterprise. Choke-boring has also been claimed as an American invention. But the origin of the American claim only dates as far back as 1827 ; 32 THE DEAD SHOT. whereas it is clear that the system had been used more than fifty years previously. American gun- makers have undoubtedly improved upon it : and one of them, Mr. Faburn, patented in America, in the year 1872, an instrument for cutting and boring choke-bore barrels, called " Faburn's recess or jug-choke borer." This was a system of double- choke boring, in which the barrel was not only choked in two places, viz., at the muzzle and middle, but the interior of the barrel was actually enlarged as well from choke to choke. Modern English gunmakers profess to have im- proved upon the system of choke -boring, and to have hit upon the true principle, which is, that the seat of the choke should be at the muzzle, and nowhere else : that the extreme 2 or 3 inches of the barrel at the muzzle should be contracted so as to form the choke. The system known amongst modern English gunmakers as the "full choke" is that in which the barrel of an ordinary sized shoulder gun is contracted at the muzzle to the extent of 30 to 40,000ths of an inch. A " modified choke " is that in which the con- traction is to the extent only of about 5000ths of an inch. In guns of larger size the contraction must, of course, be proportionately larger. It must be admitted that by narrowing the channel THE CHOKE-BORE SYSTEM. 66 of exit at the muzzle, the gun will throw the shot with greater force and more compactness than if it were a true cylinder : upon the same principle that, by narrowing the throat and muzzle of the play prpe of a fire engine, the water is thrown with greater force and concentration, and consequently to a longer distance. In the hands of a thoroughly good shot, a gun with both barrels " full- choke " is very effective. But in the hands of an indifferent shot, the shooting would probably not be so good as with a gun in which both barrels were without any choke at all, as the latter spreads the shot more widely ; whilst the choke-bore concentrates the charge, and consequently requires the greater accuracy and precision in its use. If, therefore, a full-choke should be found to con- tract the charge of shot too closely, the shooter should use a modified choke ; and if he be a young sportsman he will shoot better with a gun that is not choked at all. In a choke-bore gun, the gauge is deceptive, and cannot be accurately ascertained from the muzzle- end : the contraction at the muzzle making the gun appear to be of a smaller gauge than it actually is. 34 THE DEAD SHOT. HAMMEELESS GUNS. The term " hammerless," as applied to these guns is in some respects misleading ; as no shoulder gun is without a hammer or striker. In the " hammer- less guns " (so called), the hammer is placed inside the lock, instead of outside. Though of comparatively recent introduction, so far as its general application to sporting fire arms is concerned, the invention is not new. Upwards of a century since, there were hammerless guns, in which the mode of igniting the charge was by means of a spiral spring and flint, both inside the lock. For many years past, gunmakers have occasionally made hammerless guns upon the percussion system, though more as experiments and specimens of the ingenuity of their craft than as guns destined for general use. But of late years gunmakers appear to have distinctly recognised the singular value, utility, and ingenuity of the system, for they have certainly devoted special attention to the subject as one capable of more useful and extensive development. The. result has proved, that their time and ingenuity have been well employed, for they have succeeded in producing what are termed " hammerless guns,'* upon various modern systems, and of such in- genious and greatly improved mechanism, that they bid fair to rival all others of the outside hammer construction. HAMMERLESS GUNS. 35 The breech-loading and central lire systems have, undoubtedly, greatly facilitated improvements in the mechanical contrivances of hammerless guns. But for a long time the difficulty encountered was, that in order to make room for the special mechanism of the internal strikers, it necessitated the cutting away of a good deal of wood from the head of the gun-stock : in some instances rather more than was prudent, having regard to the principle that it is desirable to retain as much solid wood in the head of the stock as possible. This difficulty has, however, in a great measure, been overcome. There are many different arrangements of the striker. In some it forms part of the tumbler. In the Anson & Deely system, the mechanism of the lock consists of only four parts, as the tumbler, striker, and exploding pin are all in one. In some of the systems, however, having a separate striker, the parts of the lock are formed of many pieces. The chief recommendation of the hammerless system is, that outside hammers are dispensed with. But then the difficulty arises as to the substituted means of cocking and uncocking. Some of the hammerless guns are put at full cock by the closing of the barrels at the breech after loading : others by the opening of the barrels, and the raising of the breech ends for loading. Neither of these systems possess a means of uncocking, except by pulling the trigger and firing the charge ; but as a substitute 36 THE DEAD SHOT. for uncocking or putting the lock at safety, or at half-bent, they are provided with a safety bolt ; in connection with which there is, somewhere on the outside of the gun, a thumb-piece, button, slide, or other contrivance for working the safety bolt ; so that the strikers may be locked and rendered as safe, or even safer, than a hammer gun at half cock. Other hammerless systems of cocking the gun are by means of a cocking lever outside the gun. In some, this lever is placed under the lock, either within or outside the trigger's guard ; in others a side-lever is used, which, acting upon studs affixed to the tumblers, forces them to full cock. These guns are also fitted with safety bolts which act upon the triggers. Other hammerless systems of cocking the gun are effected by the same lever that works the action bolts ; others by a lever fitting over the triggers' guard ; others by a top lever ; others by a top sliding bolt working in the false breech. All these systems are provided with safety bolts, slides, or catches for locking the triggers, or bolting the hammers. For illustration of a hammerless gun, see the engraving supra, page 7. The hammerless system is not at present by any means universally popular among sportsmen. There are, in fact, many who prefer the outside IIAMMERLESS GUNS. 37 hammers, which are always under their immediate inspection, to show at a glance whether the gun be at full cock or half cock. Sportsmen who have always been accustomed to outside hammers, find a dif- ficulty at first in getting reconciled to hammer- less guns ; and they dislike the crop-eared appear- ance of them ; and miss the hammers so much that it takes time to get used to the novelt)\ The object of dispensing with outside hammers is, that they are said to be the cause of frequent accidents in the field, through their catching in twigs in cover, and on getting through fences, and also by slipping from the thumb in manipulation. That accidents have occurred from each and all of these causes is not to be denied, though I believe the occasions are rare : and when they have happened, it has generally been through careless- ness, excitement, or other incautious handling of the gun. It is not, 'therefore, by any means clear that acci- dents are not just as likely to occur with hammer- less guns, as with those which have outside ham- mers. The outside triggers are as indispensable to the one as to the other, and every experienced sportsman knows that accidents occur as frequently through twigs and tangles catching the triggers in passing through fence and cover, as through such obstructions catching the hammers. For my own part, I have found greater inconvenience from twigs 33 THE DEAD SHOT. and tangles catching beneath the levers of my breech-loader, than in their catching other projec- tions of the gun. But withal, the hammerless system has come into fashion, if not into general use. It certainly has its merits, and in the course of time it will probably become the popular, if not the favourite, form of gun. ON THE CHOICE AND SELECTION OF A GUN. The pleasure and enjoyment of shooting is con- siderably marred by using a gun that is too heavy for the strength and comfort of the shooter. Therefore, in choosing a gun, the first matters for consideration are its weight, and your physical capacity to carry and use it through a long day's shooting, without fatigue. This can hardly be de- cided by the mere handling in the gun-shop, but by your own previous experience in the field, with other guns of more or less weight. Having decided on a particular form of breech- action, the gunmaker, if of ordinary repute, will find no difficulty in providing you with a gun which shall not exceed a certain weight. If you require a very light gun, you will have to be content with one of small gauge, or that will burn only a small charge of powder. If, however, you are able to carry and use one of 1\ lbs. weight, you may with- CHOICE AND SELECTION OF A GUN. 39 out doubt, choose a substantial 12-bore breech- loader. A strong man can carry, without inconvenience, throughout a long day's shooting, a gun of the weight of 7 or 8 lbs. : whilst a man of ordinary strength finds one of 6 or 6J lbs. weight as much as he can carry (so as to use it successfully) without fatigue. The extra weight of a gun is, or should be, found in the breech-end of the barrels, whereby a larger charge of powder may be used, and greater pene- tration thereby ensured. It is clear, therefore, that the sportsman who can use with facility, and carry without fatigue, a heavy gun, has considerable advantage over others who are physically incapacitated from using any but guns of light weight. A gun of larger calibre than is ordinarily used (as for instance a ten bore) jnay, truly, be more effective in the hands of some sportsmen, by reason of its carrying a heavier charge : it is, however, scarcely sportsmanlike to use such a gun for partridge or pheasant shooting ; though for wild-fowl and birds of large size and thick plumage, it is the legitimate weapon. And it is a mistake to burden oneself with a heavy gun; for when the arms become weary through carrying an extra weight, the sportsman cannot shoot well. 40 THE DEAD SHOT. I am no advocate for light guns ; on the contrary, I consider it a defect rather than an improvement in the manufacture of firearms, to strive to produce a gun of the lightest weight, except it he for a person who has not, naturally, the strength and physique to carry and use, with ease and comfort, a gun of ordinary weight and proportion. By lessening the weight of the piece, the recoil is increased ; and if it could he sup- posed possible for a gun to be so constructed that it be no heavier than the charge or missile, as a natural result, and according to the laws of explo- sive force, on ignition of the powder, the missile and gun would each fly in opposite directions with equal velocity. The weight of the gun, however, is, to some men, of vast importance in a daj^'s shooting, espe- cially in a hilly country ; and on that account, if for no other, manjr sportsmen prefer as light a gun as is consistent with safety. As to the proper or most suitable gauge of gun for general use, say for partridge, grouse, and pheasant shooting, by far the greater majority of sportsmen at the present day use a twelve bore, that is, if they have the requisite physique to carry and use such with ease and comfort/ to themselves ; otherwise, a gun of smaller gauge and lighter weight should be chosen ; and many a man of slender frame will find that with a good modern CHOICE AND SELECTION OE A GIN. 41 sixteen gauge gun he will be far more successful in his shooting, than with one of larger calibre. Therefore, why should he burden himself with a heavier gun, and so make a toil of his pleasure? The modern improvements in guns of the last few years have been very considerable ; and recent experiences have proved to demonstration, that breech-loading guns, even of the twenty gauge, as now manufactured by some of the leading gun- makers, are far more effective than many sportsmen had supposed them to be. But this is no new discover}-, for in Manton's time the twent}--two gauge was commonly used and recommended by that famous maker, as sufficiently large for the ordinary purposes of shooting game. And even at the present day, it is not very unusual to find a sportsman of slender frame and limb killing part- ridges right and left, in admirable style, with a breech-loading gun of sixteen or eighteen gauge. As much execution may be done with a No. 14 as with a No. 13 ; the difference in the shooting being so trivial as to be almost imperceptible ; but in a gun, of two sizes larger, or smaller, the extra power of the one prevails over the other. The adoption of the breech-loader as a shoulder- gun, has undoubtedly increased, not only the weight, but the size of sporting guns. A few years since, when the double-barrelled percussion muzzle- loader was pre-eminently the favourite gun, the 42 THE DEAD SHOT. usual size for ordinary use by English sportsmen was of the gauge No. 14, and its weight seldom exceeded 6|- lbs. The barrels of a gun of that weight were 30 inches in length, fairly stout at the breech, and capable of exploding with ease and comfort to the shooter, a charge of three drachms of the strongest and best powder. But now, the usual size of the modern double- barrelled breech-loader, which has almost entirely supplanted the muzzle-loader, is two sizes larger, being of the gauge No. 12, with 28 or 30 inch barrels, and requires a charge of powder of at least 3 £ drachms, and the gun itself is not of less weight than 7J lbs. But in order to obtain the corresponding ad- vantages, the sportsman readily submits to the extra one pound weight. If under 7 lbs. in weight, a 12-bore double-barrelled breech-loader will not burn, with comfort to the shooter, a heavier charge of powder than three drachms. The extra weight of the breech-loader arises chiefly from the additional dead weight of solid metal in and about the mechanism of the breech-action, such as wedge fast upper and under fittings, levers, bolts, slides, and other mechanical contrivances which are indispensable to the safety of the breech- loading action, upon whatever principle it is founded. But sportsmen have now become accustomed to CHOICE AND SELECTION OE A GUN. 43 this extra weight, and willingly submit to it on account of the many advantages possessed by the breech-loading system. In choosing a breech-loader, one of the principal points to look to is, the true fitting of the barrels fit the breech end to the standing breech. The closing up should be as true and perfect as possible fill round, as if indeed the two were of one piece. If on shaking the gun to and fro it gapes at the breech, even to the thousandth part of an inch, the gun is imperfect in its construction : for any gaping at the breech-opening, sends down the muzzle. The true action of the pin, or plunger, is also a matter of importance to look to in the selection of a breech-loader, and should be carefully tested. If the plunger strikes the cap with true precision, there need be no misfires, whatever the weather in which the gun is used. The balance of the gun is also a matter for careful consideration. If too heavy at the muzzle, it is apt to cause the sportsman to shoot below fast- flying birds. If too heavy at the butt, it cannot be brought to the shoulder with the same readiness and facility as a well-balanced gun. The point of convergence of the barrels of a double-barrel gun is also a matter that should be looked to, though it is one that may generally be left to thegunmaker. It is advisable, however, to examine the rib and joinder of the barrels, and see that they 44 THE DEAD SHOT. are close together, or nearly so, otherwise the gun will throw the shot so much to the right and left that you will fail to kill straight forward shots. This defect (though rare) arises when the rib which divides the barrels is too thick. Some gun- smiths, in their desire to obtain firm under and upper fastenings for the breech-action, get as much metal as possible between the barrels and in the grooves ; with a result not always advantageous to the accuracy of the gun. Double-barrelled guns have been found (though rarely) to shoot a little inwards : i.e. the right barrel drives the shot a little to the left, and the left barrel a little to the right. Any gun that is so constructed that the point of convergence is so near as to cause a gun so to shoot, at short range, is wrong in principle : for although such a gun might assist a young sportsman who is in the habit of shooting behind his birds when crossing to right or left, such would be the only shots he would kill with it. All straight away shots would be missed, because neither barrel would ever throw the shot in a straight line with the rib. It is a fault that may be readily detected on testing the gun at a pasteboard target. The barrels of a double gun are or always should be made to taper slightly towards each other. If the barrels are extra stout they are usually flattened or reduced at the breech-end where joined ; in CHOICE AND SELECTION OF A GUN. 45 order that the point of convergence may meet at the proper distance, say 35 or 40 yards more or less, according to the gauge of the gun. It is well to avoid guns that are specially con- structed for throwing the shot very high ; also those for throwing it low : for if once you get accustomed to a gun of a special peculiarity of the kind, you will make but a sorry hand with any other. Amongst the great variety of hammerless guns that have recently been introduced, before making a selection it is important to thoroughly examine the mechanism of the locks ; particularly as to the true and unimpeded action of the striker, the means of cocking the gun, the safety action, and other mechanical appliances ; and further, to test the gun by actual and repeated trials to see that there is no j^enetration of gas into the lock on the explosion of the powder : for unless the locks are perfectly gas-tight, as well as air-tight, the invention itself is unsatisfactory. An escape of gas into the machinery of the gun-lock is a very bad fault, as it must of necessity be detrimental to the works, and would soon blacken and corrode them, and impede the free and easy action of the various parts, unless frequently stripped and cleaned. Choke-bore guns are very effective at long-ranges in the hands of competent sportsmen, but they are not recommended for beginners. A man who is but an indifferent shot, and who is seldom able to kill 46 THE DEAD SHOT. very-fast flying birds, particularly at long-range, may well be content with a gun that is not choked ; or with one that has one barrel, a cylinder and the other a modified choke. But a skilful sportsman may use with effect a gun, both the barrels of which are full choke. THE GUN-STOCK GAUGE. As regards the fitting of a gun to suit the shooter ; although it is always best before purchasing, to test the gun for length and bend of stock, and cast-off, by bringing it up to the shoulder, taking aim, &c, as already suggested (supra, p. 8) ; yet there are occa- sions when this cannot be done ; as for instance when the sportsman resides at a distance from, and cannot conveniently pay a visit to, the gunmaker ; or when residing in a foreign country, and requiring a gun of certain specified dimensions to be sent out to him there. In either case he should have recourse to the simple contrivance of the stock-gauge (see engrav- ing next page), by means whereof he will be enabled to measure himself, and send the necessary dimen- sions, from which any experienced gunmaker will be enabled to fit him exactly. THE GUN-STOCK GAUGE, 47 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SELF- MEASUREMENT FOR LENGTH AND BEND OF GUN-STOCK. Take a shoulder gun as near your fit as you have ; and fasten tightTy with small twine, a perfectly straight spline of wood, edgewise, along the groove of the rib which divides the barrels ; leaving the breech- end of the spline projecting over and just beyond the heel of the gun-stock, as shown in the annexed en- graving : then lay the gun upon a table and measure with careful precision to the 8th (or even the 16th) of an inch as follows — For bend of gun-stock; from a to b, and from c to d. For length of stock ; from / to e, from g to e, and from h to c, the three latter measurements being taken 48 THE DEAD SHOT. from the tip of the fore -trigger to the middle of the heel-plate or half-thickness of the gun-stock. If you require more or less cast off than the gun you measure from, add to, or deduct from, the dimensions accordingly ; and so also with regard to the length of stock. In some instances it may be advisable to state in addition, the height of the shooter. And if any peculiarities of figure, as short neck, or long neck, slender figure or very stout, they should be mentioned. The calibre, length of barrels, weight of the gun, and other particulars, should also be stated. AMMUNITION. Gunpowder. — There are many different qualities and varieties of gunpowder, and of late years several new kinds have been introduced ; particularly those known as wood powders, the chief advantages of which are, that after explosion there is no smoke, only a light transparent vapour, and the residuum or deposit in the barrel of the gun is very small in comparison with that of the ordinary black powders. Wood powders are of more rapid com- bustion than black powders ; it may therefore be doubtful if they are suitable for guns of large calibre. It is calculated that two drachms (by weight) of Schultze wood powder are equal to four AMMUNITION. 49 drachms of black powder ; but in measure both are the same : i. e., the two drachms of wood powder fill the same measure as the four drachms of black. The Schultze powder has been much improved in quality since its introduction in 1863, and it is now very much used by sportsmen in the field, and also at shooting matches. An American wood powder, known as the Dittmar, is similar in appearance to the Schultze powder, though a totally different manufacture. In loading the cartridges with wood powder it should not be rammed : all that is necessary is, merely to push the wood into the case, until it rests upon the powder, without compression. Black gunpowders have also been greatly improved in the manufacture. Many years ago fine grained powders were the order of the day with English sportsmen, but of late years it has been found that greater force and penetration are to be obtained from the larger grained powders. The theory being that fine grained powder burns up so much more rapidly in the barrel, and expends its force too suddenly; whilst the coarse-grained powder, through burning more steadily in the barrel, continues to expend force as it burns all the way up the barrel to the muzzle end. But whether this theory be correct or not is difficult to determine. At all events gunpowders of a larger grain than formerly are preferred by most sportsmen of the present day. 50 THE DEAD SHOT. Undoubtedly, too, the shape of the grain materially affects the combustion : the sharp diamond shaped grains burning up more readily than the round-shaped ones. Much, therefore, of the quality of the powder depends on the size, shape, and density of the grains. But it is a mistake to suppose that every grain should be of the same size and shape. Some of the best gunpowders that are made are composed of grains of various sizes, and an infinite variety of shapes ; though none of the grains exceed a certain size in a certain class, jet they contain many of a less size. Every sportsman should be particular as to the choice of his gunpowder ; as much of his success is due to its quality. The best is very much the strongest and purest, and does not foul the gun so quickly as the inferior. Shot. — The best shot is made entirely of lead, is uniform in size, and perfectly spherical. Chilled shot of the best and purest manufacture is also made wholly of lead. Hard shot (so-called) can only be rendered harder than lead by the admixture of some other metal, or alloy, with the lead, which, if lighter than lead, deteriorates from the true quality and value of the shot. Hardened bullets for large rifles may be an improvement for some purposes, but shot of whatever size intended for killing the feathered tribe, should be made entirely of pure lead. It is erroneous to suppose that shot AMMUNITION. 51 made of a lighter metal than lead will kill either further, cleaner, or more surely; the effect being the very reverse. And it cannot be too generally made known that there is always the risk of break- ing one's teeth in eating game that has been killed with hardened shot. Small shot is known in the manufacturing trade as Drop shot. The process of manufacture is by pouring molten lead into sieves of different sized meshes, through which it is dropped down a tower or shaft into cold water, the height of the fall being regulated according to the size of the shot. In this manner drop shot is made in sizes varying from about 3000 pellets to the oz., to the largest size of only about thirty to the oz., the latter requiring a very long drop in order to cool and become firm before reaching the water. Shot of a larger size than drop shot are termed mould shot, or machine shot; being made by another process, either in moulds or by machinery. The standard sizes of small shot are known by a figure or No.: the larger sizes by a letter. There is not always, however, a perfect uniformity in the precise number of pellets to the oz. in the shot produced by different makers. The following are the average number of pellets to the oz. E 2 52 THE DEAD SHOT. Standard Sizes of Shot. Distinguishing No. and Letter. Pellets to the oz. (English.) Pellets to the oz. Newcastle chilled shot. Pellets to the oz. Tatham Brothers. (American.) No. 1 .... ,, 2 .... „ 3 .... ,. 4 .... „ 5 .... „ 6 .... ,, 7 .... „ 8 .... „ 9 .... „ 10 .... „ 11 .... „ 12 .... Dust L. G M. G S. G S. S. G S. S. S. G.. A. A. A. A A. A. A. . A. A A B. B. B. . B. B B 82 115 135 177 220 282 340 462 568 985 1120 1350 1672 9 11 15 17 30 :58 40 45 50 58 75 104 122 140 172 218 270 340 450 580 850 1040 1250 ^ 1700 (2800 11 14 25 40 48 64 76 71 86 106 132 168 218 291 399 568 848 1346 1825 2326 42 50 59 It should be observed that the subjoined list gives the average number of pellets to the oz., but, as there are many manufacturers of shot, both size and number of pellets slightly varies in the different manufactures, and most of the American produc- tions are nearly a size larger than those of the English. AMMUNITION. 53 It will invariably be found on the trial of a gun at the straw board targets, that it shoots best with shot of those sizes which fit most compactly in perfect layers in the cylinder of the cartridge and barrels of the gun ; and when large shot is used this compactness of the hryers is a sine qua non. Cartridges. — Good and successful shooting with the breech-loader depends, in a great measure, on the care and attention with which the cartridges are made. But as to this, enterprising men have shown themselves fully alive to the importance attached to these essentials, and the manufacture of cartridge cases or shells by machinery has become a highly lucrative commercial undertaking; whilst that of filling them with carefully weighed charges of powder and shot is another. Exquisitely made shells ma} T , therefore, now be obtained to suit guns of every gauge ; whilst ready- filled shells may also be had charged with shot of any size and weight that may be required. And experience shows, that in every stage of their manufacture the greatest care and ability are used ; and, knowing this, sportsmen buy and use, with every confidence, ready-filled cartridges. The dis- charged shells may be, and are, constantly re-filled and used again and again, the metallic ones many times over, and even some of the paper ones two or three times, which proves the care and attention displayed in their manufacture. 51 THE DEAD SHOT. If you desire to fill the shells yourself, the gun- maker, of whom you purchase the gun, will show you how to fill them, and provide you with a mould and other suitable tools and materials for so doing. With a little practice, the art of filling them may be soon acquired. Many sportsmen prefer to fill their own cartridge cases, not onl} r for the sake of economy but because they feel they can place greater reliance on their own precise measure of powder and shot ; a very essential particular as regards successful shooting, and especially so in pigeon shooting matches. But, as already observed, every reliance may now be placed on the manufacturer, and although formerly, many sportsmen w r ere in the habit of buying the shells and filling them them- selves, or of having them done under their own imme- diate inspection ; at the present day, most sports- men obtain them ready filled. Gun Wads (or Wadding). — It is essential in load- ing the gun, or filling the cartridge cases, that the powder be separated from the shot by good sub- stantial close fitting wads. Felt wads are extensive^ used for this purpose : also the pink-edged wads, which are made from a mixture of felt and paper ; cardboard wads and black-card wads are also used in conjunction with felt wads. It is always advisable to place a grease-proof or hard pink-edged wad, or else a thick black-card wad, CHARGING THE GUN, 00 next the powder, and over that a thick felt wad. The wads used should be slightly larger than the bore of the gun, or of the cartridge case, so as to ensure tight fitting, and to prevent the gases, on explosion of the charge, from mixing with the shot. But they should never be so large as to bulge the cases. A single cardboard wad, over the shot, is all that is required, if it be of sufficient substance to keep the shot from becoming loose in the one barrel on the explosion of the charge in the other. CHARGING OR LOADING THE GUN. The proper charging, or loading the gun with its most effective charge, is a matter too often dis- regarded or treated with indifference. It is, how- ever, an important element, tending materially to success in the art of good shooting ; and simple as the process may appear to some persons, there are many sportsmen who do not do their guns justice, because ignorant of their best capabilities. They Avill not take the trouble to try their guns sufficiently, if at all, at the straw board sheets ; but prefer to rely on what the gunmaker states to be the proper charge, and which is not always either the best or the most effective. An intelligent sportsman by testing the gun him- 56 THE DEAD SHOT. self, soon discovers by practical means, the best pattern and most penetrating charge it is capable of making and driving at measured ranges. There can be no doubt but that the sportsman may acquire a better knowledge of the power and range of his gun, with that of the most effective mode of charging it, by a few hours' practice at pasteboard or straw board targets, than by many months' shooting at the feathered tribe in open country. The proper quantum of powder for a charge varies according to the gun : some guns require more, some less, though of the same size and gauge. The only satisfactory mode of ascertaining the best and most killing charge of powder for any particular gun, is by firing with carefully weighed charges or cartridges at the pasteboard or straw board sheets before mentioned. Although a heavy charge of powder, and a rela- tively small charge of shot, may suit some guns ; in others it only produces a heavier recoil and dis- comfort to the shooter, without any corresponding advantages. It is unwise to charge the gun with more powder than it is capable of burning with good effect. The folly of so doing is made obvious by any por- tion of the charge being blown out of the barrel unconsumed. This may be proved by spreading large sheets CHARGING THE GUN. 67 of white paper on the ground, extending to the distance of 12 or 14 yards from the muzzle of the gun, and then firing the gun over them on a calm day : when, if there are any unburnt grains of the charge, they will fall upon the paper, and so the error will be immediately detected. Much diversity of opinion exists as to the sizes of shot best adapted for the different species of game, but in these things, practice is the best instructor. The sportsman ought always to be able to decide for himself, taking into consideration the time of year, and the size of the bird he goes in quest of : bearing in mind that the common error is that of using shot that is too large. It is a mistake to use mixed shot, or those of various sizes mixed together ; a charge of mixed shot is not so effective as one in which they are all of a size. An overcharge of shot in a small barrel rests too high in the cylinder ; and being heavier than is strictly in accordance with the rules of gun-loading, the powder has not sufficient power to drive it with that force which is requisite, and which constitutes the most important element in strong and effective shooting. Many birds are missed at long distances (though the aim be perfectly correct) through dispropor- tionate and injudicious loading. The fault gene- rally consists in that of using too much shot or too 58 THE DEAD SHOT. little powder ; or, it may be, the size of the shot is too large for the object. Old sportsmen generally use more powder and less shot than young ones : the latter are usually so afraid they should not have shot enough in the gun to kill the object : and they sometimes erroneously fancy, when they miss, that the shot used is of too small a size. It is seldom that the error lies in an overcharge of powder: the gun should, as a rule, be charged with as much powder as it can comfortably explode. The error commonly lies in an overcharge of shot, which not only scatters considerably, but strikes feebly, in addition to causing the gun to kick with consider- able violence. The smaller the shot, the closer they lie in the cylinder ; and though large shot kills further than small, if it hits, it is not desirable to use large shot except for large objects, because of the greater spread and the smaller number of pellets. For instance, the chances are six to one against killing a small bird as a sparrow, either sitting or flying, at thirty or forty yards, with No. 4 shot, fired from a 14 or 16 gauge gun ; whereas, with the same gun, at the same distance, a sparrow may be killed with certainty, either sitting or flying, with No. 12 shot. These experiments, simple as they may appear, and easily as they may be tested, are nevertheless, CHARGING THE GUN. 59 frequently, either disregarded through ignorance, or disbelieved by inexperienced young sportsmen, through a want of careful consideration : the con- sequence is, that oftentimes when their aim has been perfectly right, and they might have killed had they used shot of a proper size, the bird has flown away uninjured, having entirely escaped, though the charge flew all around it ; but the shot being so large and few, not one happened to strike, or at all events not in a vital part. It should be remembered, that on the instant of force being applied to the charge of shot, through the ignition of the powder, it is the undermost shot which propel the uppermost ; and, all being solid globular particles, the force is not exactly central upon each shot, as it might be if they were in the shape of short pieces of tobacco-pipe placed one behind the other in regular layers ; but the shot being perfectly round, a great many must necessarily receive their propellant power at the sides and otherwise than central ; and so the flight of a few only of the shot go direct to the centre of the mark. To illustrate this proposition, let a man load a rifle with two bullets, both of which are much smaller in diameter than the gauge of the rifle ; let the bullets lie one on the top of the other in the barrel, a wadding being placed over them to prevent their rolling out on taking aim. With a rifle so loaded, let any one, however experienced in the use of the 60 THE DEAD SHOT. rifle, fire at a three-foot target at sixty or a hundred yards, and the chances are very many against either bullet striking it. The reason is clear : — the pressure or force of the gunpowder, acting on the undermost bullet, presses the upper one out of its straight course, so that immediately on leaving the barrel the uppermost bullet is forced aside, or out of its true trajectory course, and at fifty or sixty yards the two bullets are probably two, three, six, or more yards apart. The same principle applies to large shot in a small barrel ; though, of course, as the size of the shot is diminished, so the deviation from the true line is decreased. Sportsmen who wish to pursue and look more strictly into this theory should procure a few inches of small glass tube, of the same interior size as the barrels of their guns ; plug one end of the tube, and put in a charge of large shot. It will then be seen how they lie, one above the other, in the gun ; the vacua between them being many and large so that the pressure upon each shot cannot be central ; therefore, on being forced out of the gun, there must be a tendency to diverge. If then he takes another tube, and introduces a charge of small shot, he will see that those lie more evenly and compactly ; and, consequently, on being forced out of the barrel, the divergency must be very much less. CHARGING THE GUN. 61 Therefore, as regards shot, be particular not to use too heavy a charge, nor shot of too large a size. For an ordinary shoulder gun for grouse and part- tridge shooting, from an oz. to an oz. and a half of shot is generally ample, whatever the charge of powder. Sizes of shot for various kinds of gajne, dec, — The following are the proper sizes of shot whether used as loose charges for muzzle-loading guns, or for filling the cartridge shells of breech-loaders. For partridge shooting during the first fortnight in September, use No. 8 shot ; then No. 7 to the middle of October ; and afterwards No. 6 to the end of the season. For pheasant shooting, No. Tin October ; No. 6 during the rest of the season. For grouse, No. 8 the first fortnight ; then No. 7 ; and, when very wild, No. 6. For black game, No. 8 at first ; No. 6 in October ; and then No. 5 to the end of the season. If a larger gun than common be used, shot a size larger will be required, and with so much the better effect when black game are very wild. For woodcock, use Nos. 8 or 9. For snipes, No. 10 is best ; but larger than No. 8 should never be used. For shooting wild- ducks with a large shoulder gun, use Nos. 6, 5, or 4, according to the size of the gun. 62 THE DEAD SHOT. A twelve-gauge breech-loader, which is the most usual size for partridge and general shooting at the present day, should be charged liberally with powder, according to the strength and quality of the barrels ; but 1J oz. of shot is the very utmost that should be used in a single charge ; from 1 oz. to 1 J will generally be found the most effective charge ; and the highest average execution will be done at part- ridge shooting with No. 7 shot. For a gun of No. 16 gauge use a liberal charge of powder, and 1 oz. of shot at the most ; if one- eighth less than an ounce, probably the gun w r ill throw it stronger. No. 8 is the most killing sized shot for a gun of this calibre. PATTERN AND PENETRATION. Every sportsman who desires to improve his shooting, should take pains to become better acquainted with the capabilities of his gun, by test- ing the latter at various measured ranges, with diffe- rent charges of powder and shot, and also with shot of various sizes. The usual mode of testing the pattern and pene- tration of an ordinary sized shoulder gun is with what are known as " straw-board " sheets ; from twenty to thirty of which should be placed each one behind the other, in a frame or rack made for the PATTERN AND PENETRATION. G3 purpose, so that each sheet stands separately with- out touching the others, a 30-inch circle with a 10-inch centre being stamped or inscribed upon each. The object of the sheets standing in the rack without touching each other is, that the test of penetration may be the more readily proved, as the shot punches holes completely through the sheets when so placed, instead of making mere indenta- tions, the. result of placing them close together. The front rim or frame work of the rack should be faced with iron, to protect the wood work of the frame from injury by the shot. By " pattern "is meant the distribution of the shot upon the 30-inch circle when fired from the gun ; the best pattern being that which shows the most regular, even, and compact distribu- tion of the charge within that space. If the pattern shows that the shot is delivered in patches, leaving wide blanks here and there on the straw-board, it is a very bad pattern, indicating something wrong either in the range at which the gun is practised, the proportion of shot to the powder, or vice versa, or in the gun itself. Many a bird would escape, however true the aim, from a gun which makes a bad pattern. But before condemning the gun, the shooter should test it again and again, varying the size of the shot as well as the bulk ; and also with more or less powder, and at longer as well as closer ranges, until he satisfactorily discovers the charge ()4 THE DEAD SHOT. and range by and at which it makes the most satis- factory pattern ; he can then order his cartridges accordingly. Notes should be made in writing at each discharge as to the measure of powder and weight of shot, together with the range, and other particulars. Experiments of the kind, judiciously made and carefully noted, will be found to be of great value and assistance to the sportsman, in making him acquainted with the most powerful qualities of his gun, together with its most effective charge and range, and in some instances of opening his eyes to some glaring errors and defects in his shooting, which for the future he will be careful to avoid ; such for instance, that his gun will kill farther than he supposed it would, that it shoots best with less shot and more powder, that he has hitherto been shooting with shot several sizes too large, perhaps out of range, above his birds or below them, and errors of a similar kind. The experiment is therefore well worth the time and trouble it takes, which will, too, be amply repaid in the shape of many an extra brace of birds, and with a greater confidence in the use of his gun, and general improvement in his shooting. Young sportsmen may be assured that, on testing and proving their guns in this manner they will gather valuable experience, and learn from the best sources the real power and capacity of the weapon, in the use of which they desire to excel. PATTERN AND PENETRATION. 65 As a guide to the kind of pattern and penetration which really good guns are capable of making upon the 30-inch circle of the straw-board sheets, I append the following average results of carefully made experiments with three high-class guns of the respective gauges of Nos. 16, 14, and 12 ; the best and strongest black powder being used throughout. Gauge, No. 16. Range, 40 Yards. Charge of Powder. Charge of Shot. Size of Shot. Pattern. Penetration. 3 drachms 1 oz. > > No. 8 » 7 „ 6 „ 5 295 250 210 160 15 sheets 18 „ 22 „ 26 „ j Gauge, No. 14. Range, 40 Yards. Charge of Powder. Charge of Shot. Size of Shot. Pattern. Penetration. 3£ drachms 1 OZ. i > No. 8 ,, 7 „ 6 „ 5 300 260 210 170 18 sheets 20 „ 23 „ 26 ,, Gauge, No. 12. Range, 40 Yards. Charge of Powder. Charge of Shot. Size of Shot. Pattern. Penetration. 3h drachms 1| ozs. No. 8 J) 5J ' i, $ 320 280 220 180 140 18 sheets 20 „ 22 „ 25 „ 66 THE DEAD SHOT. Guns with extra stout barrels and of extra weight, are capable of burning four drachms or more of powder, whereby still greater penetration may be obtained. Such guns are sometimes used at pigeon- shooting matches, but are too heavy for ordinary use by sportsmen in the field. It will be seen that as the size of the shot is increased, the deeper is the penetration. But it should also be observed that the deeper penetration is only obtained at the cost of a wider pattern ; thereby rendering the success of the shooter the more uncertain, as the bird has a better chance of escape. Undoubtedly large shot kills cleaner and at longer range than small shot ; but, with true mark, you will kill more frequently with fair-sized shot than with large. 67 ETJDIMENTAEY LESSONS. Enough ! permit me now to sing The art of killing birds on wing. " — Watt. Initiatory Practice. — The young sportsman, having selected a gun of suitable gauge and weight, and taken care that the length and bend of the stock are in fair proportion, having regard to his figure and length of arm, as already suggested (supra p. -46); he should first of all endeavour to acquire, under the guidance and advice of an experienced sportsman, a safe, easy, and comfortable habit of handling and carrying the gun. He should also make himself fami- liar with the action of its locks, and generally with its safe and ready manipulation. He should accustom himself to a prompt and easy mode of bringing the gun up to his shoulder, taking quick and ready aim at small moving objects, flying and running, fast and slow. When he has had several lessons in these, he may load the gun with small charges of powder, but no shot ; and after firing away some two or three dozen charges, in the course of a week or so F 2 68 THE DEAD SHOT. lie should commence by shooting larks in the fields, walking them up and shooting them as they fly, using very small shot (No. 12), and loading with small charges. He should never shoot at birds unless they are on the wing, nor at anything unless it be flying or running. Though he will seldom kill at first, he must not be disheartened, but persevere until he succeeds, which he will assuredly do in time. Let him take courage that it is simply a question of time, as he will find after a few weeks' practice. Shooting sparrows from a trap is also very good initiatory practice ; and if a very small portion of the tips of the feathers in each wing be clipped off with a pair of scissors, or if the tips of their tails be cut off in the same manner, it will make them fly so steadily, and so much like young partridges, that it will be as good practice as he can make before the shooting season commences. Another mode of making sparrows fly steadily is by slipping a small paper collar round their necks : this may be done by simply cutting a hole in the centre of a circular piece of paper from two to three inches in diameter; when, by slipping their heads through the hole, the paper forms a collar, which impedes their flight considerably. On presenting and taking aim, always remember that the hand which touches the trigger must obey the eye : not the eye the hand. INITIATORY PRACTICE. C9 Put your left hand forward in advance of the guard, to grasp and prop the barrel, and assist in holding the gun steadily, as in the engraving " Bang ! Bang ! " which faces the title page of this work. A 3*oung sportsman will find this the preferable and most reliable mode of holding the gun, as it keeps up and prevents any drooping of the muzzle ; a bad fault in a young sportsman, causing him to shoot too low ; consequently, his strong shot, if they hit the bird at all, strike the legs only, whilst its body remains uninjured. A gun so held is, too, much lighter in the hands, being fairly and comfortably balanced, and may be kept firmly to the shoulder. If the young sports- man has acquired the bad habit of holding his gun in a cramped and unsteady manner, the sooner he desists from it the better. Light guns may be held firmly, by placing the left hand in front of the trigger-guard. A strong man can hold a tolerably heavy gun in that manner; but it is not by any means a proper mode of holding the gun. The left hand should be put forward in advance of the guard as already explained, and such is the safer and better position. With regard to pulling, or drawing the trigger ; as with the rifle, so with the gun ; the endeavour should be to discharge the piece with the least possible motion of the hand. The finger alone 70 THE DEAD SHOT. should act upon the trigger, obeying to the instant the eye and the aim. A young sportsman may derive considerable advantage by going out frequently with a good, steady old sportsman, and observing the neat and masterly way in which he uses his gun, and brings down his birds ; and he may learn, besides, more in a week, from such a man, of the art of finding and approaching game, than he would in a year, in the company of a bad shot. Young sportsmen must not be vexed or dis- heartened at missing difficult, or even fair shots. Generally speaking, the reason why they miss is because they shoot both behind and below the bird ; the result of the trigger-finger not being quick enough in obeying the eye. When you miss, always endeavour to ascertain the cause ; and, having discovered it, resolutely determine to profit by the experience gained ; and if you stick to such resolution, sooner or later you will probably become a Dead Shot. Slow, straight-flying birds at which to practise and improve the hand in shooting, are Blackbirds and Thrushes. These birds frequent high-grown hedges. Two young sportsmen should go in com- pany in the autumn and winter seasons and double the hedge-rows ; when, with very little beating, the birds will steal out and fly in straight line with the fence, offering fair and easy shots. If not killed INITIATORY PRACTICE. 71 they will dart into the fence again some 50 or 200 yards farther on. Use No. 10 shot for this sport. Larks, as already mentioned, are excellent initiatory jn-actice in open field : they lie so well that the young sportsman may alwa} T s be sure of getting within range : they usually rise within 20 yards ; often within 5 or 10. There is therefore plenty of time for composure and deliberation. They are, too, soaring birds, of slow and hovering flight, offering the fairest chances for rudimentary practice in the art of shooting flying objects. Be careful not to shoot at them too soon. Wait until they are at a fair range ; from 30 to 40 yards : and when you kill, measure the distance ; and profit by the experience you gain by so doing. Use No. 12 shot for Larks and Sparrows. In beating for game, young sportsmen should always prefer old dogs to young ones; and the less they talk to them, the better they will hunt. Don't " fluster " on going up to a dog at his point ; if you do, you must not expect to kill. When the dog points at game, never run, but walk leisurely up, taking quiet, but firm steps ; you will then have a better command of your nerves, and a calmer discretion as to range and the flight of the bird when it rises, than you would have if loping along with hasty strides. Never condescend to trespass or poach, nor to 72 THE DEAD SHOT. poke your gun through a hedge, nor to shoot birds on the ground. Never pick up a shot bird, nor allow your dogs or attendant to do so, until } r ou have reloaded ; an operation which with the modern breech-loader occupies but a few seconds. And when in com- pany with another sportsman, if he fires and kills a bird, halt immediately, and do not advance a step until he has reloaded. Two sportsmen shooting in company should each, in general, fire only at those birds the heads of which are pointed to that side of the beat on which he walks ; at birds going straight away, each sports- man should take the best outside shot on his par- ticular side. Single birds, on getting up fairly in front of both sportsmen, should be taken alternately. But when a single bird rises in front of any individual sports- man, apart from his companion, the shot belongs exclusively to him on whose side the bird rose. The necessity of observing strict silence when beating for partridges or grouse, cannot be too strictly impressed upon the minds of young sports- men. The human voice, whether addressed to youf companion or your dog, is sure to alarm the birds, if near enough to hear it. Sportsmen should not forget that birds have ears as well as eyes : that they are very acute at hearing, vigilant and sharp sighted. INITIATORY PRACTICE. iO The advantages of keeping silent when in search of game are readily appreciable by those who prac- tise it : even the natural sagacity of the dog teaches the animal to know and observe it in the field. One of the earliest and most common faults in young sportsmen, is that of shooting below the fly- ing objects of their aim. They will not keep up the muzzle end of the gun sufficiently at the moment of firing. Unable of themselves to detect the fault or to account for the cause of their missing fair shots, they. usually remain in ignorance as to the reason of their failure, until the error is pointed out and made manifest to them ; and so they continue to shoot badly, perhaps for many years, puzzling their heads and vexing themselves the while : blaming their guns, their cartridges, and what not ; and giving every reason .but the right one : forgetting the simple fact that terrestrial gravitation is always acting upon the shot (however swiftly driven) in its trajectory course through the air, and drawing it gradually nearer to the ground : consequently, with level aim, the body of the charge strikes below the horizontal line, and so the bird is missed. Good shooting is sure to follow, if the young sportsman will only keep the muzzle of his gun well up, and aim in advance of flying cross-shots, and above straight-forward ones. There is seldom any fear of young sportsmen shooting too high or too far 74 THE DEAD SHOT. in front ; their aim is always too low and too point- blank in their early practice ; and, as usual with bad habits, it is difficult to break them of it. The most unskilful of those who use the gun, sometimes, by chance, knock down a bird ; but such men rarely kill one in sportsmanlike style, so that it lies and dies where it falls. To fire at a bird when too near, and so to mangle and break every bone in the skin, is alike unskilful and unsportsmanlike ; as it is also to hit a bird merely in the legs or the rump, or otherwise to slightly w T ound. In each or either of the latter cases a bird so struck is seldom or never recovered : it gets away, and either dies a lingering death, or falls a prey to stoat, weasel, or polecat. Such shooting is therefore as cruel and unfair as it is unskilful. Young sportsmen should be careful to carry the gun at all times in a safe position, particularly when walking or taking the field with another sportsman. I know nothing more detrimental to good shooting than to find the muzzle of your friend's double- barrel constantly staring at you whenever you are walking on a level with him, or happen to turn your head to look after him. Many sportsmen, on noticing a carelessness of the sort, would leave the field and refuse to shoot in company with a man who carried his gun so that the muzzle was alwaj-s pointing dangerously towards them. In cocking or uncocking your gun, always keep the Mm If J IN THE FIELD INITIATORY TRACTICE. 75 muzzle pointing in the air above the level of human heads. On getting over a fence never lay hold of the gun near the muzzle, nor drag it after you, but grasp it with the left hand round the barrels, just above the breech ; holding it with the muzzle pointing upwards above 3-our head ; and taking care to have the right hand at liberty to catch hold of a bough or stake to assist you in climbing the fence. Never use your gun for beating the bushes. A man who beats the bushes with his loaded gun may well be termed a reckless sportsman and dangerous companion, if not a downright idiot. The young sportsman's expectations on entering upon a day's sport, should be moderate ; never too sanguine ; and then, if ill-success attend him, he will be the better able to bear the disappointment, which otherwise may so discompose his nerves as to cause him to miss his shots at the latter part of the day. Above all things, guard against a feeling of envy at the better success of your companion. Four or more sportsmen in a party are too many for sport ; they should divide into couples, and go on separate beats, by which arrangement more game will be bagged and less danger incurred to them- selves. On taking the field, young sportsmen should be calm, quiet, and collected in their nerves and 76 THE DEAD SHOT. demeanour, ready and deliberate in their aim, and quick and judicious in their judgment of distance and range. The sporting poet says, — " Full forty yards permit the bird to go, The spreading gun will surer mischief sow ; But when too near the flying object is, You certainly will mangle it or miss ; And if too far, you may so slightly wound, To kill the bird, and yet not bring to ground." It is a great mistake, particularly in the early part of the season, to fire at random ranges ; by so doing you only wound the birds you shoot at, and disturb others which would in all probability have afforded, you excellent sport. A sportsman who is not avaricious will get shooting enough without the doubtful chances ; and he who would wish to keep his manor as quiet as may be, and have his fields free from wounded birds, will spare and choose his shots. When a covey of partridges or a brood of grouse rise at your feet, do not put the gun to your shoulder immediately, and so keep aiming until they are forty yards off; a protracted aim is the cause of many a miss : rather look at the birds an instant, select one as your mark, and then deliberately level the gun and down with it ; then instantly choose another for the other barrel ; and being equally steady and accurate, you will drop that also. But remember, that, in order to bag your game, ERRORS AND CAUSES OF MISSING. 77 you must either hit it in a vital part or break a wing ; and then it is either your own fault or your dog's if it is not brought to bag. Sportsmen should accustom themselves to shoot alternately with right and left barrels. It is not advisable to shoot nearly always with the same barrel. Wiping the eye. — This is a common slang term among sportsmen. It occurs when two sports- men are shooting in company, and one of them fires at a bird and misses it, and the other then, imme- diately, fires at the same bird and kills it, the latter is said to have " wiped the eye " of the other. ERRORS OF YOUNG SPORTSMEN, AND CAUSES OF MISSING. There are many fairly successful sportsmen who sometimes kill, though they often miss ; but few of whom are able to explain the causes of missing ; and therefore can never feel certain of hitting a flying bird at any distance within range, and in any line of flight ; consequently can never rank as /' Dead Shots." Sometimes the cause of missing appears strange and puzzling ; but, if carefully inquired into, it may usually be found to arise from a very simple reason, though the sportsman himself may be unable to give a satisfactory explanation, and not infrequently 78 THE DEAD SHOT. attributes it to the reverse of what it actually is. It is the purpose of the author, therefore, to endeavour to point out some of the principal causes of sports- men missing the flying objects of their aim. And first, it should be observed, that a very great deal of the evil lies in the unequal length, bend, and form of the gun-stock. Much more depends on these than many sportsmen imagine : indeed, more bad shooting arises from a disproportionately mounted gun than from any other cause. In order to shoot well, the young sportsman must have a gun that is so stocked and mounted as to fit him. Some gun dealers do not pay sufficient attention to this important essential ; but, disregarding the build of their customers, tall and short, fat and thin, long- necked and short-necked individuals, one and all are supplied with the same, or indifferent lengths and bends of gun-stocks. This, then, is a mistake of much more importance to the young sportsman than many would suppose. Shoulder guns for use in the field, should have stocks of a length and bend to suit, as exactly as may be, the neck and arms of the sportsmen for whose use they are intended. If the stock of a gun is too short, it is difficult to get it to the shoulder in correct position ; and it is still more difficult to hold it firmly and steadily to the shoulder, so as to shoot accurately at a quickly moving object. And if too long, the difficulty of getting it up in- ERRORS AND CAUSES OF MISSING. 79 stantly into exact position is increased ; and it is then very troublesome to take a faithful aim, the arms being of necessity too far extended to be in an easy position : and the neck has to be stretched painfully, to bring the eye in line with the barrel. A change of guns from day to day, from a stiff or hard-pulling trigger to an easy-going one, may cause the best shot to miss, unless he can con- stantly remember whether he has the stiff-going lock or the easy one. The stock of one gun may be longer or more bent than the other, or the barrels heavier ; these, and such like, though ap- parently trifling circumstances, are sufficient to be the cause of missing, in a man accustomed to a favourite or particular sort of gun which exactly suits him. So, too, missing fair shots does not so frequently arise from an imperfect knowledge of the use of the gun, as from other causes ; such for instance as nervousness and want of confidence. It is undoubtedly the want of calmness and control over the nerves and demeanour that is the cause of many persons never becoming good shots : a failing which increases rather than diminishes in some persons, particularly in those who shoot where game is wild and scarce. The startling suddenness with which the bird springs from the heather, or the stubble, so alarms and discomposes the nerves of such men, that they are almost sure to miss, how- 80 THE DEAD SHOT. ever deliberate their aim. The best remedy for such a failing is, constant practice where game is abundant, using every endeavour to brace the nerves, and acquire a feeling of indifference as to whether 3 r ou kill or not. One of the most general errors in young sportsmen, and one which is very difficult to detect, is that of the trigger-finger not being prompt enough in obey- ing the eye and the aim. The intuitive action of the eye and the trigger-finger is imperative, or the shooting can never be reliable. As in the game of cricket, a nervous and over anxious player is soon bowled out, whilst the more cool and calculating one can guard his wicket and hit with precision, because of the intuitive action of the eye and hand ; which, if wanting, will soon reveal itself in the fall of a wicket. One of the commonest errors of young sportsmen is the use of shot that are too large : they forget how few of the central or strong pellets are driven within the circle of the vital parts of the bird. To convince himself of his error, let him fire at a paper target at a range of 40 yards with a charge of No. 5 shot, and then put a plucked bird (say a grouse, or a partridge) over the central shots and see how few (if any) would have hit anything but the feathers ; and that, therefore, the bird would probably have escaped unhurt. Then let him fire at another target, at the same distance, with No. 7 or 8 ERRORS AND CAUSES OF MISSING. 81 shot, and he will see that, with good aim, the bird would have had no chance of escape. Another common error is the use of too heavy a charge of shot in proportion to the powder, whereas the gun should be charged with as liberal a quantum of powder as it will burn ; not so, however, as to shot : my motto is, " liberal of powder, but sparing of shot ; " harder penetration is thereby ensured. Another very bad habit in some 3'Oivng sportsmen, is that of stooping the head and shoulders, instead of keeping upright on presenting the gun and firing. It is a bad fault, which arises from eagerness or nervousness and discomposure, through the sudden- ness with which the bird rises, or the rabbit pops out of the hedge. A few years ago, when shooting in the company of a friend, not by any means a good shot, who had acquired the bad habit of stooping and leaning for- ward when he fired his gun ; a rabbit popped out of the ditch, close at his feet, when he so bent his body in taking aim, that it was impossible for him to shoot with any chance of success : he fired both barrels at the rabbit, but it ran away unharmed, though offering as good and fair a chance as any sportsman could desire. I was standing on higher ground at a short distance from him, and looked on with some amusement at the attitude of my friend, and ventured to te]l him why, in my opinion, he missed ; putting myself in similar attitude, in order 82 THE DEAD SHOT. to show him the ludicrous position in which he stood when he fired. He laughed heartily, admitted the truth of it, and said he had before detected him- self in that position ; that it was the suddenness with which the rabbit had popped out of the hedge that threw him off his guard. The incident was, however, the means of breaking him of the habit. He has often mentioned it ; and although I have been out with him frequently since, I never afterwards saw him stoop when presenting his gun and firing. The young sportsman should, in his earliest lessons, acquire the habit of standing firm and up- right, in an easy and natural position, when pre- senting the gun and firing. Neither the suddenness with which the objects of his pursuit present them- selves, nor any eagerness to kill, must be allowed to detract his attention from the primary lesson as to a staunch, upright, and easy attitude on present- ing the gun to fire. On firing too soon. — Sportsmen should be careful not to shoot too soon at birds which are flushed within fifteen or twenty yards. More birds are missed by young sportsmen at short than at long range, through the fault of firing too soon. Occasionally measure, or step, the distance, on the ground between the spot where you stood, and that where the bird was when you fired, and you will often be surprised to find how close you were ; and when so found, take pains to correct the fault in ERRORS AND CAUSES OF MISSING. 83 future, by being in less haste to shoot at birds which get up so near. The fault is one that is sometimes very deeply rooted ; in which case it will require a strong and abiding resolution to correct it from time to time. Reflection should convince, that the extra distance gives the shot greater spread ; and therefore, if driven with sufficient force, there is the less chance of escape for the bird. On shooting under the birds. — Young sportsmen miss more birds by shooting under them than by any other error : they will not shoot high enough. By aiming point-blank at the object, the shot must, as a natural result, strike below it. In proof of this, let a sportsman aim point-blank at a fixed object, forty yards off; and unless the gun has an elevated rib, the shot will be found to have struck below the aim ; and if this be so at a fixed object, the shot must of necessity go very much farther beneath a rising or flying one. And when it is taken into consideration that all birds of game generally continue rising (except when flushed on a hill) whilst within reach of the sportsman's gun, this may be stated as one of the principal and almost invariable reasons why young sportsmen so frequently miss. Pheasants, for instance, gain fifteen or eighteen inches in altitude between the time of pulling trigger and that of the shot reaching forty yards ; and par- o 2 84 THE DEAD SHOT. tridges often quite as much ; therefore the centre of the charge is too frequently thrown under the visual line of aim, by reason alone that the sportsman makes not sufficient allowance for the ascending motion of the bird in its flight from, or across his aim. The young sportsman should never expect to kill if, at the time of pulling the trigger, he sees the bird on w r ing above the muzzle of the gun. An obvious exception to the rule, is that of a bird flushed on a hill, and flying down into a valley ; when, if descending in its flight, unless the aim be below the bird, the sportsman must not expect to kill it. Some guns are specially sighted and constructed for throwing the shot nearly two feet above the aim at fort}^ yards : this may be done by a very thick rib, high at the breech end of the barrels, and taper- ing to nothing at the muzzle. But such are mere artificial contrivances, and are unreliable, particularly if the bird be rising in its flight at the moment of firing the gun. The mistake young sportsmen make is, that they will insist on seeing the object of their aim, as they look along the top of the barrel, at the instant of drawing the trigger ; the natural and inevitable consequence of which is, that the shot, instead of striking the moving object, flies directly under or behind it : whereas, if sportsmen would only cover errors' and causes of missing. 85 the object with the muzzle of the gun at the moment of pressing trigger, instead of taking a sight along the top of the barrel, they would probably have the pleas- ing satisfaction of finding that, so far from missing or wounding almost every time they shoot, they would kill their birds as a " Dead Shot " kills them. There are but few sportsmen in whom the fault of missing lies in their shooting too high or too forward : it is almost always the contrary. One of the commonest errors occurs in shooting at birds crossing to right or left. It is astonishing how stubborn } T oung sportsmen are to believe in the rudimentary principle, that it is indispensably necessary to fire in advance of a swift- flying object; whether to right or left, for the pur- pose of killing it : they persist in the foolish notion that almost on the instant of pulling trigger, the shot reaches the object aimed at. In the very early years of my life I was one among that stubborn class, until convinced of my error in a sinrple but some- what extraordinary manner, which I will now relate for the purpose of endeavouring to impress upon my readers the importance of this fundamental principle. I was out shooting alone one da} r , in the month of October, in a large turnip field, with my dogs and gun, when a brace of partridges rose at the distance of fifty-five or sixty yards : they flew rapidly to the right, in direct line, one behind the other, at a space of about two or three feet apart. I took 86 THE DEAD SHOT/ deliberate aim a few inches in advance of the leading bird, and fired ; when, to my surprise, the hindmost bird fell dead, and the leading one, which was the object of my aim, flew away untouched. At the moment I felt so astonished at the result, that I could not recover myself soon enough to discharge the other barrel at the bird which had flown away. On picking up my bird, and carefully examining it, I found five shots had struck it in the head and neck ; so that my aim, which was at least two feet six inches in advance of the bird killed, was not airy too much at the distance and rate at which it was flying. I felt so forcibly the erroneous notion upon which I had hitherto been shooting, and so delighted at the lucky but accidental discovery I had made of my own error, that I felt as if a curtain had risen before me, and revealed the true secret of the art of killing cross shots. And I can truly assert that this simple but singular discovery, thus early in my shooting career, did more towards improving me in the art of shooting, than all the advice and instruc- tion I had received from practical and venerable sportsmen. Some of my sporting friends, shortly afterwards, on congratulating me on a " very sudden and wonderful improvement in my shooting at long ranges," inquired to what school of instruction I had been ? I then related the circumstance above recorded, and, as they said, " very much to their own edification." TAKING AIM. 87 If facts such as these fail to convince the young sportsman of his error in not shooting forward enough at cross shots, I should despair of being able to place before him stronger argument, or of ever making him a " Dead Shot." TAKING AIM. " Close neither eye — some good shots say, Shut up your left : that's not my way ; But still a man may take his oath, He'd better shut one eye than both." — Watt. Many sportsmen say they never " take aim ; " that when a bird rises they keep their eyes upon it, and on levelling the gun their hands and fingers obey the eye without any aim. Now, although some sportsmen may fancy they take no aim, because they do not actually look along the barrel, and bring the sight-piece to bear upon the object, as a rifleman would ; the very fact of levelling the gun and pointing it at the bird the eye dwells upon, is taking aim. An old and skilled sportsman never draws the trigger till he feels certain that the bird is covered, or in other words that his aim is correct. There is of course a wide difference between de- liberate aim and instantaneous or snap-shot aim, though both are used at flying objects by every sportsman, as occasion and necessity require. As a proof of what may be done by training and 88 THE DEAD SHOT. practice there are some men who can hit flying objects without even putting the gun to the shoulder; as by resting it on the hip ; the eye following the object and the hand obeying the eye as it calculates the distance and line of aim : but this cannot be done with unerring certainty ; and only at objects which fly, or are made to fly, very steadily. In taking aim with the gun at a flying or running object, it is quite unnecessary to close either eye : though at a sitting object the left eye may be closed or partly closed with advantage : as with the rifle, the left eye must be either wholly or partially closed, for the purpose of bringing the sight-piece at the muzzle in a correct line with the notch or elevating sight. But rifle practice in this respect is totally different to shooting with a gun. You must not look along the barrel of a gun when taking aim at a flying object, particularly if at long range. The eye must follow the bird, and never for an instant be taken off it until the trigger is drawn. At birds on wing at a long range, it is a good plan to partially close or compress the eyelids of the left eye at the moment of taking aim and firing ; taking care to keep the gun moving, and steadily following the bird until after the trigger is drawn. But, as a rule, a Dead Shot rarely closes or even compresses either eyelid. GRAVITATION. 89 GRAVITATION. It is impossible for any man to become a Dead Shot, until he is familiar with the laws of gravita- tion. Simple and natural as those laws will appear on explanation and reflection, there are thousands of sportsmen who have erroneous ideas about them. I have often been astonished at the ignorance in which I have found experienced sportsmen, on dis- cussing the subject with them. I have no hesitation in saying, — if a man ever hopes or expects to shoot well, he must have some knowledge of the fundamental principles of gravita- tion : he must remember that all material sub- stances, on being forced through the air unsup- ported, incline towards the earth ; that is, they keep dropping nearer and nearer to the ground as they proceed through the atmosphere. So also with shot, as it passes through the air, forcibly expelled by gunpowder ; and whether slowly or swiftly, it is influenced by the laws of gravitation, from the moment of its expulsion from the barrel, until its horizontal force is exhausted, and it falls to the ground. The trajectory course of the shot is curvi- linear ; consequently, if a straight barrel of the same substance throughout — that is to say, as thick at the muzzle as at the breech — were fired in exact 90 THE DP] AD SHOT. horizontal line with a distant object, the shot would strike considerably below it. The elevated rib which divides the barrels, is therefore of great assistance to the shooter in bring- ing up the muzzle-end of the gun above the hori- zontal interior of the cylinder : so also is the greater thickness of the barrels at the breech-end. But these do not alone raise the muzzle-end sufficiently when shooting at swiftly flying objects at a long range. The reason therefore why many young sportsmen kill flying objects with tolerable certainty when within short range, and miss those at long range, is because they always fire nearly point-blank at everything, regardless of distance and other important conside- rations. When they kill, the objects are in fact so near that there is no perceptible declination of the shot, or not sufficient for the bird to escape all the strong shot ; whereas, on the other hand, by taking the same point-blank aim at more distant objects, they are missed through not allowing for declination or gravity of the shot, and speed of the flying bird. It is calculated that at forty yards the gravitation of the shot is four, and at sixty yards, fully eight inches. At the moment of taking aim, and levelling the gun point-blank at the bird, the visual line would be right if the shot could be conve} r ed to the object instantaneously, and without being affected by the GRAVITATION. 91 laws of gravitation. But such a thing is impossible, because, in addition to the declination of the shot, the trigger has to be drawn, and the shot has to travel through the air, the whole distance between the gun and the bird ; during which, the bird is probably all the while gradually rising, and the shot gradually falling ; so that, by the time the shot reaches the end of the supposed visual line of aim, the distance below the object aimed at, and the hitting place of the shot, is several inches ; and thus it is, through neglecting to consider carefully these simple principles, that young sportsmen shoot at flying objects and miss them. It must however be remembered that in the con- struction of the gun, the line of sight and the line of projection are not parallel ; especially with a gun that has an elevated rib, consequently, if the line of sight along the rib of the gun be the line of aim, there will always be an elevation of four or more inches at a range of forty } T ards and upwards : and with a veiy thick rib the elevation would probably be six or eight inches : L c, if a straight line be drawn along the rib of the gun to a distance of forty yards, and another straight line from the axis of the calibre, the latter, at that distance, will be six or eight inches higher than the former. The value of the elevated rib in counteracting the effects of gravitation, and in compelling the sportsman to keep the gun up, was well understood by that 92 THE DEAD SHOT. famous gunmaker, the late Joe Manton, who in the construction of his guns, never lost sight of the importance of keeping the visual line of aim well up ahove the line of projection, and he fitted his guns accordingly. At the present day however there would seem to be a tendency to disregard these matters, as guns with a low rib are more commonly to be met with than those with a high one. And the extra thick- ness of the barrels at the breech-end scarcely makes up for the thick elevated rib of the Joe Manton period. In shooting with guns, at long ranges, if sports- men would only consider how rifles are fitted with elevating sights, whilst guns have only one fixed elevation, they would, on reflection, see the necessity of making the suggested allowances for gravitation at long shots. It will therefore be seen that, in taking aim at a flying object, at a long range, the gun should not be held in such a manner that the visual line is upon a level with the bird, but allowance must be made for the tendency of the shot to fall to the ground, for the rapid motion of the bird, and for the time which must elapse between the instant of drawing the trigger and that of the shot hitting or reaching the object ; consequently, the visual line of aim should be both above and in advance of the flying object, more or less, according to the range : the DEFLECTION'. 93 one to allow for gravitation of the shot, and the other for the space which the bird advances between the time the aim is taken, and the precise moment of the shot hitting it. Therefore, let the sportsman who would become a " Dead Shot " ever bear in mind, that the longer the range the higher must be the elevation, because the greater will be the gravitation of the shot. DEFLECTION. By practising at a target in windy weather, the sportsman will soon learn something of the theory of deflection. Of course, the subject more mate- rially affects rifle practice ; nevertheless, it is also an element for consideration in the art of shooting birds on wing. The sportsman should place the target in an open field, so that the wind blows across or to right or left as he faces the target. On firing at the various distances of 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards, he will probably be somewhat sur- prised at the deflection of the shot, through the force of the w r ind ; and will find his charge driven considerably to leeward. By neglecting to make due allowance for deflec- tion when shooting in strong winds, it is impossible to kill at long ranges. 94 THE DEAD SHOT. RANGE. Kange is the rock upon which many young sports- men wreck their best chances. When the sportsman is upon the moor or the stubble with gun in hand, in pursuit of game, the moment a bird tops the heather, or is fairly upon wing above the stubble, his judgment must be formed as to whether it is within range, or so far out of range that it will be useless to shoot at it. If he hesitates the bird is lost. His eye and previous ex- perience are his only guides. He ought to know by the size and appearance the bird presents to the eye, and by the space that lies between the spot from which it rose and that at which he stands, if the bird is within range : and relying upon such, his knowledge, he must immediately form his judgment, and use his discretion accordingly, as to the utility, or other- wise, of levelling his gun and shooting. An experienced sportsman never hesitates a moment under such circumstances. He knows intuitively, the instant he catches sight of the bird, whether it is within range or without, and he acts accordingly. But to a young sportsman the diffi- culty, when out in the field, of readily estimating the range so as to shoot with effect is, truly, one of the greatest stumbling-blocks he encounters ; as he sometimes mistakes the distance and omits to fire RANGE. 95 at birds when within the best and most killing range, through fancying them out of his reach ; and on the other hand he frequently errs the other way, and fires at birds far beyond the range of his gun. The question therefore arises — what are the bases upon which the judgments formed, and how are such readiness and accuracy of decision to be acquired ? To which I answer — 1st. By practice in the field ; and occasionally at birds released at measured distances (as pigeons from a trap) : 2ndry. By estimating various ranges with the e} r e and then testing them by actual measurement : and 3rdly, and particularly, by measuring frequently when out in the field, the various distances at which you shoot and kill ; and sometimes those at which you fail to kill. The young sportsman should therefore provide himself with a measuring tape having the correct measurements marked thereon in figures, from twenty up to one hundred yards. B}^ carrying the tape in his pocket when out with his gun, he will always be able, with very little trouble, to test the accuracy of his estimate, by actual measurement on the spot ; and to profit by the experience so gained, which will be considerable ; and will well repay him for his pains, by a prompt and decided improvement in his judgment and discretion, and consequently in his shooting. 96 THE DEAD SHOT. Many a sportsman will find that unless he takes the trouble to measure and test his estimate of dis- tances, and try experiments of the kind suggested, it is probable he will remain in error and miss many fair and simple shots at birds which he ought to have killed with unerring certainty. Good shots are, invariably, good and accurate judges of distances ; and can measure, with the eye alone, a forty or fifty yards' range with astonishing accuracy. Young sportsmen should observe that it is much easier to estimate distances in small enclosures and among high hedges and trees, than in large fields and extensive moors. In mountainous districts, sports- men frequently make mistakes in regard to range ; particularly those who have been accustomed to a level country. In Scotland, too, the mists which are sometimes prevalent on the moors, render it very difficult to judge with accuracy as to distances. The three Deadly Ranges. — There are, nominally, three deadly ranges for the gun — viz., point-blank range, short or middle range, and long range. Point-blank range is that at which you fire neither above nor in advance of the bird, but point- blank at it, making no allowance (or scarcely any) in your aim, for either the direction or the rapidit}' of its flight, nor for the gravitation and deflection of the shot. RANGE. 97 Point-blank range can seldom be relied on at swiftly frying or running objects, beyond the distance of twenty-five yards. But if the gun be high - mounted, and have an elevated rib, the point-blank range may be con- siderably more than twenty-five yards. Point-blank range, when considered with regard to the gravitation of the shot, and that of shooting at a fixed or stationary object, is therefore, the range at which a gun will drive the shot to a given point relatively to the line of sight : and as more elevation is given to some guns than to others, and as some guns propel the shot with greater force than others, it is obvious that the point-blank range of one gun may be forty yards, whilst that of another may be but twenty-five. Some men will tell you that with a gun so sighted up to forty yards, there is no need to aim otherwise than point-blank. The young sportsman will find, however, that such a notion is utterly erroneous, and that by taking point-blank aim at swiftly moving objects that are over twei^-five yards from him, he will seldom kill or even hit them. Short or middle range is beyond point-blank range, but less than long range : it is that distance at which, with judicious aim and a good gun properly charged, a bird on wing may be killed with certainty ; and may be said to be (ordinarily) any distance between twenty-five and forty yards. It is 98 THE DEAD SHOT. also sometimes called ordinary range, deadly range, and certain range. Long range, though one of the three deadly ranges, is a distance heyond that at which a good shot is certain to kill, though his aim he ever so accurate : therefore (with an ordinary-sized shoulder- gun), any distance beyond forty yards is termed long range. All shots which are doubtful, because of the long distances at which they are fired, though not actually out of range, are at long range. The terms doubtful range, and uncertain range, are some- times applied instead of the term long range. Fair range implies any one of the three deadly ranges. With judicious loading, and a regard to the principles affecting range, either grouse, partridge, or pheasant may be killed with certainty at forty } r ards; bat not always with an over or under-charge of either powder or shot, because of the uncertain and irregular spread of the shot when the gun is disproportionately loaded. The chances are three to one that a good shot will kill at any distance up to fifty yards ; he is certain at fort}^, if he takes pains to do his work well. With an extraordinary sharp-shooting gun or a choke-bore barrel, he may kill up to fifty-five or sixty yards, but not always ; though if a perfect master of the art, he may kill two out of four at those dis- tances, but not with an ordinary gun. The reason RANGE. 99 is, that there is no reliable compactness or regularity :as to the spread of the shot at such long distances, liowever accurate the aim and perfect the skill of the •shooter ; consequently many a bird escapes with its life from the truest aim. Partridges and grouse may sometimes be killed at seventy and even eighty yards (cross shots), but never with certainty : no, not by the best shot in England, with an ordinary-sized gun : because no small shoulder-gun, whether breech or muzzle-loader, and however carefully choked, will throw shot com- pact enough to make sure of touching a vital part in so small an object, at those distances. Forty to fifty yards are the very outside at which certainty exists. Anyone who fires at birds beyond those dis- tances, with an ordinary-sized shoulder-gun, cannot be certain of killing. One or tw T o grains of shot would probably be all that would strike the bird ; and such are not sufficient to bring it down, unless they hit a vital part, or break a wing-bone. A bird possesses but few parts that are actually vital ; and a partridge or grouse is a small object when its feathers are plucked off. Sportsmen who fire at long ranges should not forget these facts. It is wanton and cruel mischief to shoot at un- reasonable distances, with no possibility of killing : besides, too, it disturbs the game uselessly, to say nothing of wounding it in an unsportsmanlike manner. h 2 100 THE DEAD SHOT. STRAIGHT-FORWARD SHOTS. " But when the bird flies from you in a line, With little care, I may pronounce her thine. " Markland. At a bird flying straight away from the sports- man, his aim should be the top of the back of the bird, if within twenty or thirty yards ; and slightly above the back, if beyond that distance. From forty to fifty yards is the extreme distance at which a partridge or a grouse can be killed with certainty (with an ordinary-sized gun), when flying rapidly in direct line from the shooter. They may be wounded in the rump or elsewhere, at a farther distance, but are not likely to be hurt in a vital part : consequently, though wounded, they are not brought down. The reason is, that both bird and shot are moving rapidly in the same direction, and therefore, although the shot assuredly overtakes the bird, }^et the rapid flight of the latter mitigates the force and power of the shot, which, consequently, do not penetrate the flesh so deeply, nor with nearly so much effect, as if the bird were stationary, or crossing at right angles, and so presenting a firmer resistance to the charge. At straight-away-ffying birds the young sports- man's general error is that he shoots too low. Straight-away shots are often missed, particularly at swift-flying birds; though not always through CROSS, QUARTERING, AND ANGULAR SHOTS. 101 the fault of the shooter. A bird going straight awaj% presents a very small mark, and its head is pro- tected by its body : the aim must therefore be very true, in order that the central or strongest shot of the charge may hit. Always sight your bird along the rib of the gun when the bird is going straight away ; hold your gun so that your eye runs just over the back of the bird, and you may be pretty sure of stopping its flight if within range. CKOSS, QUAETEEING, AND ANGULAR SHOTS. When a bird crosses to right or left of the sports- man, within thirty yards, his aim should be at the head, if flying steadily; but if frying swiftly, an inch or more in advance of the head ; if forty yards, five, six, or eight inches; and so more or less in advance according to the rate of flight and distance. It has frequently been suggested that in con- sequence of the quicker and more instantaneous ignition and explosion of the powder in some of the modern central-fire guns than in those of the days of the cap-and-nipple gun, there is less occasion for shooting so far in advance of a crossing bird. That, however, depends entirely on the power and rapidity of its flight ; and although the suggested difference may apply to the old days of the flint-lock and 102 THE DEAD SHOT. flash-pan, the young sportsman will find, that what- ever form of gun he uses, and however quick the ignition, the line of aim must be considerably in advance of a swiftly crossing bird. For cross shots the gun must be held so that the central pellets of the charge will reach the spot where the bird will be when the trigger has been pressed, the powder ignited, and those pellets have travelled through the air to that identical spot. In other words, shot and bird must both arrive at the same spot at the precise instant. It is of no use for the shot to arrive at the spot where the bird was at the time the aim was taken and the trigger pulled. At birds which do not directly cross, but which go off at various angles, quartering more or less to right or left, hold your gun less in advance than at those which pass at right angles. When fair-flying, cross, or side shots are missed by young sportsmen, it is generally because the strong shot, or central pellets of the charge, are driven behind the bird, or through its tail. It is of no use to riddle with shot the tail of a bird; the head and fore-part contain the vital organs ; there- fore, hold your gun more ahead of the bird and slightly above it when you find you miss fair cross shots, and you will soon be both surprised and delighted at the improvement in your shooting. If a bird crosses very swiftly at right angles, at a range of sixty or seventy yards ; in order to kill CROSS, QUARTERING, AND ANGULAR SHOTS. 103 it, or even to hit it, you must aim not only two or three feet in advance of its head, hut also two or three inches ahove it. If the bird crosses to the right, incline your head over the gun, and shoot well in advance. Among cross shots maj T he included rectilineal, oblique, acute, and obtuse angular nights ; also transverse and curved lines of flight, with some others ; all of which require a due allowance accord- ing to velocity, and the acute or obtuse nature of the angle or lineal direction of the flying object. Never refuse a cross shot, though it be fifty or even sixty yards off. Cross shots may be killed at much greater distances than straight-away ones, for two reasons : one, because the more vulnerable part of the bird or animal is exposed to the fire ; and the other, because the shot strikes with much greater force at a crossing object than at one flying in the same direction as the shot. When a bird crosses to the left, step forward with the right foot ; and vice versa if it crosses to the right. The reason for this suggestion is, that if the right foot be first when the bird is crossing to the right, it is sometimes difficult to bring the gun round far enough without turning the body ; and the necessary turn may be instantly dispensed with, by bringing the left foot forward. AYhen a bird rises very close to you, be in no hurry to level the gun : it is the protracted levelling 104 THE DEAD SHOT. that often causes young sportsmen to miss; the hand becomes unsteady through it, and the eye is less to be depended upon. ASCENDING SHOTS. These are of daily occurrence with all birds that rise from the ground. If they get up at long range, in order to kill, the sportsman must shoot at his bird as it rises, and in so doing must take care to fire well over and above it. Few but experienced sports- men kill ascending shots, the error of young and inexperienced ones being, that they aim too point- blank ; consequently, the whole charge flies under- neath the rising bird, and it escapes unharmed, or at the worst with riddled toes and tail. It is absolutely necessary (if intending to kill) to shoot considerably above a quick ascending bird, as a partridge or pheasant. The best preliminary practise for this lesson is at larks, which are, probably, the steadiest rising birds of anv of the feathered tribe. DESCENDING SHOTS. When a bird is flushed on a hill, its flight is almost certain to be in a descending direction ; the aim in such case must therefore be slightly below, APPROACHING AND PERPENDICULAR SHOTS. 105 and more or less in advance, according to the speed of the bird, when crossing to right or left : and when the direction of its flight is in a straight line, descending from the sportsman, the aim should be at or just under the legs of the bird, if within thirty or forty yards ; and a few inches below the legs if beyond that distance. The young sportsman should also bear in mind, that as a bird approaches a high hedge it rises in flight ; and immediately on clearing the fence it descends : he should therefore regulate his aim accordingly. These minutiae, though seemingly of trifling importance, are really essential considerations for the young sportsman, and should never be lost sight of in the field. APPROACHING AND PERPENDICULAR SHOTS. " When a bird comes directly in your face, Contain your fire awhile, and let her pass, Unless some trees behind you change the case ; If so, a little space above her head Advance the muzzle, and you strike her dead." Markland. An approaching bird, or one that is flying towards the shooter, is not a difficult shot if its rate of flight be steady : but if rapid, it may present a very trying shot to a young sportsman. 106 THE DEAD SHOT. Approaching birds are more frequently missed from under-shooting than from other causes. At an approaching bird, when within from twenty- five to thirty-five yards, let your line of aim be at its head, and you will rarely fail to kill. If at a longer range, aim just in advance of its head. But if the bird be flying towards you close to the ground, or only five or six feet above it, by shooting as it approaches, your shot will probably glance off the feathers of the breast without penetrating the skin, and the bird will fly away unharmed. At birds so low in flight, the moment they come within range, the sportsman should show himself or suddenly raise his hand, when they will generally make a turn and quarter off to right or left, pre- senting as fair a shot as he could wish for. Many sportsmen, who in all other respects are good shots, frequently miss birds flying directly overhead, particularly if in rapid flight, or going down-wind. A great deal must depend on the altitude at which the bird is flying ; but, in general, these shots are missed through firing too soon, or too late : the one before the bird has approached within range, the other after it has passed overhead. If sportsmen would only consider and practise a few perpendicular shots, they would find none are easier : there is plenty of time for deliberation when the bird is seen approaching. If the bird is in steady flight, you APPROACHING AND PERPENDICULAR SHOTS. 107 may take your time : and sometimes by merely showing yourself when it comes within range, the bird will turn and present its most vulnerable parts to your aim. If the bird is in rapid flight it is generally advis- able to shoot as it approaches, if not at too high an altitude, when it comes within thirty or thirty-five yards : in which case, if killed, it will generally fall close to your feet. But if it be flying at a high altitude, you must wait until it is nearly over your head, and then fire several inches in front of it, more or less according to the pace of its flight. If in very rapid flight, two or three feet in advance of its head will not be too much. An advancing bird, at a steady flight, presents a very fair and pretty shot, and if taken in time is by no means difficult : fire at its head the moment it comes within range, and you may be sure of killing, if your aim be true. But when the bird is at such a height as not to be within range until over your head ; then, the instant it comes within range, lean back a little, take a good aim, and fire several inches in front, according to the speed or pace of its flight. As a rule, how r ever, by waiting until the bird has passed over your head, you lose your very best chance ; because, independently of the greater accu- racy of aim, you lose the additional effect produced by the bird being at an acute angle with the shot. 108 THE DEAD SHOT. By shooting at the bird as it advances, or even perpendicularly, you have also the chance of a second shot in the event of missing the first. One caution is necessary in regard to perpen- dicular shots : the gun should be placed to the shoulder as if for a horizontal shot, and the sports- man should then lean back. If the heel of the gun be incautiously placed on the top of the shoulder, and so fired perpendicularly, it will inevitably break the collar-bone. A small gun, loaded with only two drachms of powder, will break a man's collar- bone, if fired straight up in the air from the top of his shoulder — the man standing upon hard ground. Accidents of the kind have occasionally occurred at rook-shooting parties, and in flight-shooting at wild fowl, through firing from positions directly beneath the birds. SNAP SHOTS. Snap shots are those which, of necessity, are made very suddenly and quickly, or not at all. They occur chiefly in the coverts ; as for instance at woodcocks, or other birds, when they show them- selves but for an instant, and then dodge about behind trees and other obstructions : so also at rabbits, when they pop out of one thicket and into another in a moment; so that it is impossible to SNAP SHOTS. 109 take deliberate aim, as you only just catch a glimpse of them, and must lire at once or not at all. The missing of a snap shot is always very ex- cusable. To kill is very creditable. In thick cover you rarely get any but snap shots at woodcocks : but most sportsmen alwa} T s shoot at them at first glimpse, under such circumstances. When a snap shot offers, fix your e} r es imme- diately upon the object, and instantly swing your gun to its place at the shoulder. If a bird, hold well forward, regardless of twigs and such like slender obstructions, and fire at once without the scintilla of a second's delay. If a rabbit, darting into cover, hold your gun in advance of its head, so as to shoot into that part of the thicket where Bunnie's head will be in the next instant. It is always useless to shoot at the hind- quarters of either rabbit or hare ; as it is also at the legs and rumps of birds : because although you may wound, not one in ten can be bagged. They get away, and hide in the hedges, where they die a lingering death, or are devoured by prowling vermin. 110 FINISHING LESSONS. Having previously acquired, by frequent practice, the safe, ready, and artistic manipulation of the gun, with perfect command of the nerves ; and having also carefully followed the rudimentary instructions contained in the previous pages of this work : the young sportsman must now obtain as much practice as possible at birds on wing, following up the pursuit with energy and perseverance ; taking pains with his shooting, and examining himself from time to time by inquiring into the wlrys and wherefores of his having missed fair shots ; sifting to the bottom any apparent defects in his shooting, and profiting by the experience and companionship of others. He should persevere until conscious of his skill, which sooner or later he will feel ; and then he will at least have gained one step towards the attainment of the object of his ambition. Success in shooting, as in other arts, begets confidence, and confidence dispels nervousness and disappointment, two formidable obstacles to good shooting. Some men are, undoubtedly, more highly gifted FINISHING LESSONS. Ill than others with the physical qualifications which ensure success, when combined with practice and perseverance. But withal, time and opportunity are required in order to make a man a Dead Shot. A sportsman who is ambitious to become a Dead Shot, must not be content with merely winging or wounding his birds at forty yards, or other fair distances ; he ought to kill, so that the bird fairly dies in the air, and lies at the spot where it falls : it may then be recovered, after reloading, either with or without the assistance of dogs. To wing or wound is only excusable at long range, or random, doubtful, cramped, or other difficult shots. The sportsman must therefore be well acquainted with the power and capabilities of his gun, and liave his cartridges filled with the most penetrating charges : bearing in mind that the secret of penetra- tion is a liberal charge of powder, which involves a gun that has plenty of metal at the breech, good calibre, and good weight. Thousands of birds are hit but not bagged, because they are not hit hard enough. Another important element in the art is the use of small charges of shot ; also smaller in size than are commonly used by some sportsmen ; the reason for which is, that such ma} r be driven with greater force and velocity than heavy charges of large shot, and also with more compactness ; and being so much more numerous, there is far less chance of 112 THE DEAD SHOT. escape for the bird ; some of the pellets (with true aim) being certain to penetrate the vital parts, if the bird be within fair range, and the shot be driven with a sufficient charge of powder. The object should be, not only to hit, but to kill : in fact, it is of no use to hit without killing. Large shot " mangle " the birds by breaking every bone in the skin, when near enough ; and if above thirty or thirty-five yards, the chances of killing with large shot are very uncertain, as the central or strong pellets of the charge are so few and far between, that the bird frequently escapes, though the shot fly all around it. But with small shot and a full charge of powder, an experienced sportsman will rarely fail to kill up to forty yards : beyond which distance there is no dead certainty with a shoulder-gun of ordinary size and weight. A professed good shot ought ah^vys to kill a brace out of every covey that rises before him, in open field, within the distance of thirty-five yards. Confidence, perfect self-composure, a quick eye, and good judgment, are indispensable qualifications in a good marksman ; and the hand and eye must act in unison, or as if connected by electricity. The error, more frequently than otherwise, rests in the finger which draws the trigger being too late in obeying the eye and the aim. No sportsman can shoot well, though with the best gun ever made, if he be hesitating, flurried, f ir SO HO! PONTO FINISHING LESSONS. 118 hash', or careless. The slightest tremor, one nervous twitch, at the instant of pulling the trigger, and the steadiness of the aim is lost ! and consequently the bird is missed ! When a bird gets up, if you intend to shoot it, keep your eye upon it, and not upon the muzzle or sight-piece of your gun. The eye should not be taken off the bird from the moment } T ou have selected it as the object of your aim, until the trigger is pulled. The sympathetic action of the trigger-finger with the eye, enables you to kill if your aim be true, but if you take your eye off the bird, and look along the rib of the barrel, the instant before, or at the time of firing, the probability is that you will miss the object of your aim. Endeavour to hold your gun forward enough, so that the centre of the charge will be upon the bird when the shot reaches it. So faithfully must the bird be covered at the moment of taking aim, that, when flying across or transversely, in order to kill it, whilst you are pulling trigger you must in some instances actually lose sight of the bird, by reason of the bearing of your gun being both above and in advance of it. Great attention and steadiness are required in presenting the gun at a flying object ; taking care to be neither too soon nor too late in so doing. Eaise the gun into its exact position at the shoulder, and the instant you feel that your aim is right, if the trigger finger obeys, you may be certain of killing. 114 THE DEAD SHOT. On halting to fire, stand erect, in an easy and natural position, and, as easily and readily raise the gun to your shoulder and drop your bird. If it rises very near, follow it with your eye until it has gone a fair distance, and then raise the gun to your shoulder and shoot ; when, if your aim and calcula- tion be correct, the bird will fall dead, but not cut to pieces ; on the contrary, so cleanly shot, that scarcely a feather will seem to' be ruffled : if blood oozes from the mouth, such will be a certain indica- tion that the bird was hit in a vital part : and always bear in mind that the vitals lie in the forepart of the bird, not in the hinder. If young sportsmen would only remember that little fact, and shoot forwarder and higher at filing and running objects, they would have the satisfaction of killing oftener, instead of merely wounding. Never dwell on your aim. If the bird be flushed too near, be more deliberate in bringing the gun to the shoulder, so as to allow the bird to get to a proper range, then cover it with your aim and down with it. When holding on at a fast flying or running object, take care that you do not involuntarily stop the motion of your arms and gun, (called the "swing,") as they follow the object at the moment of pulling the trigger. Want of attention to this is too often the reason why the shot passes below and behind the object. Accustom yourself to keep the FINISHING LESSONS. 115 gun to the shoulder a moment or so after you have pulled the trigger, and you will eventually overcome that great defect in your shooting, and thereby gain a capital point towards becoming a Dead Shot. The contrary habit, when once acquired, is very difficult to correct, and sometimes prevents a quick, sharp-sighted sportsman from ever shooting well. When the bird is flying rapidly to right or left, let the swing, or motion of the gun be kept up whilst, and for the instant after, pulling trigger : the space of a yard or more in flight is gained in a moment. It is the interlapse (however slight) between the correct aim and the touch of the trigger, or impulse of the shot, which is the secret of many a miss at a rapidly-flying object. At right, left, and cross shots of every kind, the aim must be in advance of the bird, but whether an inch or two, or a foot or more, must always depend on two things — one, the distance of the bird, the other the rate or swiftness of its flight. If the bird be within short range, the aim need be but slightly in advance; if at long range, considerably in advance. And so also if the flight of the bird be slow or heavy, the aim may be but a trifle in advance of its head : if rapid or darting, at least a foot or more in advance. The intelligent sportsman, with practice, will acquire the art of estimating, as by intuitive perception, the pace and velocity of flight, and will point his gun accordingly. Practice alone can perfect him in this I 2 116 THE DEAD SHOT. advanced branch of the art of using the gun with skill and precision. Kemember, too, on flushing a bird, that the further it gets the faster it flies. It is very im- portant to bear this in mind, so as to take care to shoot whilst the bird is within range, and to regu- late your aim accordingly ; so that it be much more in advance in the case of birds at long range. If you find from repeated experiments that you shoot too low, make a firm resolution, and con- stantly bear it in mind throughout the day, to shoot higher. Mr. Blaine,* says : ' Shoot at the head in every direction, if possible ; ' adding, that he * cannot see any necessity for greater allowance.' But such theory can only be applied to objects within point- blank and short ranges ; because experience teaches, that considerable allowance must be made for range and swiftness of flight. The man who would shoot flying objects with skill and precision, should take pains to acquire the combined qualities of steadiness, with prompt decision, and dexterity in the manipulation and use of the gun ; *md it is indispensably necessary that there be a spmpathetic action between the eye and the finger which draws the trigger. Many ardent sportsmen never become good shots, * Blaine's " Rural Sports." FINISHING LESSONS. 117 though in constant practice, through a want of such qualifications. The art of measuring distances with the eye is a great accomplishment in a sportsman, and is of essential value ; it is only to be acquired by practice and experience, and by shooting at a mark from various measured distances, ancl by measuring the ranges at which you kill, whenever in the field, as already suggested (supra, p. 95). And the simple fact that there is a tendency towards the earth (called gravitation), in every in- animate substance moving by force through the air, (as shot from a gun) is too frequently lost sight of; whereas no sportsman can ever become a good shot, or kill objects at long distances, who disregards that indisputable law of nature. Never allow a fair chance to slip without trying your skill ; that is to say, if a bird rises within range, down with it. Though it rise ever so suddenly, and the surprise be ever so great, if your nerves are quiet and your aim true and steady, the bird is yours. Follow up a trustworthy dog, even to unlikely- looking places. He who follows his dog up closest, makes the heaviest bag. Remember, also, that it is the silent sportsman who gets nearest to his game, not the talkative one. 118 THE DEAD SHOT. GOLDEN SECRETS. There are three elements in accurate shooting at flying objects, which, though before mentioned in detail, I would fain repeat for the purpose of im- pressing them upon the mind -of the young sports- man as "golden secrets." The}' are these : — 1. At straight-forward shots, keep your head erect, and let your line of aim (or visual line) run along the back of the bird at the instant of press- ing the trigger ; and you may then be certain of killing. 2. At a bird crossing to the right, incline your head well over the gun, and let your visual line run level with the head of the bird, and more or less in advance, according to the angle of its flight, the distance and pace at which it may be flying when you shoot. 3. At a bird crossing to the left, keep your head straight, pitch your visual line upon a level with the head of the bird, and hold your gun more or less in front of it, (having regard to the angle of its course,) at a distance varying from one to twenty- four inches or more, according to range and the pace of its flight. Without a strict adherence to these three rules it is impossible for any man to become a Dead Shot; whereas, by following them up to the very THE MAX WHO NEVER MISSES. 119 letter, a bad shot will assuredly become an accurate marksman. In addition to these, and as subsidiary to the art of becoming" a Dead Shot, is the secret of deep penetration, or hard-hitting, which is effected by the use of a liberal charge of powder, and a sparing one of shot. Another of such subsidiaries is that of using small shot, smaller than is commonly used by the majority of sportsmen. THE MAX WHO NEVER MISSES. The 3'oung sportsman should never vex himself by reckoning the number of shots he has missed. It is well to think nothing about them ; because missing a few shots, whether successively or other- wise, when out in the field, is no reliable indication that the sportsman is a bad shot. The most faithful test is the result of the whole day's shooting, or the average of several succes- sive days. One meets occasionally with sportsmen who, in their own immediate neighbourhood, have the reputation of being Dead Shots ; and who are said to " never miss." Which, however, on being put to the test, is not infrequently found to be true in theory only, and not in practice. I have been out 120 THE DEAD SHOT. shooting with many such, and have generally found that they could never sustain their reputation throughout two successive days of good shooting ; provided they fired every time they had a chance of killing, and without picking their shots ; or rather, making a selection of shots, availing themselves only of those which suited them, and rejecting all others. A fairly good shot may go into the stubbles in the month of September, and shoot from morning to evening without missing ; or he may bag as many birds as he has made shots ; but to do this he has probably fired only at birds within short and certain range : and refused all at long range, as well as those which were doubtful and difficult, for it stands to reason that he could not be certain of killing either of the latter at long range ; though chance and good skill might enable him to kill half the number of the doubtful and difficult ones, or even two out of the three; but it is absurd to suppose that he can kill all such at long ranges. One doubtful, difficult, or cramped shot at long range, when successful, is, to many a good sports- man, worth half-a-dozen easy or certain ones : he delights in it because it was doubtful ; and he knows, besides, that it taxed his skill to the utmost ; and no aspiring sportsman will care for missing any but downright fair and easy chances. Therefore when one hears a man boasting of THE MAN WHO NEVER MISSES. 121 having been shooting all day, and filled his game- bag ' without missing a single shot,' one is some- times disposed to suspect that he has selected all the favourable shots, and refused many, if not all, the doubtful and difficult ones ; whereas those are the very shots that would have taxed his skill. To constitute a Dead Shot, it does not follow that a man should kill every time he draws the trigger; because if he makes random shots it is impossible but he will sometimes miss, or at least that he cannot always kill ; though he may always either wound or kill. Let the young sportsman console himself with the fact, that the most skilful, the most experienced, and the deadliest shots sometimes miss even fair chances ; though, certainly, very seldom. Very long shots are always chance shots ; and of such, to one successful there belongs three un- successful. For, notwithstanding that the sports- man's aim be correct, the scattered and uncertain hitting of the shot (particularly if large) makes it three to one against killing at a very long range, or at any distance over fifty yards. The proof of this statement is exceedingly simple : let the sportsman measure the distance, put up a large sheet of paper, and fire at it ; and he will probably be surprised to find how widely scattered the shot strikes at such a long range, and how easy it is for a bird to escape, though the aim taken be as accurate as possible. 122 THE DEAD SHOT. THE BAD SHOT ; OR THE UNSKILFUL MARKSMAN. By some country gentlemen the reputation of being a " Dead Shot," or even a " Good Shot," is one that is held in high estimation ; whilst that of being known asa" Bad Shot " is very distasteful. Shooting is undoubtedly a work of skill ; it is, however, impossible that all men can be good shots. But in shooting, as in all other pursuits in which skill predominates, there are always those who aspire to excellence, consequently there are various grades of performers. Among sportsmen there is great rivalry ; all endeavour to excel, though but few succeed in so doing : some are more or less skilful, whilst others have no skill at all. It is the latter class who are generally termed " Bad Shots." A Bad Shot, however, is, or ought to be more an object of sympathy than of ridicule. Very often he is, notwithstanding, a remarkably good fellow. It is seldom his own fault that he is unable to shoot as well as his companions. He probably endeavours to do so, but lacks that combination of qualifica- tions which would fit him for the pursuit ; such, for instance, as steadiness of nerve, quickness of per- ception, dexterity in the manipulation of the gun, soundness of judgment and discrimination as to THE BAD SHOT. 123 range : and if, notwithstanding his failings, he will not steadily apply himself to seek out and discover his deficienees, and endeavour to improve himself, lie is in that respect an unfortunate individual ; for lie can never hecome a good shot until he acquires, by practice, some, at least, of the qualifications which helong to one. Generally speaking, an un- skilful shot is more or less nervous and excitahle : 2>erhaps vexing himself at the result of every shot he fires : and though his companions may smile at his attempts, they are by no means pleased to see him banging heavy charges at coveys of partridges, wounding several but killing none. His dog becomes suspicious of him, and grows careless in its work ; because it so seldom has the chance of " mouthing " & bird and rubbing its nose into the plumage ; which is always as great a delight and satisfaction to a dog in the field, as are the choicest and most fragrant exotics to a lady in her boudoir. A Bad Shot so seldom kills, that if by any chance he happens to bring down a bird, he is so delighted that a race immediately ensues between him and his dog, as to which will be the first to recover it. Being a poor judge of distances, he fires indis- criminately, either too soon or too late. If he kills in the one case the bird is so mangled that it is not worth the cooking ; and in the other, it is only winged, or so slightly wounded, that it occasions 124 THE DEAD SHOT. more trouble in the retrieving than it is worth. Well may the poet sportsman say of him : — " There sprung a single partridge ! hah ! she's gone ! Oh ! sir ! you'd time enough — you shot too soon ; Scarce twenty yards in open sight ! for shame ! Y' had shattered her to pieces with right aim ! " When he has been over a manor abounding with birds, and returns home with a brace or two only, he feels bound to acknowledge the fact of there being plenty of birds, but consoles himself, or accounts for his ill-success, by saying they were so very wild he could not get near them. When shooting with other sportsmen, he some- times endeavours to account to them for his bad shooting by various excuses, and appeals to the gillie or beater for consolation, by asking if they did not notice the feathers fly and the bird flinch ; adding, that it was * A little too far ! ' ' My shot is too small ! ' or something to that effect. And this reminds me of an anecdote of a very Bad Shot, who had been out day after dajr on a moor, in the north of Scotland, abounding with grouse ; at which he blazed away incessantly, but without bagging a single head. After endeavouring by various excuses to account for his lack of skill, he ventured to seek consolation at the hands of his attendant, the gillie (a cannie Highlander) by interrogating him as to whether lie could account THE BAD SHOT. 125 for the shooter's bad luck. Whereupon the gillie inquired ' Is ye 're gun gude ? ' and on receiving a reply in the affirmative, asked — ' Are ye're powder and shot gude ? ' and on the reply that all were as good as could be obtained for money ; the gillie said — ' Then ye're no gude yersel.' It is said of some men, that, rather than have it thought by their friends at home that they are bad shots, they occasionally shoot with silver shot, i.e., fill their pockets with game they have pur- chased of a dealer. As a rule, all bad shots shoot both behind and below their birds ; consequently, whenever they chance to knock a bird down, it is never hit in the head, but almost invariably either in the legs or the rump — the least vulnerable parts ; and so, if knocked down, there is always a difficulty in recovering it. Wherever a bad shot has been shooting over a well-stocked manor, there are sure to be a number of cripples and Chelsea pensioners.* Let the sportsman beware, therefore, lest his reputation suffer on the discovery being made, that his manor is encumbered [with too many Chelsea pensioners ; for such, in the eyes of good sportsmen, is a sure indication that a bad shot has been shooting over it. An unskilful marksman seldom kills a cross shot, * One-legged birds and three-legged hares. 126 THE DEAD SHOT. because lie shoots at the bird instead of hi front of it. As a general rule, a bad shot kills nothing but straight-forward shots ; and those only at point- blank or short range. Let me remind the unskilful marksman, that unless he occasionally kills a few birds, his dog will attempt to kill some for him ; and, in the keenness of disappointment at its master's fruitless attempts, will run in, chase, and perform many other uncon- trollable actions, and even run away home. To mangle a bird by breaking every bone in the skin is unskilful sport ; so also to merely wing, or hit it hard in the rump, or to break both legs, is equally unskilful, and is very bad shooting. A young sportsman should beware of purchasing a dog, however cheap in price, and however well- bred, of a man who has the notoriety of being a bad shot. THE POT-HUN TEE. The term "pot-hunter" implies one who shoots for the " pot " rather than the " sport." Generally speaking, a pot-hunter is not only a very bad shot, but more or less a poacher, for he is unscrupulous as to how and where he obtains his game. He makes no hesitation in trespassing upon his neigh- THE POT-HUNTER. 127 hour's land, and rather delights in bagging game by stealth. He disregards alike the rules of fair sportsman- ship, as he does the first principles of honour and integrity. The pot-hunter will shoot partridges on the ground, a hare on her form, or a rabbit in the hedge. He seldom has a companion in the field, unless it be one of the same stamp as himself. He who will poke his gun through a hedge and shoot at birds basking in the sun or running along the ground, is not onry a pot-hunter but a con- temptible fellow in the e} r es of every English sports- man ; and he is, besides, generally a poacher, for a man who will condescend to such meanness, is seldom very scrupulous as to where, and by what means, he can fill his pockets: and therefore the temptation, on peeping through a fence and dis- covering a covey of partridges basking in the sun, on his neighbour's manor, is to the pot-hunter an irresistible opportunity : and, accordingly, after looking around him to see that nobody is near, he slily thrusts the muzzle of his gun through the hedge and fires into the midst of the unsuspecting covey, killing, perhaps, three or four and wounding nearly all the rest. Such are a few of the leading characteristics of the pot-hunter, whose companionship, it is almost needless to add, is shunned by all true sportsmen. 128 THE DEAD SHOT. THE NERVOUS SPORTSMAN. There are many sportsmen who, do what they will, are unable to avoid a painful trepidation, pal- pitation, or state of nervousness when walking up to the dog at its point ; and the same if a bird or covey rises suddenly, without being pointed by the dog. Such feelings and pulsations are, of all things, the greatest drawback to good shooting. Many say, " Oh ! if I could only throw off this nervousness, this anxious or eager desire to kill, this fluttering of the heart when the bird rises before me, — if I could but take these things coolly, and treat them as of less importance, what an excellent shot I should be ! " An ungovernable nervousness is a great and almost insurmountable obstacle to a man ever becoming a proficient in shooting. If such a man ever shoots well during the day, it will be at a moment of unconcernedness, or when he is quite indifferent as to the result. The only remedy that can be suggested is, to endeavour to recollect yourself, make coolness a duty, and be less anxious and eager as to the result of your shot. If a young sportsman who is troubled with the " nervous anxiety," were, before firing, to say to him- self, as the late Charles Dickens makes one of his THE NERVOUS SPORTSMAN. 129 characters say, " Steady, Ed'ard Cuttle steady ! " and act accordingly, ten to one but lie would soon find himself considerably improved. But coolness and decision are difficult qualifica- tions to teach, whether verbally or by book ; they should both be inherent in the sportsman, or he must never hope or expect to become a " Dead Shot ; " though, when perfectly free from tremor or excitement, he may shoot as well as the best shot in the land. Such a man, however, will seldom shoot two days alike. Over-eagerness leads to nervousness and confu- sion, which not only incur danger, but assuredly discompose the young sportsman and prevent his killing at the most reasonable distances. A steady hand, and firm but quiet nerve, are among the highest and most necessaiy qualifications of a good shot. If possessed by the sportsman, he is certain, with perseverance and practice, to become a Dead Shot. Successful shooting gives ease to the nerves and confidence to the shooter; but the fear of not hit- ting, and the over-anxiety to kill, are the certain precursors to missing. Nervous men generally find the greatest difficulty in keeping themselves free from excitement when a bird is coming directly towards them, or when the dog points and they are certain of a shot. When a man is tremulous or excited, whether at 130 THE DEAD SHOT. the noise or suddenness of birds springing from the ground, or otherwise, he makes an unsteady and different aim to that which he would make if free from tremor and excitement. An excitable person cannot shoot well ; or, at all events, only in his calm and calculating moments. In my own experience, I have always found such men downright bad shots. They are too hasty in every movement. No matter how near a bird gets up, the gun is instantly levelled at it, regardles sof range, and generally the bird is missed. Nervous men usually shoot best when by them- selves. In presence of strangers they invariably shoot badly ; some through the vexation and annoy- ance of being considered bad shots, of losing their reputation, or of being beaten by inferior sports- men. Feelings of envy and disappointment are sure to produce bad shooting. Some men when shooting become envious of their more successful com- panions ; perhaps plodding, unpretending fellows, with cool and steady nerves, who seldom miss a fair shot; and who soon tot up a heavy bag, to the mortification of their envious and disappointed companions. Most men shoot well or ill, according to the •state of their nerves. One of the best shots I ever saw in the field, I one day met at a pigeon-shooting imatch, when, not being accustomed to pigeon- THE NERVOUS SPORTSMAN. 131 shooting, to my astonishment he was in such an anxious and nervous state, that he was well beaten by young sportsmen of very ordinary pretensions. When the nervous sportsman misses at fair range, it is either because his trigger-finger is not quick enough in obe} r ing his aim, or because he makes a nervous twitch at the moment of pulling trigger, and so drops the muzzle of his gun just sufficient to miss his aim ; or, having got the right aim, he does not keep the gun moving as the bird moves, long enough to ensure the shot striking where he intends. It is impossible to attach too much importance to the consideration of these matters ; the disregard of them is frequently the cause of missing a very fair shot ; for if the finger errs in any way, or fails to act in concert with the eye, the bird is inevitably missed. There must be no momentary pause : the flying object is rapidly moving : an imperceptible instant between the moment of true aim and that of drawing the trigger, causes a delay in the igni- tion of the powder ; and so the bird flies away unhurt, by reason of the shot flying below or behind it. Nervousness is not a fault, but a failing, or rather a misfortune, particularly in one who is desirous of becoming a good shot. If a man is naturally nervous, he seldom or never 132 THE DEAD SHOT. shoots well ; particularly in the company of others. But if, possessing the other essential qualifications,, he can get the better of the failing, there is no- reason why he should not in the course of time shoot well. Some who have attained high distinction in the art of shooting, have been more or less nervous in their early performances. So with cricket, and some other games of skill, nervousness is a great impedi- ment to good play ; but as the player warms to the game he improves, because the discomposure abates ; and accordingly he plays with skill and precision : so with shooting, if the sportsman, possessing other good qualifications, finds that by practice he can overcome the nervous feeling, he never need despair of becoming a good, or even, a Dead Shot. THE CARELESS SPORTSMAN. 133 THE CARELESS SPORTSMAN. •" A blooming youth, 'who had just passed the boy, The father's only child and only joy, As he intent designed the larks his prey, Himself as sweet and innocent as they, The fatal powder in the porch of death Having in vain discharged its flash of breath, The tender reasoner, curious to know Whether the piece were really charged or no, "With mouth to mouth applied, began to blow. A dreadful hiss ! for now the silent bane Had bored a passage thro' the wizzing train, The shot all rent his skull, and dashed around his brain ! Unguarded swains ! oh ! still remember this, And to your shoulder close constrain the piece, For lurking seeds of death unheard may hiss." Markland. The character of " carelessness " in the handling and use of the gun, is the very worst a sportsman can bear. It betokens an indifference to taking the life or the limbs of your nearest and dearest friend or companion. A careless sportsman should be shunned, as a dangerous associate ; for he gives you frequent opportunities of looking down the barrels of his gun. The companionship of such a man should be avoided by all who value life and limb. A skilful sportsman is never careless : on the contrary, he is always on his guard ; and therefore he is at all times a safe companion in the field ; for 134 THE DEAD SHOT. whether his gun be at full- cock, half-cock, charged or uncharged, he never gives you a chance of looking down the barrels, nor the barrels a chance of depositing their contents in your body. It is therefore of the highest importance to the young sportsman that he should, in his early training, thoroughly learn and practise the various safe and cautious modes of handling, carrying, and using his gun : and such are the only proper and correct ones. The oldest sportsmen declare these to be the primary lessons the tyro should learn, and the most essential rudiments in his instruction ; lest he should become a " Dead Shot " to some friend, relative, or companion, and so embitter for ever, with sorrow and remorse, the future years of his own life, to say nothing of the lasting grief of those who were nearest and dearest in relationship to his unfortunate victim. The safety of life and limb of sportsmen and their companions, consists in habitual caution and cir- cumspection in the handling and use of the gun. The principal rule of safety is never to hold, cany,, or place the gun in such a position that you, your- self, or any other person may for a single moment be exposed to the muzzle. Therefore, before touching powder and shot, let the uninitiated youth who desires to become a sportsman, practise for several days or even weeks, as suggested in the early pages of this work, the- THE CARELESS SPORTSMAN. 135 cautious, safe and proper handling, holding, carry- ing, and presenting of his gun ; and after he has learnt those thoroughly, let his tutor rate him well every time he catches him off his guard, or with his gun in a dangerous, careless, or improper position. Having well learnt the manipulation, let him practise with gun-caps upon the nipples of a muzzle- loader, aiming and snapping them off at objects far and near ; and when his tutor thinks him entirely careful with his piece, and fully awake to the dangers of carelessness and the necessity for vigi- lance ; then, and not till then, should he be allowed to use gunpowder. And when so far advanced, it becomes necessary that he should learn how to pro- tect himself from danger, and guard against the many accidents to which he (as well as others) will be exposed from careless, negligent, or improper handling and use of the piece. Let the careless sportsman remember, that if his gun should burst and be shattered to atoms, though he may, with money, get another ; yet if his right hand happens to be blown off or shattered, all the money in the world, and all the surgical skill on earth, cannot give him such another hand. To his sorrow, it is lost for ever ! The young sportsman having imposed upon him- self the strict observance of all the safe modes and positions of handling, carrying, and using the gun, it will, eventually, become more natural to him 136 THE DEAD SHOT. to cany it in a safe position than in an unsafe one ; and then, in the event of accidental or unin- tentional discharge, to his comfort and satisfaction it will do nobody any harm. Through life he must never under any circumstances forget, nor even fail to observe most strictly, the lessons he has learnt on the safe handling and carrying of his gun. Any person who has been drinking freely should not touch a gun until sober ; and a sportsman should not, under any persuasion, be induced to walk out, or even to remain in company with another who, with a loaded gun in his hands, is in the least degree the worse for liquor. The best plan is to take the gun from him unawares, and fire it off, or draw the cartridges. Strong drink has been the cause of many fatal and lamentable accidents with firearms. Never suffer a gun, whether loaded or unloaded, to be pointed for a moment towards any human being. A gun has often been found to be loaded, though the owner believed and asserted positively that it was not. At the present day there is no excuse for the accidental explosion of a gun inside a house. Any man who neglects to remove the cartridges from the barrels of his breech-loader when putting the gun dowm inside a house, or who puts the cartridges in the barrel before getting outside, is guilty of unpar- donable negligence, particularly if there be children THE CARELESS SPORTSMAN. 137 in the house, or other persons whose curiosity might induce them to meddle with the gun. Alwaj's withdraw the cartridges from a breech- loader, and take the caps off the nipples of a muzzle- loader before getting into a vehicle, or riding or driving a horse with a gun in your possession. A gun should never be laid by or put away loaded. Beware of the danger attending the practice of drawing the shot from the barrel of a muzzle-loader, and of inverting the muzzle and tossing the charge into the hand whilst the caps remain on the nipples ; the safer plan is to fire it off, if too indolent to remove the caps before drawing the charge. Never put a cap on the nipples of a muzzle- loader, till the performance of loading is completed. Never cany a gun with the hammers down on unexploded caps. And remember, that it is in the moments of greatest excitement, jo} r , and forgetfulness, that accidents generally occur. Never beat the bushes with your gun, nor poke it in a rabbit's burrow. It would seem to be almost unnecessary to remind young sportsmen of the perils incurred through loading one barrel of a muzzle-loader whilst the other is loaded and capped, and the lock at full- cock : and yet in the hurry and excitement of sport, this has been a common occurrence with careless 138 THE DEAD SHOT. sportsmen, and as a natural result, accidents have frequently happened in consequence, particularly with common locks ; and also with good ones, if permitted to become foul, or if besmeared with impure oil. If one barrel of a muzzle-loading gun be charged and capped, whilst loading the other, be sure to put the lock at half-cock. The safest locks are those which have patent stops for locking the hammer, and holding it in safety during the process of loading. Accidents from loading the gun and drawing the charge are now reduced almost to a minimum in the hands of a cautious sportsman, by the invention of breech-loaders. The sportsman on reloading one or both barrels of the breech-loading gun, should, however, take care that the muzzle points upwards when the barrels are jerked or forced back, and secured to their place in the stock. In cocking and uncocking a gun always keep the muzzle pointed upwards in the air. Accustom your- self to the practice, and it will then become a natural habit to you. Accidents sometimes arise through dogs, in their eagerness and delight, jumping about and putting their fore-feet upon the sportsman whilst he has a loaded gun in his hands. Sporting dogs should never be allowed to jump or fawn with their fore- feet upon sportsmen ; for if encouraged, or even THE CARELESS SPORTSMAN. 139 allowed to do so at any time, they will assuredly repeat it when they find they are going out with the sportsman in pursuit of game. The reckless folly of dragging or pulling a gun through the hedge, muzzle first, is so glaring, that one would suppose none but a maniac would do such a thing, and yet one constantly hears of incautious sportsmen " accidentally " (?) shooting themselves or their companions in that way. And it is equally dangerous to hand a gun through the hedge to your companion on the other side unless the muzzle be kept uppermost. A gun should always be held muzzle upwards on getting over and through hedges ; and where this cannot be done, it should be carefully pushed on in front of the sportsman, with the muzzle pointing to the ground ; and whilst getting through the hedge, the sportsman should constantly watch the direction in which the muzzle is pointing, and see that it is never towards man or dog. Another common cause of accidents is, through inattention to the locks of the gun. If they become foul, or pull heavier than usual, they should im- mediately be looked to. The use of impure or com- mon oil has often been the cause of accidents, through the oil forming corrosive substances on some parts of the lock. Let the careless sportsman beware of the slightest incaution in the handling and use of his gun. Gun 140 THE DEAD SHOT. accidents are always serious, and generally fatal. Let him remember, at all times and under all circumstances that he holds in his hand a life-taking weapon, which requires caution and vigilance in its manipulation and use, in order to guard against accidents to himself, his companions, beaters, and dogs. GUN ACCIDENTS THKOUGH BARREL BURSTING. A gun, however sound the barrel, will burst on being fired, if the muzzle be stopped or plugged : as by mud, clay, snow, or other substance. The cause of which is, the confinement of the expanding gases, which on explosion of the powder, make their •exit where the sudden pressure or resistance is first felt ; and that is, between the shot wadding and the obstruction : generally a few inches (according to -circumstances) from the shot. The force of the gun- powder does not drive the obstruction out at the muzzle, because of the gases confined between the shot and the plugging substance at the muzzle. The gases on receiving a sudden check, such as that caused by ignition of the charge of powder, cannot be driven out in a direct line ; but are of such immense power that they bulge the barrel, and burst it wherever sufficient pressure is first felt. A fall in the field, or in getting over a fence, may cause the muzzle of the barrels to strike the ground GUN ACCIDENTS THROUGH BARREL BURSTING. 141 and plug them ; in which case the obstruction must be removed before firing the gun, or it will assuredly burst. I have never had the misfortune to have a gun burst in my hands ; but many years ago I had a narrow escape from such an occurrence. Returning home from wild fowl shooting one day with a heavy string of wild-ducks and widgeon across my shoulder; the time of tide being low-water. After getting out of my boat I had a slippery, sloping, clay-beach to walk up ; when thus heavily laden, and no help being at hand, I carried my gun, a heavy double- barrelled muzzle-loader at half-cock, under my left arm, both barrels being charged, and caps on the nipples, when I slipped and fell forwards ; the muz- zles of the gun struck into the ground suddenly, and with considerable force, plugging both barrels to the depth of a foot or more with the clay. Fortunately the locks of my gun were of the safest and best manufacture, and in perfect condition ; otherwise the jar occasioned b}^ the fall would, inevitably, have caused the gun to explode and burst, and the consequences must, in that case, have been serious, if not fatal, as I fell completely over the gun. I have always looked back upon my escape on that occasion with much thankfulness, and attribute it solely to the good quality of my gun locks, and the attention I always paid to them to keep them in good order. 142 THE DEAD SHOT. A gun may also be burst by firing it off wbilst the muzzle is thrust into the water. Instances have also occurred of the barrels of muzzle-loacling guns bursting or bulging on being fired when the shot-wadding has become loose and slipped up towards the muzzle. A thin wadding is more liable to do so than a thick one, owing to the weight of the shot pressing upon it when the gun is carried with the muzzle pointing downwards. So also from the jar occasioned on firing one barrel whilst the other is loaded, with a loose fitting shot wad. But with a tolerably thick elastic wad this danger is obviated. Many are the hands and fingers that have been blown off in charging one barrel of a muzzle-loading gun whilst the other barrel remained at full-cock : and so also in drawing the charge of one barrel whilst the caps remained on the nipples. And how frequent have been the accidents through the fatal error of loading the wrong barrel of a muzzle-loader, or putting one charge on the top of the other, instead of loading the empty barrel! whereby the gun is almost certain to burst on discharge. The remedy for mistakes in loading the wrong barrel of a muzzle-loader is exceedingly simple, if careless sportsmen would only observe it. Always make it an established rule, in charging one barrel whilst the other is loaded, to drop the ramrod into THE FLIGHT OF GAME. 143 the charged barrel, and leave it there on each occa- sion, whilst putting in the powder and shot. An additional advantage gained by this sug- gested process is, that 3 T ou find whether or no the wadding a-top of the undischarged barrel has moved by the jar occasioned to it in discharge of the other. Some persons shoot half the day entirely with one barrel, whilst the other is charged ; this should not be : because, repeated discharges of the one are apt to loosen the charge of the other barrel : and hence the greater necessity for the precaution suggested, of dropping the ramrod over the charge whilst reloading the empty barrel. Such, however, are chiefly dangers of the past : as most sportsmen now use breech-loading guns, whereby all such risks may be entirely obviated. THE FLIGHT OF GAME. The flight of game is an element of very instruc- tive consideration for the young sportsman, yet, strange to say, it is too frequently disregarded if not entirely overlooked. Undoubtedly the sportsman who carefully studies and closely observes the flight of the objects of his gun, will shoot the better for his pains." A bird crossing at right angles from right to left, and vice versa, sixty yards from the shooter, is 144 THE DEAD SHOT. calculated to gain on an average two feet of space in flight, whilst the shot is travelling through the air ; or, as it may be stated, between the interval of pressing the trigger and the arrival of the charge y sixty yards distant from the gun. At fifty yards the space gained would be one- and-a-half foot ; at forty yards about one foot ; at thirty about half-a-foot; and so on, proportion ably less as the distance decreases. But these calcula- tions apply only to birds crossing at right angles ; when other lines of flight are taken into calculation, such as rectilinear, oblique, and obtuse angles, the space is less. The simple fact that at the moment of drawing the trigger, birds are sometimes moving faster from the visual line of aim than at others, by reason of the various angles or directions of their flight, is too often lost sight of ; though to be certain of killing, the aim must be more or less in advance of the bird, according to the direction and swiftness of its flight : and also in accordance with the distance or range at the time of drawing the trigger. Let any man consider, and ask himself how he can expect to kill if he fails to present his gun more or less in advance of the bird, according to the direction and the slowness or the swiftness of its flight ? If he takes the same aim at all times, regardless of these considerations, it is impossible that he can kill any but chance shots. YOUNG PARTRIDGES. 145 The flight of game-birds, if carefully observed, will be found to vary considerably, not only with the species, but with the time of year. In the early part of the season it is stead}' and direct ; late in the season, and when the birds become wilder, it is strong, rapid, and wary, requiring instant readiness, discrimination, and prompt judgment as to the allowance to be made in holding the gun more or less in advance. The young sportsman should watch frequently and narrowly the flight of game-birds. Let him reflect as he observes their mode of flight, and the various lines or directions in which they fl}\ Let him do this even when he has no gun with him, observing the mode in which they rise from the ground, fly, and alight ; the noise they make as they rise or fly, or their silence, as the case ma} r be — all which are fitting subjects for the consideration and reflection of the sportsman who would become a " dead shot." YOUNG PARTRIDGES. Partridges are hatched in the months of May and June, and dry warm weather is most favourable to the hatching. It has been said that a season may be too dry, and that many young fledglings fall victims to the L 146 THE DEAD SHOT. drought. I am disposed to believe, however, that it is but very few who die from such causes. The heavy dews of morning and evening supply them with sufficient moisture, even should there be no neighbouring streamlet or wet ditch to which they can resort. It often occurs that in the hottest weather the dews are heaviest ; and the birds are always astir at daybreak, sipping, with their tiny bills, the honey-dew that hangs on the lips of Nature's wild! flowers, and on every leaf and blade of grass that graces the fields and meadows where they grow. Such, then, are the resources which Dame Nature provides for her feathered creatures in the perils of drought or a long, dry summer. A wet hatching season is a great drawback to the successful rearing of young partridges ; in proof of which, one has only to look at the fragile but exquisite form of the little fledglings when they have just cracked the egg-shell and come forth from the ovarial cot; for although endowed by nature with powers in advance of birds of many other species, such as those which build in trees and places above ground' — inasmuch as the eyes of the latter are not opened till many days after being hatched, and they are unfledged and unfit to leave the nest until weeks afterwards when fully fledged, whereas young part- ridges, like chickens, ducks, and pheasants, have eyesight as soon as hatched, and are able to leave the nest and run about almost immediately after- YOUNG PARTRIDGES. 147 wards — they are nevertheless weak and puny little creatures. Take one of the tottering little things in your hand, and see how it reels and staggers, with scarcely strength to balance its downy little form upon those slender legs. Does it not look as if an April shower would drown it ? And yet it is in the very nature of young partridges to aspire to activity from the very hour at which they are hatched — eager to run and draggle their little bodies through the wet grass and over the rough clods of the cornfields, as if impatient to discover the nature and extent of the world of green fields and hedge- rows they have so recently entered ; and so, whether the ground be wet or dry, and whether it be in rain or sunshine that the little creatures first venture beyond the threshold of the nest, a few hours after the brooding warmth of the mother's feathered breast has given them a little strength, away they start, toppling and tumbling over little clods of earth and stones, as if fearless of the roughest path, and unconscious of the perils they incur from the wet and sticky surface they persist in treading. The faint twitterings of their little tongues on every side create anxiety in the heart of the maternal bird as she responds and looks to one and the other of her tenderlings, and watches with restless e}'e their pretty movements, lest they should wander near the haunts of their avowed enemies — stoats, weasels, rats, and such like vermin — which^are always on l 2 148 THE DEAD SHOT. the look out for helpless little beings of the kind, and greedy to make a meal of such tender morsels. But if they happen to be hatched in fine, sunshiny weather, the rapidity with which they gain strength and activity is astonishing. A week's warm sun upon the downy backs of newly-hatched partridges will generally make their rearing almost a matter of certainty ; but a week's cold, wet, or rainy weather at such a time is almost certain destruction to two- thirds of every brood, unless, indeed, the soil is sandy, and a dry shelter be at hand. The maternal bird shows her anxiety to collect the little stragglers around her, and endeavours to shelter them from the cold and rain ; but they are not always obedient, and some of them wander too far from maternal protection, and draggle about the wet fields until exhausted with cold and fatigue ; and, in the absence of the sun or any other means of warmth, they sit down on the wet and sticky surface, where they perish in an hour ! A wet June is unfavourable for young partridges. The coveys are always found to be small after a wet hatching season ; and, on the contrary, the coveys are usually large and strong if the season be dry and warm. THE HAUNTS AND HABITS OF PARTRIDGES. 149 THE HAUNTS AND HABITS OF PAETRIDGES. Every sportsman should have a fair knowledge of the haunts and habits of the objects of his pursuit, as such will often be found to contribute materially to his success. In the month of September partridges frequent wheat and barley stubbles, from sunrise till about nine or ten o'clock in the morning ; after which, if a fine day, they resort to turnip fields, vetches, and sunny banks and places, where they bask. About three or four o'clock in the afternoon they return to the stubbles, and remain there till sunset, when they go generally to the upper grass lands to roost, if any are near at hand ; if not, they go to fallows, clover lays, or barley stubbles. On w T et or foggy days the}' generally remain all day long in the stubbles and driest fields they can find. As a general rule, they prefer light land rather than heavy. As the season advances, they become wary of the sportsman, and are less regular in their habits ; but if there be low-lying grass lands or marshes in the neighbourhood, they are particularly fond of resort- ing there at mid-day, or whenever disturbed in the corn fields. In November and later, they are so uncertain in 150 THE DEAD SHOT. their movements after being disturbed, that the sportsman must rely very much on his own local experiences as to their habits, which at that time are regulated more or less by the nature of the country. About mid-day, and from that till two o'clock, is generally a doubtful and uncertain time at which to find partridges. They go to the ditches and lowlands to drink about that time, in dry hot weather. At about three o'clock in the afternoon they run about again, particularly if a breeze springs up after a hot day. In rainy weather, or when their feathers are wet, partridges never lie well. Furze and fern, if interspersed here and there with green patches of grass, are, in some districts, likely places for partridges, particularly after being often disturbed elsewhere. Small fields with high hedges are favourite resorts of partridges, particularly in the early part of the season. Coveys of partridges may generally, during the month of September, be found in the early part of the day in the fields in which they have been hatched and reared. They appear to treat such fields as home quarters, and, if not too much disturbed, continue to retain their preference for that particular field or locality during the greater part of the season ; and this, too, though their covey has been much thinned by the sportsman. BEATING FOR GAME. 151 Partridges, as a rule, shew great likings to par- ticular places ; and there are upon every manor certain favourite haunts where they may usually be found, unless very much persecuted. In the evening, just after sunset, the roost note of scattered partridges may be heard calling to their lost companions to assemble together for roosting, to which the others respond, and so the scattered birds of the covey get together again. They should never be shot at nor disturbed at that hour. It is the nature of partridges to keep to their broods, or cove} T s, and roost together on the ground at night ; and for that purpose they fly or run towards the field or locality in which they were reared or brooded by the parent birds ; but if anything suspicious, or giving oause for alarm, be detected in the evening in that particular field, they will adjourn to the next, giving preference to a field of stubble or fallow, or a meadow of dry short grass. BEATING FOE GAME. The term "beating" implies, in sporting phrase- ology, going in search or pursuit of game with dog and gun — sometimes with attendants called "beaters," who provide themselves with staves for disturbing and driving the game out of its hiding-place. A sportsman may be said to " beat " a field by 152 THE DEAD SHOT. merely running his dog over it, or by walking over and about it in pursuit of game. Beating for game, forms, unquestionably, a very important element in the young sportsman's training ; and until he thoroughly understands it, he must not expect to make a heavy bag, par- ticularly where game is not over-abundant. In order to fully appreciate its importance, the sports- man must know something of the haunts of the objects of his pursuit, and their habits at different times of the day ; and where and how to find them, particularly after they have been disturbed two or three times in succession. In the first place, a quiet, noiseless tread is essential at all times in beating for game in open country ; but in thick coverts noise is sometimes encouraged. Talking aloud, whether to your companions, beaters, or dogs, is fatal to all attempts to approach game in open country. The necessity of observing strict silence, espe- cially in partridge, grouse, wild-fowl, and snipe shooting, cannot be too deeply impressed on the minds of young sportsmen, many of whom, say what you will, insist on constantly directing their dogs by speaking or calling aloud to them ; whereas* the " dead shot " and " old sportsman" are silent, and direct their dogs entirely by waving the hand,, and other such dumb signals. BEATING FOR GAME. 153 Always endeavour to find your birds as early as possible on your beat — you have then sport before you at once ; and a young sportsman is more likely to kill early in the day than when tired and fatigued after many hours' toil. Beat your ground closely, more especially on the first part of your walk ; and always remember that a bird which lies close is worth a whole covey that is wild. The young sportsman ma} r be assured that he will find it tends very much to his success to stick to one covey as long as he can, and never to leave the sport in hand for the idea that better may be found elsewhere. The more he knows of the accustomed haunts of the birds in any particular locality, the better will he be able to arrange his beat. The oftener a bird is disturbed, the less will be the chance of bagging it, unless accurately marked down ; because it becomes more and more alarmed, takes a longer flight than when first put up, and hides in a more improbable spot. An exception to this rule is that of the French partridge, which by being disturbed several times in succession, seems to lose its courage, becomes less capable of evading its pursuers, and finally affords the sportsman an excellent opportunity, by rising close at his feet, very near the spot at which it was marked down. French partridges have such a propensity for 154 THE DEAD SHOT. running before taking wing, that they become tired after being flushed three or four times. Young sportsmen make a great omission in not beating fallow fields when engaged in the pursuit of partridge-shooting. They usually, on looking over the hedge and finding it fallow, pass it by without so much as running the dogs over it. So indifferent are some sportsmen about fallows, that their dogs become careless in their manner of hunting over them, and unless pressed, will be likely to leave the birds behind, in some remote corner of the field. Both sportsmen and dogs seem to think them, of all other fields, the most unlikely in which to find game ; whereas they are, sometimes, of all others the most likely, particularly if late in the season. Fallow fields are to partridges favourite places of resort at all times, except in very wet weather. They delight to bask there on sunny days, and hy reason of the colour of their feathers so closely resembling the ground, they probably feel themselves safer in such fields than elsewhere, being entirely invisible to human e} T e at sixty yards, if they remain motionless. Besides, too, fallow fields are the quietest resorts they can select : no cattle are grazing there, nor are there any labourers about them as in other fields ; and if the enemy should happen to approach, the fallow field is so exposed and open, that he may be detected at a long distance ; and then they sometimes droop BEATING FOR GAME. 155 their heads and run along the ridges unobserved!}', from one end of the field to the other. Generally, however, partridges lie very close in fallows, and afford excellent chances to the sportsman. Many and man}' are the partridges which an old sportsman kills in the season over the fallows, whilst the tyro seldom deigns to try them, beyond walking, with gun upon his shoulder, from one corner to the other just to make a short cut of it, and as if morally certain no sport can be had there ; instead of which he ought to try them as cautiously as the stubbles. To prove the utility of beating fallows, I will mention a circumstance which occurred a few } T ears since. Whilst beating an old fallow, in company with a veteran sportsman, a " dead shot," a covey of ten partridges got up in front of us; and as all, •or most of them, rose out of a deep furrow, they were in line with my friend's aim, and he killed, unintentionally, four with his first barrel and one with his second; and as I killed a brace with two barrels, we bagged seven birds out of the covey. Three only got away, and those we marked down and shot within a quarter of an hour afterwards. I am not aware that I ever, before or since, saw a whole covey of ten birds bagged in so short a time by two sportsmen. I have many times unintentionally killed two birds with each barrel, and now and then .three ; but on such occasions, when I have had a 156 THE DEAD SHOT. young sportsman walking with me, who, although he fired both barrels, either killed nothing or only one bird, I have usually allowed him to claim the credit of a brace. On another occasion, when shooting with a brother sportsman in a fallow field, a covey of seven birds rose in front of us ; and as three got up out of a furrow, a long distance in front of me, I shot as they rose, and killed all three with my first barrel and another with my second, my friend killing one with his first and two with his second. Then, turn- ing to the boy who carried the game bag, and look- ing sternly at him, with a view to testing his atten- tion as a marker, we inquired if he marked those that flew away. "Yes, sir," said the 'cute lad;, " I marked 'em all down, and so did you, for you've killed the whole covey ! " Suffice it to say, in regard to fallows, that par- tridges lie more constantly upon them than many sportsmen would suppose ; and late in the season the fallows are the first places to which he should direct his steps. In a rough old fallow the} 7 often lie on the ground until almost trodden upon, such confidence have they in the cover afforded them by ridges of ploughed land, wdiich is usually nearly identical in colour with the feathers on their backs.. The manner of beating a fallow is, to cross the ridges right and left, not up and down in the track of the plough. Birds cannot run fast across a rough- BEATING FOE GAME. 157 fallow, and by beating it in the manner suggested, the sportsman will often find the birds lie as close as he could possibly desire. Meadow and grass land are also too frequent^ passed over by young sportsmen, as if improbable places in which to find game ; but as the season advances, they are among the most likely places in which to find partridges at mid-day, by which time they are in the habit of leaving the uplands and resorting to moister and cooler places ; and so they •get into meadows near the water, ditches, turnip- fields, and other like cool retreats. Partridges lie so closely on well-grown grass lands, that the sportsman should beat such fields very carefully ; and, on finding the birds, he may generally be assured of good sport, as they do not usually get up all at once out of grass cover, but singly. If a covey be dispersed in the morning, and driven into a grass field, they will sometimes lie so close that they will have to be driven up singly, within a few feet of the gun. I have, in com- pany with a friend, many times, killed every bird in a covey in this manner. When partridges have been much persecuted, they -sometimes pitch in most unaccountable places, such as bye-lanes, orchards, and even public highways. Every sportsman of a few years' experience must often have been surprised at the strange places from which partridges sometimes spring during the latter part 158 THE DEAD SHOT. of a day's shooting —perhaps close at his feet, and at a moment when he is least expecting to find them. It shows that he should always be upon his guard, for sometimes, when not in the least anticipating sport, he is the more likely to meet with it. Newly-made plantations of young trees, where there is long grass at the bottom, are extremely favourable and likely resorts of partridges. They go in search of seeds and insects which are generally abundant there ; and when the birds have been much persecuted during the morning, they are fond of hiding in such places. It is a sound rule in partridge-shooting, that whenever a single bird is marked down with cer- taint} r , it should be searched for until found. By firmly adhering to this rule, more birds will be bagged in the end, time will be saved, and the dogs acquire a confidence in their master's apparently superior knowledge of the whereabouts of game. When a sportsman has been unsuccessful in find- ing birds during the morning, and has traversed a wide extent of country which he knows to harbour several coveys, he cannot do better than " double beat " — i.e., try the same ground over again, but more carefully, wdien, as an almost invariable rule, he finds plenty of sport. Facts of this sort seem, at first sight, difficult to account for, but experience proves the utility and reward of double beating. I have known instances in which an old sports- BEATING FOR GAME. 159 man has followed a young one over the same heat two hours later in the day and killed a good bag of game ; whilst the young one has killed only a brace or so, and stated, besides, that he saw " only one covey." In beating for game the sportsman should always give his dogs the benefit of the wind, if ever so soft an air, by entering upon his beat from a leeward- most quarter, and working each field up wind or by a side wind, either of which is favourable to the dogs and the success of the shooter. In foggy weather, partridges lie close and do not run about much ; they are then apt to be passed over unless the sportsman tries his ground care- fully. In hilly countries, whether in pursuit of par- tridges, grouse, pheasants, or woodcocks, always beat the hills first, in order to find the game ; then mark them down into the nether-lands and go and kill them. 160 THE DEAD SHOT. PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING. ' ' To-morrow's the first of September. Get ready the dogs and the gun, And be sure you don't fail to remember The whisky-flask marked ' number one.' And, boy, above all don't be sleeping "When rises the bright star of da}% For soon as gay morning is peeping We'll haste to the stubbles away. To the stubbles away, away, away, To the stubbles away, let's away ! " Brandreth. Iii the early part of the season, partridge shooting is b}' no means difficult. A young sportsman of mere ordinary pretensions may make a fair bag in the course of the day, where birds are tolerably plentiful. Whilst partridges are young and immature, they have not the strength of wing and power of flight to enable them to offer any other than easy shots to the sportsman ; but after they are full grown and full feathered, and have become strong on the wing, and wild through the persecution to which they are usually subjected, then the vexation and disappoint- ment of young sportsmen commence, and they complain of the difficulty they experience in hitting the objects of their aim. The birds, having become wary and suspicious, will not allow the pointer to approach within thirty yards or more before they rise up in the air, perpendicularly, with startling IN THE STUBBLES PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING. 161 suddenness ; and then dart off with powerful flight, borne on swifter wings, and urged through fear and haste to flee the suspected danger. Then it is that ihe young sportsman's skill is truly tested ; shooting then becomes a most interesting art ; and not one, nor two, nor even three seasons will suffice to make Ihim a " dead shot," without good instruction, close observation, and a careful study of the theory and practice of the art. As to the best time of day for Partridge shooting. — In the early part of the season many sportsmen commence at daybreak ; in which case if the weather be sultry, they should leave off shooting at midday, say from 11 o'clock till 3, or 3.30; by so doing it will generally be found that they make a heavier bag than if they kept on toiling all through the heat of the day, when there is no scent for the dogs, and when it distresses them and fatigues the sportsmen to very little purpose. In cool weather, and later in the season, there is sometimes good scent and good sport all day long : it will then be more prudent to defer shooting until about 9 o'clock in the morning. In the months of November, December, and January, the mid-hours of the day are the best times for partridge shooting. It is not advisable to prolong the shooting a moment after sunset, particularly during the months of September and October. 162 THE DEAD SHOT. It breaks the haunts of the birds and makes them very wild, to shoot at them after sunset, and it is, besides, the certain means of driving them away to your neighbour.* From three to half-past five, during the early part of the season, is sometimes the best time of day for filling the game bag. The birds are then much scattered, and are running about in search of food. As a general rule, the afternoon shooting is con- siderably better than that between half-past eleven and two ; though from nine to eleven in the morn- ing is a favourable time, much, however, depends on the time of year, the state of the weather, the scent, and still more on the sportsman's mode of beating. When shot at in early season, partridges fly to turnip and mangel-wurzel fields, if near at hand. After heavy rains have subsided and the turnip tops become dry again, birds lie very close on being driven into a turnip field. In damp or cloudy weather, the scent is always strong and good ; but in dry or hot weather it is feeble and bad. Just before and after rain it is invariably strong. In very windy weather it is uncertain. During white frosts it is generally good, but in hard dry frosts, with east wind, the scent is feeble. Always give a dog the benefit of the wind ; that * See reasons and observations as to this, supra, p. 151. PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING. 163 is, hunt him towards the wind, not with it. By this means the dog will he enabled to find more game, and the birds will lie better. The young sportsman will find that birds He very much better if he can "head" them: that is, judiciously place himself in such a position that they lie between himself and the dog. This manoeuvre is not alwa} r s practicable, but when it is so, and the birds are wild, he will find the advantage of it. But do not attempt to " head " your game too often, as they may be running : and never do so except with a steady old dog that is "up to the dodge." It improves the hand, the nerve, the confidence, and consequently the shooting, to use the gun freely : do not pick or spare the shots if you wish to become a " dead shot." Many persons, through fear of being taken for "muffs," wait for good chances : and, as these are alwa} r s few and far between, where game is scarce, an inferior shot, by banging oftener, and at doubtful chances, beats the better shot, who makes a too careful selection. It should, however, be observed that there is a difference between using the gun freely, and firing indiscriminately at every head of game that rises, regardless of distances and improbabilities. If the mind becomes agitated on the sudden appearance of game, the sportsman so affected can- not shoot with accuracy. Partridges on rising sucl- M 2 164 THE DEAD SHOT. denly make a great " whirr " with their wings, which sometimes discomposes the nerves of young sportsmen and causes them to miss their aim. At an advanced period of the season every bird is watchful as a sentry, and extremely suspicious of the approach of man or dog : then, to my mind, the sport of partridge-shooting is sport indeed : and a brace of birds bagged in those days is worth two brace of September birds. Even in November and December, in parts of the country where partridges are not too frequently disturbed, nor much persecuted, they will lie well in fine weather. It is the frequency of the visits of the sportsman, and the thunder of his artillery that make them wild. The number of birds bagged by an indifferent shot at an advanced period of the season, is always very few ; particularly in a country where game is not over abundant. The best skill of the best shots is required in partridge-shooting, when the season is far advanced and the birds have become truly wild : for then, both with skill and experience combined, the sportsman often fails to make a satisfactory bag. When partridges are very wild, the sportsman should be doubly vigilant, and ready to fire within a moment of their rising from the ground. When they rise at long range, he should shoot whilst they are rising, and before they are well on the wing. rARTMDGE-SHOOTIXG. 1G5 By so doing, the chances of killing are very much in his favour if he shoots high enough ; because the birds look larger, and are more exposed to the effects of the shot, by reason of their feathers being ' all abroad,' and the vulnerable parts exposed : besides, too, the shot strikes with double force whilst the bird meets it on rising in the air, to what it does when the shot overtakes it flying swiftly away. When partridges are wild, if you expect to make a double shot, and bag a brace out of the covey, 3 t ou must be very quick with your first shot. Killing double shots in style when birds are wild, is one of the most distinguishing features of good shooting. It is the practice with some people in partridge- shooting, as soon as the birds become wild, to dispense with the services of pointers and setters, and to use a retriever only: a practice which answers tolerably well with shooting parties com- posed of three or four persons walking in line over every field at about twenty yards apart (more or less according to the growth or nature of the stubble or other cover), and doubling backwards and forwards if a large field ; and so, beating closely every enclosure. But it is laborious work, necessitating much walking and continual watchfulness ; as the game starts and rises without any warning to the sportsman ; and withal, close-lying birds are some- times passed over. 166 THE DEAD SHOT. The reasons given for this mode of beating are several: in the first place, partridges will not lie well to dogs after the first few weeks of the season ; and that dogs put up the birds in dry weather when the scent is feeble ; and further, that in turnips, potato, and other well-grown root-crops, dogs, by leaping over every ridge and bustling about the tops, put up more birds than the} 7 find ; and generally speaking, the ernuvia of white turnips mar the scent of the game, and so the dogs are unable to find it. For partridge-shooting in high-grown turnips, a couple of Clumber Spaniels carefully trained to the pursuit, to be mute, and to range close (i.e. not more than twenty or thirty yards from the gun), are to be preferred to pointers and setters, as the spaniels will procure the sportsman more shots than the others. Pointers and Setters carry their noses above the turnips, leaping over them, disturb- ing the birds, and putting them up far out of range without finding them : whereas the spaniels, by keeping their noses close to the ground and running under the leaves of the turnips, in the track of the birds, are sure to find and put them up. In the early part of the season, however, the turnips are not usualty high-grown ; and the birds then lie so well as to permit the dog to approach them very closely. PAHTKLDGE-SHOOTING. 1G7 Partridge-shooting is not now what it used to he in the days of the sickle, when stubbles knee-deep could be trodden on every farm, affording the best and favourite cover for the partridge. But now-a-days the scythe and the mowing- machine make a clean sweep of the stubbles ; and improved husbandly leaves no cover for the birds, except in the turnip, mangel, potato, and other root-cropped fields ; besides too, hedges are re- moved to make more room for agricultural pursuits, small fields are thrown open to large ones, and the few hedges that are left are trimmed down as closely as possible. No wonder then that the birds soon become restless, wary, and unapproachable in such unsheltered country. The proper sized shot for partridge-shooting in the early part of the season, are those known as No. 8. At the latter part of the season, when the birds are wild and strong, never use larger than No. 6, and those only, unless the gun be of large calibre, as No. 12 or 13. Increase your charge of powder if the gun will bear it; but take care not to load with too heavy a charge of shot. The distinguishing marks and tests by which young pa/rtridges may be known from old ones are these : In young birds the bill is brown, and the legs of a dusky yellow : in old birds the bill and legs are of a bluish white, the legs being a shade darker than the bill. 168 THE DEAD SHOT. Another test is that of suspending the bird by the lower mandible of its bill, holding it between the finger and thumb ; if the mandible bends, it is a young bird ; but if the weight of the bird's body fails to bend the mandible, it is an old one. These tests, however, like all others, cannot gene- rally be depended on after the month of Novem- ber ; because the young ones for the most part have, by that time, attained a nearly precise simi- larity to the parent birds. It is indispensably necessary, in order to keep up a stock of partridges, that the vermin should be destroyed. Every stoat, weasel, polecat, rat, hedge- hog, hawk, magpie, raven, jay, and other destructive creature, should be killed whenever seen on the estate ; and their nests and young searched for and destroyed. If a manor be watched ever so strictly,, unless the vermin are kept down, there will be no stock of game. Consider for a moment if there be only seven weasels on a manor ; and at the most moderate calculation, if each weasel kills only one head of game in each week throughout the year; that is 365 head of game per annum, to the ac- count of weasels alone ! and others might be esti- mated in like proportion ; to say nothing of the tenfold mischief during the season of incubation, when partridges and pheasants are seized by these blood-suckers whilst sitting on their eggs. COVEYS OF PARTRIDGES. 1G9 COVEYS OF PARTRIDGES. Young sportsmen, in their eagerness to fill the game-bag, are too often guilty of the wanton and unpardonable indiscretion of firing into a covey of partridges without aim at any one bird ; feeling certain of killing two or three at the least, but very often killing none, though wounding several. Such an indiscriminate proceeding, I need scarcely say, is as unsportsmanlike and injudicious, as it is cruel and unsatisfactory in its results. It is the central shots of the charge which are the effective ones ; and they cover only so small a space in the air, that in the absence of deliberate aim, the chances are more than two or three to one against killing any out of a covey of ten or fifteen, unless they happen to rise ' all in a heap,' which is seldom. And, as young sportsmen generally fire too soon, forgetting that the shot is more effective at a fair distance, than if either too near or too far ; the fact, that the whole covey often flies away, notwithstand- ing that both barrels have been fired into it, is thus easily to be accounted for. The sportsman should always endeavour to pick out the old birds of the covey, particularly in early season, when they are readily distinguished from the young ones by their larger size, and by their being the first to rise. The young birds of the 170 THE DEAD SHOT. covey do not so soon become wild and cunning, if deprived of their leaders. On a cove} r of partridges rising in front of the shooter, he should not fire at the nearest of the covey with his first barrel, but rather select, as the object of his aim, the farthest or leading bird; he will then have plenty of time to choose his second shot. The sportsman shows good judgment in reserving a near bird for his second barrel. It is discreditable to a sportsman to shoot more than one bird at a time with each barrel ; unless by chance another crosses the one he aims at, just at the moment of pulling trigger ; or, as sometimes happens, when two or three get up in line out of a furrow. Having selected one of the leading birds of the covey as the object of your aim, keep your eye upon it until it falls to your shot ; and though forty others rise in front of you, do not allow your attention to be diverted towards them, until you have killed the bird you purpose shooting; if you miss it, fire the second barrel at the same bird, lest it should go away wounded. In course of time (though books may fail to make the impression) the young sportsman will find from experience, that in order to make sure of bagging any at all out of a covey, he must fix his eye steadily and deliberately on one bird at a time ; and the instant that one falls to his first barrel, fix the eye COVEYS OF PARTRIDGES. 171 on another, and with the same deliberate steadiness repeated, the other falls to his second barrel, and so he bags a brace with certainty. If a covey be lost in the month of September, the sportsman may be assured it is not far off, but lies close, and very probably he has overrun it. Dispersed Coveys. — One of the best aids to success in making up a good bag in a country where game is scarce, is that of dispersing a covey; and then carefully marking the birds down, and flushing them singly. The manner in which a covey may be dispersed is this : — When the dog stands, walk round in an extensive circle, and then advance in the face of the dog, the birds lying between ; when they rise, some will fly in one direction and some in another, and sometimes almost eveiy bird will take a separate route. The experiment, however, is not always successful, particularly when the birds are wild, though at other times it is easy enough. It should never be attempted with any but an old or very steady dog. Instinct teaches partridges to disperse for their own safety, when they have been shot at two or three times in succession. If you succeed in dispersing the cove} T , you will find it necessary to beat for them very closely : dis- persed birds lie ' like stones on the ground/ to use & common phrase ; and in general they do not run 172 THE DEAD SHOT. or move after alighting, but drop, as it were, into a hiding-place ; so that the dogs are unable to wind them, except by passing within a few inches of their retreat. Whenever you know to a tolerable certainty where a bird has pitched, encourage your dog to search for and find it, and never allow him to leave the spot until he has found it. This gives the dog confidence in his master's supposed superior powers of scenting, or knowledge of the whereabouts of game ; and he will hunt the more willingly and sagaciously for such a master. A dispersed covey affords the partridge-shooter the finest sport he can wish for ; particularly among tufts of long coarse grass, fern, rushes, or some such cover, into which the birds pitch and squat until fairly kicked out, whilst the dog stands point- ing in the most firm and interesting manner ; and often the bird is within a few inches of the animal's nose. The mistake of young sportsmen at these, the easiest shots he can possibly hope for, is, that he shoots too soon ; and so, either misses the bird, entirety, or cuts it all to pieces, " Spite of the rules of art lie must let fly, In one of two extremes — too far or else too nigh." There are certain peculiarities belonging to dis- persed coveys, which it is important to the young. THE FLIGHT OF PARTRIDGES. 173 sportsman to notice. If the covey be dispersed in the month of October, they generally squat several hours in their lurking-place, if undisturbed ; but they will not lie so long in the month of September ; and in wet weather they squat only a very short time, and sometimes commence piping to their mates after having squatted a few minutes. When dispersed at mid-day, or during hot weather, they are likely to lie quietly in their places of con- cealment several hours ; particularly if they have chosen the long cool grass of a fen or meadow ; it is therefore necessary under such circumstances, to search longer and to beat closer for them on those occasions. If the covey be dispersed early in the morning, it will assuredly re-assemble within a short time ; and the same if dispersed late in the evening. "When closely pursued and often disturbed, Part- ridges sometimes drop into the most improbable places. Many a good stray shot is unexpectedly made in this manner, at some straggler which has deserted the covey. THE FLIGHT OF PARTRIDGES. The partridge is one of the most powerful birds on wing, of any that exists among the game species. With wonderful rapidity, consequently wonderful 174 THE DEAD SHOT. power, it rises perpendicularly from the ground into the air, on being suddenly disturbed, particularly when in small fields with high fences. Whatever the height of the fence, if within fifty yards of it, the partridge, on sudden alarm, rises as high or higher than the top, at its first spring from the ground. As the season advances partridges rise wilder, higher, swifter, and more suddenly. But in large fields, with low fences, they do not rise so high on being disturbed, unless their fright and alarm are very great. The steadiest flight of partridges is in the morn- ing before ten o'clock. On first finding them pre- viously to that hour, they usually rise quietly, steadily, and sometimes sluggishly : the young sportsman should be prepared — it is his best chance. Their longest and wildest flight is made on being, disturbed between the hours of twelve and two in the day : particularly if twice or thrice within an hour. Their swiftest* flight, and that at which it is most difficult to kill them, is when fleeing from the fright of having been shot at ; and also when flying down wind. When disturbed on the slope of a hill or moun- tain, they do not rise up so perpendicularly as when flushed on level ground. THE FLIGHT OF PARTRIDGES. 1 I With reference to the various allowances of aim, to be made for variety and speed of flight, regard must always be had to the line or direction in which the bird is flying : for instance, the greatest allowance of all must be made for a bird crossing at right angles to the right or left. The reader will under- stand that by greatest allowance I mean, the aim must be more in advance of the bird for such shots than for any others. Whilst taking these calculations into considera- tion the young sportsman must remember, that although a bird may be killed, almost with cer- tainty at fifty yards, on crossing at right angles from right to left, and vice versa ; yet the bird could not be killed at that distance with the same certainty if flying straight from the sportsman, though more than half the shot should actually strike it: the reason is obvious ; in the one case the shot, in its progress, encounters a firm object at a right angle : or, as it may be said, force meets force, as the bird flies into the shot ; in the other case it is a race be- tween the shot and the bird ; and though the shot assuredly overtakes the bird, its force, after travelling fifty yards through the air, is materially weakened, and by reason of both substances moving rapidly in the same direction, it strikes feebly, almost harm- lessly, sometimes scarcely penetrating the skin, particularly if the flight of the bird was very rapid. The flight of the partridge, as of other birds, is 176 THE DEAD SHOT. considerably increased in swiftness by a strong wind when the bird moves with it : and, on the other hand, the flight is sometimes very much impeded when the bird flies against the wind : the sportsman must therefore present and aim accordingly. The extent of the flight of a covey of partridges on being flushed, varies very much, as regards distance, according to the country in which they dwell. In level countries they seldom fly very far on being disturbed : but in hilly countries they sometimes fly unaccountable distances, particularly in the latter part of the season. If once they acquire the habit of taking long flights, they are sure to repeat it on being much disturbed. In some places you may often have a mile or more to walk before reaching them again ; and if game is scarce, sport, in such case, is more a toil than a pleasure. PARTRIDGE DKIVING. The pursuit of partridge driving is now much practised in some localities during the latter part of the season, when the birds have become very wild ; particularly if the fields are large, and barren of ground cover of any kind. A hilly, or undulating country is best suited to the sport. The modus operandi is nearly identical with that PARTRIDGE DRIVING. 177 of grouse-driving (infra, page 199). The arrange- ments and equipments of the drive, with the mode of beating, are the same as in grouse-driving, or as nearly so as the nature of the ground and other cir- cumstances will admit. And similar precautions on the part of the sportsmen as to keeping out of sight behind the batteries, and preserving strict silence, must be observed. Skill and dexterity of the highest order are required at the hands of the sportsman who would hit with precision either driven partridges or driven grouse. Both the one and the other when passing at full flight, whether high or low, go at a very rapid pace, so that the greatest possible smartness and pre- cision are requisite at the hands of the sportsman. And with both combined, the chances of bagging a brace as the} r pass overhead, or to right or left in such rapid flight, are but momentary. The very critical instant must be seized upon, or the chance is gone. It is, unquestionably, sharp shooting and smart practice, particularly in windy weather. Slow or inexperienced hands can rarely hit single birds under such circumstances ; they usually allow them to pass out of range before the gun is brought to the shoulder. The best skill of the most practised sportsman is sometimes taxed to the utmost to bring down a bird with each barrel. Successful shooting at driven partridges, or grouse, is a true test of skill and dexterity in the use of the gun. x 178 THE DEAD SHOT. Partridge driving is sometimes pursued with the object of driving the birds into large turnip fields or other close ground cover, when, having succeeded in so doing, the sportsmen beat the field in line, without the aid of pointers or setters. This mode of driving, however, seldom succeeds except where there is an extensive acreage of root crops, or other good ground cover. But where there is such, it is seldom necessary to resort to any other mode of driving. THE ARTIFICIAL KITE. Amongst the various modern contrivances for aiding the sportsman in his pursuits, particularly that of partridge shooting when the birds are wild, is the lawn (or paper) kite, made to resemble a hawk hovering in the air, when flown over the fields with kite-string, as a boy flies his kite : the object being to delude and terrify the birds, and so cause them to lie close, in order that the sportsman may approach within range. The kite (or artificial hawk, as it may be termed) usually answers tolerably well just at first, whilst novel to the birds ; but they soon be- come accustomed to the fraud, and set the artificial kite at defiance, disregarding alike its hovering motion as well as its threatening attitude. TOWERING BIRDS. 179 TOWERING BIRDS. The " towering " of a shot bird is one of those curious and interesting phenomena which, though singular to behold, is puzzling alike to the sportsman and naturalist. Towering is the last gasp or death-struggle of a dying bird, when mortally wounded in some particular part; though the precise nature and locality of the wound which affects the bird so remarkably as to cause it to make such an extra- ordinary and beautiful effort in its dying moments, has never been ascertained with sufficient certainty to satisfy the curious inquirer. It is of frequent occurrence in the field, as every sportsman knows ; and it happens alike to birds of every kind when hit in the same manner. It occurs in this way: — The bird, after being mortally wounded, flies two or three hundred yards in a horizontal line ; and then, by a sudden effort and peculiar flutter of its wings, combined with a strong muscular exertion made in its dying moments, darts up in the air, several yards, apparently in a true perpendicular line, with its neck extended, beak pointed upwards, and wings drooping at its side ; when, being dead, it falls as a stone to the ground. There is no motion of the bird's wings as it rises perpendicularly; having gained an impetus by the peculiar, but desperate flutter before referred to, n 2 180 THE DEAD SHOT. the position it takes in towering is precisely that of a dead bird when suspended by its beak ; with the exception only, that the feet do not hang down, but are drawn up close to the breast. It has often been the subject of discussion and speculation among sportsmen and naturalists as to what it is that causes a bird to tower ; or rather, in what particular part the bird receives its mortal wound, so as to cause it to perform so pretty and interesting an evolution in the air. Some sa}^ it only occurs when the bird receives a shot in the head or brain ; others affirm that it arises from a shot going through the liver ; others from a wound in the spine : but without asserting anything positive upon so truly scientific an inquiry, I am disposed to think it arises from a mortal wound in one of the main arteries of the heart, causing the vein to burst, and fill the throat with blood, and so producing asphyxia. The throat and beak of birds which in my experience have fallen dead after towering, I have generally found full of blood. When birds are struck by a shot in the eyes, and half or wholly blinded, they sometimes hover and twist about in a very grotesque manner ; or soar up high in the air, and then fall to the ground with wings extended, and not unfrequently head fore- most ; but that is not towering ; a towering bird dies in the air : it is only in its death-struggle that TOWERING BIRDS. 181 a bird actually towers ; and when it does so, it assuredly falls to the ground dead. I have seen wounded wild-fowl which I have shot on the water, swim round and round in small circles, as if in great bewilderment ; and on capturing them have found them blinded in one or both eyes, and bleeding from the head and eyes, with no other wound about them ; a single shot having struck the bird in the eye and gone through or into its head. But birds so struck do not tower. I have sometimes seen w r ounded partridges and grouse soar very high in the air, as if in imitation of the act of towering, and then fall to the ground, but not head foremost ; nor have they risen up in the air in that true perpendicular line which the towering bird takes, nor have they always fallen lifeless : on the contraiy, I have occasionally seen such birds get up again and fly away. But this is not towering. The true towering of a dying bird is a very interesting sight, and no one who has ever seen it would mistake it for the mock tower of a bird that is merely wounded. Whenever a bird towers, in the strict sense of the word, it falls to the ground dead; and is usually found lying on its back. Towering birds are sometimes difficult to find ; particularly if they fly across a field or two before towering, which is often the case. There being no trail to help the dogs, except at the exact spot 182 THE DEAD SHOT. where the bird falls, the retrieving a towered bird depends almost entirely on the accurate marking of the sportsman or his attendants. As a reliable and invariable rule, a towered bird never falls so far off as it appears to do to the human eye. FRENCH PARTRIDGES. Very little has been written on the subject of shooting the red-legged or French partridge. The reason is, probably, that but few of the authors of books on shooting have been accustomed to them. Indeed, most of the English counties are entirely free of the nuisance of French partridges, though it is matter of regret that they are nearly as numerous in some parts of Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk, as English partridges. It appears that French partridges were first intro- duced to this country by the last Earl of Rochford, on his estate in Essex, at a time when he resided a good deal at his favourite residence, St. Osyth Priory, in that county. They are also said to have been introduced by a former Marquis of Hertford, upon his estate in Suffolk. Both of these noble- men are said to have imported hundreds of the eggs y as well as large numbers of the birds, which were distributed over their estates ; and so in the course FRENCH PARTRIDGES. 183 of a few years they became very numerous. A former Duke of Northumberland is also said to have hatched and preserved them on one of his estates. The favourite haunts of French partridges are hills and fallows; and in winter, they often take refuge in woods and [thick-set hedges, particularly when closely pursued, or when the snow lies thickly upon the ground. In the west of England there are none, or at least they are among the vara avis tribe. It is probable that this may not be the case many years longer, as they are apparently increasing in num- bers ; and are gradually creeping into neighbouring counties. Those who wish to be rid of them should destroy their nests in spring, and kill the old birds during deep snows, when they are unable to run, and when they hide in the hedge-rows and neigh- bouring woods. A wet egging season is even more unfavourable to the hatching of French partridges than of English ones. The French birds will not sit long on their eggs in wet weather, if exposed to the rain, for though bold and pugnacious in their nature, they appear to lack the courage or endurance of English birds, in facing cold and wet in spring time ; and so they forsake their eggs, and take shelter in the hedges. French partridges are of a pugnacious disposition, 184 THE DEAD SHOT. and fight the English birds whenever they meet them ; particularly the cock birds in the spring of the year : and as the French birds are larger and heavier than the others, they undoubtedly gain the mastery, and so the English endeavour to keep away from them. The two species are never found associating in each other's company, but a French bird will sometimes drive an English sitting-bird off its nest. At the present day, French partridges are looked upon by almost every sportsman as a nuisance ; and their flesh, though whiter and more pheasant-like in appearance, is inferior in flavour to that of the English partridge. If, on entering a field, the dog stands at a covey of French partridges, the sportsman may be assured they will run some distance before getting up ; pro- bably across the field to the farther end, and then rise a long way out of range ; and so they spoil the dog, make him unsteady, eager and doubtful with English birds, which would otherwise lie well, but the dog, fancying they are going to run like French birds, across the field, in his attempts to follow them, puts them up before the sportsman approaches. French birds are always reluctant to fly until they have run a long distance, sometimes across two or three fields ; and it is only by out- witting them or by a familiar acquaintance with their habits, that the sportsman can get a shot at them. Often when you think they have all left the FRENCH PARTRIDGES. 185 field, they get up one at a time near the fence, close by you, behind you and everywhere but where you expect to see them ; rising as noiselessly as possible, and very different to English partridges, which generally give a startling warning when they get up, such as may be heard across the whole field, or farther. French partridges never lie well to the sportsman in the fields ; they baffle both the cunning of the dogs and the skill of the shooter, especially any one unaccustomed to their habits. The sportsman and his dog no sooner enter a field in which a cove}- of French partridges are lying, and begin to beat it at one end, than the Frenchmen may be seen at the other end, getting up singly, in the most provoking manner, and topping the fences as glibly and noiselessly as their cunning will permit them. The fact is, that they scatter themselves directly danger threatens, and run at an astonishing pace towards the fences at the far end of the field : and this artifice they repeat from field to field, leading the sportsman who is bold enough to pursue them, a fruitless chase ; more so in fact than a " wild-goose chase." The sports- man's only chance, on such occasions, is at single- birds, from a scattered covey, which may happen to hide in a ditch or hedge that is too thick for free running. But the worst of all is, that these birds unsettle the English partridges, which, but for the 186 THE DEAD SHOT. French, would lie well : and so they spoil what would otherwise be good sport. When much persecuted, French partridges soon give in ; probably they run so much when pursued that they tire themselves ; and so, a bold start often ends in a cowardly resignation, by the bird hiding in a ditch. Special Instructions for Shooting French Partridges. Having given an outline of the nature and habits of French partridges, I will now proceed to advise the young sportsman as to the best mode of shoot- ing them. In the early part of the shooting season, young French birds may be killed with the same facility as English partridges ; but, on arriving at maturity, they inherit all the cunning of the old birds ; and unless they can be driven into clover-seed, thick stubble, long grass, or some such cover, where they cannot run either fast or far, they are difficult to get at. In mangold wurtzel and turnips, they will run across the field, in the furrows, just as quickly as if it were a barren plain. The best plan is, as the season advances, for two or more sportsmen to go together in pursuit of French partridges ; and enter the field at the same time, but in opposite directions, one at each end, FRENCH PARTRIDGES. 187 and both walking towards the centre of the field in line with the furrows, not across them ; this plan generally succeeds, because the birds by running along the furrows from one sportsman encounter the other ; and very often, both obtain good shots, and thoroughly disperse the covey. The scheme answers best on marking a covey into a field of turnips or beet-root, or any other good ground cover. But young sportsmen must be cautious not to shoot each other, nor to fire in any direction towards his companion, who may be approaching from an opposite direction; and never attempt this manoeuvre in a hilly field, nor on any but open ground, where each sportsman can see the other all the while. There is one branch of the sport of French part- ridge-shooting, which affords splendid practice, and that is, when the snow lies thickly on the ground in new-fallen flakes. At such a time these birds are entirely at the merc} T of the sportsman ; they can- not run far in the snow, consequently are deprived of the very means of using their cunning, and they hide in the fences, where they may be easily tracked, turned out, and shot. The proper way is for two sportsmen to walk quietly, one on each side the fence, with a couple of dogs and beaters ; the birds are then put up directly in front of the sportsmen ; each of whom confines his shooting to his own side of the fence. 188 THE DEAD SHOT. French partridges may be driven out in this man- ner, and killed with certainty, by the most ordinary shot. If you have no companion, take the windward side of the hedge and send your dog to leeward, so as to give him the better chance of scenting the birds and driving them out on your side. If having a companion you have choice of sides, take the windward side ; and the chances are that you will get double the number of shots by so doing : because the dog winds the birds from the leeward side and puts them out on the other. An experienced sportsman will sometimes kill as many in a good deep snow, as on the first day of the shooting season : and many sportsmen prefer the winter sport to the best day in the whole month of September: it is, truly, fine practice where the birds are numerous ; and no matter how wild they have previously been, the snow so completely tames and deprives them of the use of their legs, that they fall easy victims. Try nothing but the fences and small copses ; and take care to mark those down which fly away. The sportsman always rejoices at the victory which a heavy fall of snow enables him to make over these troublesome birds. He should take care to be out on an expedition of the kind early in the morning ; and the birds are sure to be found in the fences. If he is desirous FRENCH PARTRIDGES. 189 of exterminating the race of French partridges on his estate, a week's continuation of deep snows will afford him every opportunity of so doing : the pre- viously wild and unapproachable species can be advanced upon as they skulk in the fences, and may be driven out at the sportsman's feet ; they are thus entirely at his mercy, if he be only a tolerable shot, for they are deprived of the very secret of their cunning and means of evasion, which lie entirely in their legs. The sportsman should spare his English birds in deep snows, if he wishes to preserve them ; and keep down the race of the French. In November and December when the root crops are off the fields, French partridges congregate in large coveys on the fallows : then is the time to pursue them b} T the "driving" system; but they are not so easy to manage for the " drive " as English birds. With a little manoeuvring, however, and a judicious plant of guns, they may be driven over the heads of the hidden sportsmen, and killed by skilful shots ; but they are birds of swift and power- ful flight when driven, and require hard hitting, with considerable dexterity in the manipulation of the gun. 190 THE DEAD SHOT. GROUSE-SHOOTING : WITII OBSERVATIONS ON THE HAUNTS AND HABITS OF GllOUSE. Grouse-shooting is one of the most attractive of all our recreations with dog and gun ; at the same time it is an exceedingly laborious one, on any other than well-stocked moors ; and, happily for those who possess them, there are many moors in Scot- land where grouse are as abundant in the month of August, as partridges on a well-preserved manor in England in the month of September. It is matter of regret, however, that there are too in Scotland, many hundreds of acres of heather where the familiar note of the grouse is seldom heard, and where the weary sportsman may toil in vain for sport ; for alas ! the moor is nearly barren of the attractive objects of his search. The poachers have so many devices for taking grouse, and cheap guns are so readily obtainable, that where there are no vigilant game-keepers, the poachers skim the moor and take the cream of the sport before the English sportsman arrives. There are many circumstances that are calculated to inspire a greater love for grouse-shooting, in the breasts of some sportsmen, than for either of the sister sports of partridge and pheasant shooting. In the first place it is the earliest sport of the season with dog and gun, and affords an oppor- r~\ ON THE MOOR GROUSE-SHOOTING. 191 tunity, during a sultry time of the year, of enjoying amidst lovely scenery the cooling breezes of the Highlands and the fresh mountain air. Grouse-shooting, when good, is unquestionably fine sport and fine exercise. It is essential, how- ever, that he who pursues it energetically should be not only a skilful shot and keen marksman, but also an abstemious man so far as alcoholic drinks are concerned. There is always more or less of hill-climbing in the sport, which to the vigorous is but joyous exercise, but to others very laborious work ; and the more zealously the sport is pursued, the greater are the courage and self-denial that are requisite in order to enable the sportsman to enjoy its pleasures and endure without inconvenience the fatigue which assuredly belongs to mountain climbing. Then there is the bright and cheering prospect of sport in pure air, amidst varied, beautiful and exten- sive mountain scenery ; air that is alike bracing to the nerves and exhilarating to the spirits, and so alwa} T s encouraging to an ardent sportsman. Grouse are by nature hardy birds, they hatch their young in April or early in May. If the spring is mild and sunny, it considerably favours the growth of young grouse ; which then become strong and even powerful on the wing, by the commence- ment of the shooting season. But if the spring be 192 THE DEAD SHOT. wet and cold, the young fledgelings, like young partridges, will have a perilous time of it ; and the consequence will be that the broods will be small both in number and size. In addition to the perils encountered by the young birds in a cold, wet spring, grouse are subject to the scourge of periodical visitations of epidemical disease ; the mortality arising from which is sometimes so serious, as to very nearly put a stop to sport for a couple of seasons at the least, over vast tracts of moorland. The epidemic is fit- ful, sometimes passing on from moor to moor for many miles ; at others only affecting here and there a broad tract of country. Grouse disease, so called, is a subtle epidemic which has been attributed to various causes ; but it may well be doubted if any one has yet been able to show satisfactorily from what source the germs of the disease originate. Grouse, when very young, are called "cheepers." At the commencement of the season, whilst the birds are young, they are tame enough for most sportsmen; but as the season advances, and they become stronger on the wing, they are not to be shot by any but well practised marksmen. "Whilst the birds are young they do not fly far on being disturbed ; but when older they are more canny, and fly to greater distances. In sporting phraseology a "brood" of grouse GROUSE-SHOOTING. 193 signifies what of partridges is termed a " covey ; " a