Page:The Hare.djvu/118

94 but to kill it properly by shooting it in the proper place.

A fully choked gun in skilful hands is very effective in the open fields, and it is surprising to see the distances at which hares can be killed, and well killed, one after another, with such a weapon; but for shooting in covert or for rabbit-shooting such a gun will not do. It requires considerable ability to hit ground game at all, at short ranges, with a weapon of this sort, and when hit the creature is as often as not cut in two or blown to pieces. For general purposes a gun very slightly choked, if at all, in the right barrel, and what is termed 'medium choke' in the left, will do very well; and, indeed, for all game such a weapon is in ordinary hands the most suitable. Most people would find their general shooting vastly improved if they put their pride in their pocket, had very nearly all the 'choke' taken out of their brand-new hammerless ejectors, and gave up trying to achieve those amazing 'gallery shots' which are very effective, no doubt, when they do come off, but which are successful only at such an interval of time as is described in certain circles as a 'blue moon.'