Polishing your form

Perhaps always carrying a gun is a step too far — but continual gun handling and aiming will make you a better Shot, reasons Scolopax

figures are involved, is admittedly a tremendous undertaking. But, for all that, it is within our reach — if we train for it and keep in training. Of course, it is often a surprise to find how well we shoot after a prolonged absence from the field. But fate is sometimes kind and lets us down gently.

Easy target

“It gave me a nice shot.” It is common enough to hear such a remark. Just what does that mean? Does it mean that the bird obliged by making itself an easy target? Or does it mean that it presented itself in such a way that it exacted a worthy measure of skill from its opponent in the shooting?

If I were absent for a long time from the field, I fear I would be inclined to regard the bird that gave me an easy shot as one that gave me a nice shot. Moreover, it is generally advantageous that the returning wanderer should be gently reinitiated in his sport, in order that due encouragement should be his lot. It serves little good purpose to be confronted with such difficult beginnings that a beginning can scarcely be made.

Last winter, when I began to shoot snipe again, I was let in for a whole series of as devilish shots as ever snipe can give. I just was not in training for those birds. I greatly doubt whether the best of snipe Shots, on top of his form, would have killed more than one out of three, even using No 8 shot

— and plenty of it. I had to be content with No 6 shot and killed about one bird in five. Do not forget that a very famous snipe Shot employed 1⅛oz of No 9 shot — which runs 580 pellets to the ounce. He evidently had no false conceptions as to what was needed.

Culinary interest

Rabbits seem to have survived the past six years better than most other things. I do not know how they have done it. I am glad. We need their sport and the food they supply. But I doubt whether hares have come through nearly as well. Not that hares should be of shooting or culinary interest at present. But there are those who shoot and eat rabbits all through the spring and summer.

I met a man who used to take part in some of the great Wiltshire hare drives in former years. On one occasion, during 10 days’ shooting, more than 4,000 hares were bagged. About 100 beaters were employed, the number of Guns varying from day to day — depending on local house parties, farmers and their movements, and so on.

Even during rook shooting it is possible to learn something of marksmanship. I always remember the look of disgust to which a certain relative treated me when I said that I had been shooting rooks with a gun. A rifle was what he used, and nothing but a rifle. I used, and still use, a rifle but not invariably. Today, it is a question of both expediency and cartridges. In the old days to which I refer a gun was often needed to deal with the fliers.

And it should be appreciated that the depredations of rooks were a matter of concern, even in those days of plenty before the war. Rooks and pigeons were not then classed as vermin but their habits and their appetites were the same.

It is easy enough to miss the young rook on its first venturesome flight from the rookery tree to the adjacent oak. Its movement could scarcely be slower and straighter. That is the catch. For we owe a lot to the fast movement of game, to the way in which it spurs us to keep pace with it. But the young rook shows us up by the very simplicity of the shot it presents.

One eye shut

The shooter who keeps one eye shut is likely to score better at these young, uncertain rooks than the more orthodox game Shot who keeps both eyes open. There are quite a lot of people who shoot with one eye closed. In a part of the country in which I spent a few days last winter, I found myself in a small circle of shooting men, mostly farmers, all of whom kept the left eye closed.

They could all shoot, too. Indeed, to them it was the exception to hear of somebody who kept both eyes open. For one remarked, “Mr W always shot with both eyes open,” as though this were an exceptional bit of news. The late Mr W was well known to me as a first-class Shot.

I have watched these one-eye shooters quite a bit. What surprises

“Even the best of snipe Shots would have struggled to kill more than one out of three”

me is the rapidity with which they get on to their targets. In theory, they should be a little less quick in their alignment. In practice, they appear to be the same as the two-eyed performer. One of the best I know is a deadly shot at most game. He uses a hammergun, “because the hammers help me to sight my bird”.

Well, there it is. If it takes all sorts to make a world, it certainly takes all sorts to make up a shooting party. But this matter of shooting with one eye closed bristles with points of interest. I have no idea of the rough average of persons who do it. However, I suspect that certain men only imagine that they shoot in this way

This article was first published in the 27 April 1946 issue of Shooting Times.

“In the great hare drives, when more than 10,000 were bagged, some 100 beaters were employed”

“Rabbits seem to have survived the past six years; we need the sport and the food they supply”

“I have not felt turned out properly without a gun”