Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-05-09

men some valuable rules, which, if they
would not die in autumn when the coro.
ner is busily engaged in seeking a re.
election, they would do well to follow.
Having once been an amateur sports.
man myself, and having in my time
narrowly missed killing two or three
birds, aud five or six Of my friends who
were reckless enough TO stay in the same
field with me while ! was shooting. /
can justly claim to know something of
the subject hersin discuss.
Before setting ont on a gunbing cxpc
dition be sure that your grrn,is loaded
Iaa S9Icadsd Sss is always tle more
:! seeFohsSo- tesapate;.D sportsman. 1t
fitis tbs m0st peosIrew "''
Do not carele>sly handle your gun in
the house, or you may seriously damage
the Iric.a. Lrac.
y breech loader IS the safer gun for
you, though it is more dangerous than
muzzle loader to your dog or any other
living thing that happens to be in front
of you willie you load.
If you are cunning with another ANA
teur sportsman, get behind tree when
you see him preparing to shoot. Tie
bigger the tree and the closer you stand
to it the safer you will be.
Ifyou should accideptly shoot a farm
er's COW, do not stay to make an explain
alton TO tie farmer or try to excuse
yourself with the plea that the darned
old COW ran in front OF your gun just as
II went off. Hurry On to the next farm
without waiting 10 reload.
Never climb 4 fence with gun in
your hands or pull the gun after you by
the muzzle. lfyou must climb fence
while cunning, throw the gun over first,
keeping the muzzle always from you,
then climb yourself
Don't tiy TO kill two birIs with one
charge unui you have practiced awhile |
on one bird otherwise You may wear
yoursel If QUO very early in the game.
Don't take vour own dog with you ifI
you can borrow one tIom a friend You
will naturally feel that your friends dog
can be spared better than YOUR own dog.
Never take your gun by the muzzle
and punch with the butt in a brush heap
to start out the game. The premature
discharge that in this case is likely to
occur hlay frishten the game away too
suddenly and surprise you to such an
extent that in the hurry of the moment
; ou will forget to observe which way the
game goes.
If your gun is muzzle loader, do not
put the shot in first and the powder on
top. The amateur sportsman who loads
his gun in this way is apt to become dis
cour2ged before the day is half done.
But there is one adyantage-he never
shoots himself
lfyOu see farmer coming hurriedly
toward lou with long gun oil his shoui-
Ter and malice IN his eye, do not wait to
earn the cause of his haste or the object
If his mission. His appearance is indi-
'atlve OF malarious neighborhood, and
1ou should 60 away from tnis locality as
quietly and as speedily as possible.
After ' ou have missed ten or fifteen
birds, and have shot off one OF the ears
md a piece of the tail of your dog, it will ,
'e time to est your lunch, if You have
my with you. Thereafter, if your dog ,
walks behind you and refuses TO hunt, !
10 not think hls conduct strange. 1t is !
'ery easily explained he is just begin ,
ing to get ac9uair ted with you. andhas :
earned. perhaps, that you are IN ama- !
eur sportsman. He has probably b. en- 8
ut with amateur spOrtsmen before. You
hould seek To restore his confidence in ,
'ou. or he will be likely to 90 home, :
eaving you tc conclude the lays sport
lone. ;