The Washington herald., 1907-08-04

London, Aug. 3.-Grouse shooting opens
on the 18th, and long before that date
there viii begin an exodus of the London
aristocracy TO the moorlands Of Scotland.
OF course. men viii predominate, but
Of late years women have participated in
what is called the biggest sport, and
some of the biggest bags of a day on
the heather are credited to them. I'm
fortunately, also. they too often partici-
pate in the cruel and degrading pastime
of trap shooting. when the slaughter OF
innocent and helpless birds becomes with
them an apparent delight
This form Of sport is discouraged by the
Queen, but that # is extensively indulged
in by the sporting clubs of the country
there can be no doubt.
Shooting at Clay Birds.
It goes without saying that a woman
no more than a man can become a first
class shot without an infinite amount Of
practice and experience. and, moreover
unless she has a natural genius for the
gun. a great markswoman cannot be
made, no matter how excellent her teach
ing may be or how frequent her practice
and wide her experience. But with proper
instruction it is quite possible for the
average woman TO become a very passa-
BILE shot. and there is no doubt that the
increasing number of reliable markswom-
en- to be seen at all big shoots is due to
the fact that far more attention is paid
TO the education of the modern sports
woman than was the case ten or twelve
years ago
The West London Shooting School is
crowded at this time of the year with
women learning the elements of sport
with the gun, or practicing for the 18th"
al the imitation birds, which afford eX-
cellent sport for practice. SO excellent
indeed, is this mimic sport that such
notable spoTtsmen as Lord BalfOur, Of
Burleigh. the Duke of Roxburghe, and
many others come here to get their eye
in before the shooting season opens and
the real warfare begins.
Training of Women.
The first thing an aspiring sportswoman
has 10 learn Is to acquire ready and
graceful style. A bad style when once ac-
quired can never be got rid of; it always
spoils the accuracy Of aim, and what is
perhaps worse. from d womans point of
view, is that it makes her look anything
but graceful
The correct methods Of holding the gun.
bringing it TO the shoulder and taking aim
have ali to be studied carefully and mas
tered befores the embryo sportswoman
advances any further in her sporting ed
Ucation.
After these initiatory lessons have been
thoroughly mastered. the aspiring sports
woman can try her hand at knocking over
driven grouse, which is shooting Of an ex-
ceptionally difficult character. The pupil
is posted I'm grouse butt precisely as she
would be on the moors. and the mimic
birds come flying toward her at terrific
speed, the flight being rather low. as is
usually the case with driven game.
in this position she learns how to take
approaching shots, and by wheeling
quickly round she can practice at the
birds as they go whirring past the butts.
BY the time sportswOman is able TO
knock over these birds with any degree
of certainty she has made considerable
headway TO becoming quite a passable
markswoman. for they are very tricky
shooting, and put her skill 10 a severe
test.
Like Pheasant Shooting Best.
OF all classes of sport with the gun.
pheasant shooting appeals perhaps more
to the average woman than any other. as
1t involves so little walking exercise com
pared, at all events. to partridge or
grouse shooting.
y The method of giving instruction in this
sort of sport is 10 place the pupil some
few yards from a high tower representing
hillside, down which the pheasants
would come flying in real sport
The clay birds are dispatched from the
top Of the tower on their flight through
the air, and pass over the heads of the
gunneTs below at a tremendous speed.
affording the most realistic sport and
splendid practice
Shooting at these clay birds is really
exciting, and if aristocratic women
stopped at this there would be no harm
done. But live bird shooting from traps is
another thing, and the sooner it Is
frowned down by public opinion the bet
ter. Shooting on the moors should also
be Stunned by every woman of dignity
and refinement. But 1t is the fashion. and
In England the fashion rules