Foreword

This book deals with small game hunting, a sport which makes a direct contribution to big game hunting skills. The relationship between big and small game hunting is seldom stressed, and when it is stressed, it is seldom that tech­niques are examined in detail to show how small game hunting improves big game hunting skills. One cannot be a mediocre squirrel hunter, and at the same time a skillful deer hunter. The two techniques go together.

Of course, small game hunting is an end within itself. There is no more satisfying hunting than taking squirrel in the autumn hardwoods, cottontail rabbit when the first frost touches the upland pastures with its magic, ruffed grouse in heavy cover and raccoon along the river bottoms and swamps. Truly, one could spend a lifetime in the small game coverts, finding the game always worthy of the best hunting skills. They are our best teachers of woodcraft, rifles and shotgun field techniques.

Rifles, handguns and shotguns considered in this book are those which I have found well qualified for small game hunting by personal use. I have followed common hunter word usage in calling all auto-loading firearms "automatics."

I am going small game hunting—you come, too!

Francis E. Sell
Riverton, Origon