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SHootinc Canvas Backs FROM A BLIND, 


AMERICAN = 


WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. | 


CONTAINING 


FULL AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS 


OF THE 


HAUNTS, HABITS, AND METHODS OF SHOOTING WILD-FOWL, 
PARTICULARLY THOSE OF THE WESTERN 
STATES OF AMERICA. 


INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING 


GUNS, BLINDS, BOATS, AND DECOYS, 


THE TRAINING OF WATER-RETRIEVERS, ETC. 
THE TRUE HISTORY OF 


CHOKE-BORES, THE THEORY OF THEIR ACTION ON THE CHARGE; 
CONSTRUCTION, LOADING, ETC, 


WITH A CORRECT METHOD OF 


TESTING THE SHOOTING POWERS OF SHOT-GUNS. 


IBN 


JOSEPH W. LONG. 


Se 


NEW YORK: 
ORANGE JUDD COMPANY, 
245 BROADWAY. 
bss of eae 


CoPyYRIGHT 


LONG. 


e 
ES 
Lal 
Oo 
= 
a 


TO MY FRIEND 


PRED KIMBLE: 
of Peoria, Illinois, 


A CRACK DUCK-SHOT AND AN HONEST MAN, 
EELS: BOOK 


Is AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. 


BY 


Xts Author. 


ee F row 
. her « . 
(ote! Lor <@ Fi 


TOL ate 2 be ees 


INTRODUCTION, 
Guns, . 5 
BLINDS, . 
DEcoys, 


CLO ay IN EB, 


CHAPTER I. 


CHAPTER II. 


CHAPTER III. 


CHAPTER IV. 


Boats AND Boat-BuiILpIne, 


Dogs, 


CAMPING OuvT, 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS, 


CHAPTER V. 


CHAPTER VI. 


. . . . 


CHAPTER VII. 


PAGE, 


13 


19 


45 


55 


93 


« 102 


eon a 


x CONTENTS, 


» PAGE. 
CHAPTER VIII. 

MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL, . ie VO. Me ere 
CHAPTER IX. 

MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL, . A . : 5 . 149 
CHAPTER X. 

EVENING MALLARD SHOOTING—F'ALL, . Evans 4 - sa wl64 
CHAPTER XI. 

CORN-FIELD MALLARD SHOOTING—WINTER, : : - . 169 
CHAPTER XII. 

MALLARD SHOOTING AT HoLES IN THE IcE—WINTER, . . 173 
CHAPTER XIII. 

MALLARD SHOOTING IN THE TIMBER—SPRING, ‘ ° bs ghee 
CHAPTER XIV. 

BLUE-WINGED TEAL, : z : Suis “soars . 182 
CHAPTER XV. 

GREEN-WINGED TEAL, . Z : omits a : « het ED 
CHAPTER XVI. 

PUNTATE DOOR yihics | 9:07 1 ne is. 48 ile Pike le" © da et ee ee 


CHAPTER XVII. 
Woop Duck oR SUMMER Duck, . . . . . . . 2! 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 
AMERICAN WIDGEON, . é . - . : 


CHAPTER XIX. 
GADWALL DvCcE, ° : x : 5 5 


CHAPTER XX. 
SHOVELLER Duck, - 5 : : - 


CHAPTER XXI. 
Dusky Duck, . A : 6 . : 


CHAPTER XXII. 
TRUMPETER SWAN, . : ; = : . 


_ CHAPTER XXiIil. 
CANADA GOOSE, . 5 4 ; 5 


CHAPTER XXIV. 
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, . ; : s 


CHAPTER XXV. 
Canvas-Back Duck, 


CHAPTER XXVI. 
ReED-HEADED DUCK, . + A : ° 


CHAPTER XXVII. 
Scaup Duck, 


211 


221 


232 


241 


246 


xii CONTENTS. 


» PAGE. 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 

ric NaGEmp WOK; nd © Urs tee as ee a ee 
CHAPTER XXIX. 

BuFFLE-HEADED DUCK, . 5g Sy - “ . Q - 29 
CHAPTER XXX, 

Wikare—Cavm DORvoOMy 6 os sais poet he Me eee eee 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


CHOKE-BORES—THEIR TRUE HisToRy, FoRM, AND MANNER OF 
CONSTRUCTION, é ; 4 P ; ; 4 - . 286 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


CHOKE-BoRES—THE THEORY OF THEIR ACTION ON THE CHARGE ; 
WITH TARGET PATTERNS, . : 3 é z ‘ 5 bars Ue 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 


ON MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT; WITH HINTS IN 
REGARD TO LOADING, ETC., A ‘ esol 


PREFACE TO THE NEW AND ENLARGED 
EDITION. 


Tux very favorable and gratifying reception accord- 
ed the former edition of this work, has induced me 
to lay before the fublic a new and enlarged edition, 
embracing, in addition to all the original matter, seve- 
ral new chapters on choke-bores, targeting, ete. The 
theoretical portions I have endeavored to make clear 
and practical to all. To attempt any thing like 
completeness in the discussion of such subjects would 
occupy more than an entire volume of the present 
sizz. I have, therefore, while bringing into view the 
most essential points, endeavored to incite the reader 
to further experiments and investigations for himself. 

In the chapter on the history of choke-bores, cer- 
tain portions will no doubt be recognized by very 
many of my readers as matters of fact coming under 
their own personal observation and experience ; and 


now that I have traced the connections for them that 


X1V PREFACE TO THE NEW AND ENLARGED EDITION, 


which has hitherto been mere conjecture wil], I trust, 
be accepted as satisfactorily explained. 

In the former edition I purposely refrained from 
saying any thing on choke-bores, partly perhaps 
through selfishness, yet also because I did not con- 
sider it right for me to make public the secrets of my 
gun-making friends. At the present time, however, 
the knowledge of the method is very generally known 
among those who have occasion to use it, and the 
objection to publishing does not exist. 

Within the past two years, a patent has been 
granted for a rack and pasteboard target, constructed 
almost precisely like that I have described. My read- 
ers, however, need have no fears of being sued for in- 
fringement for constructing as many as they please, as 


my use of them long ante-dates the patent. 
oh. WMG ie 


- 


INTRODUCTION. 


In the following work I have endeavored to 
lay before the public, in as concise a form as 
possible, full and trustworthy explanations of the 
various practical methods of hunting wild fowl 
as followed in the inland portions of our country. 
No book that I am yet aware of, published in 
this country, has been devoted exclusively to the 
subject; though a few short, fragmentary articles, 
giving a general idea of the sport, are to be 
found in the many volumes of our sporting 
literature. 

Wild-fowling as an art is but very little 
understood by the great majority of sportsmen. 
It is attended with too much fatigue and _ too 
many hardships to be followed by them as it 
should be in all weathers, in order to become 
thoroughly familiar with it. And even in the 
warmer months, nearly all of our richer and 


better-educated sportsmen, instead of making use 


14 INTRODUCTION. 


of their own reasoning powers to find and 
secure their game, depend on hiring others more 
experienced and willing to work, and do not ques- 
tion the whys and wherefores of their movements, 
or those of the game. They are content simply 
to shoot when opportunities present themselves. 
The man who is hired does not consider it his 
particular duty to explain the various habits of 
the birds, nor the proper manner of taking ad- 
vantage of a knowledge of them. Amongst pro- 
fessional hunters, for various reasons, thoughts of 
book-making are seldom entertained; and though 
there are many excellent writers, both amateur 
and professional, who understand it much 
better than myself, and are much better able 
to do it justice, the subject—one of unusual 
interest to American sportsmen—has been almost 
entirely neglected. Such being the case, it is 
not without a well-grounded hope that, in the 
absence of such a work as might be, my 
labors may not prove altogether useless. 

The ornithological descriptions, by referring to 
which the novice may determine the _ specific 
characteristics of his game, I have borrowed from 
Audubon’s “Biographical Ornithology”; farther 


than this 1 have abstained from copying from 


INTRODUCTION. 15 


other authors, and contented myself with writing 
only that which | have learned and proved by 
experience. | have aimed to instruct rather than 
to amuse, leaving it to others more capable to 
discourse upon the poetry and romance of the 
sport, and retaining only the less enticing but 
more profitable philosophy and reason; and, as I 
am not accustomed to literary pursuits, I trust 
that anything [ may have written that appears 
egotistical or self-assuming may be ascribed by 
my generous critics, sportsmen, to a visibly poor 
acquaintance with the graces of rhetoric and style. 

Before treating of the various methods to be 
employed in the pursuit of wild fowl, | shall 
first proceed to separate them into two distinct 
classes, which I shall term respectively the deep- 
water and shoal-water varieties, taking the Canvas- 
back as the type of the one, and the Mallard 
of the other. The habits of the two varieties 
vary so greatly that many rules which may be 
employed successfully in the, pursuit of the one, 
it will be readily seen, might not be applicable 
to the killing of the other. 

The shoal-water varieties simply immerse the 
head and neck, but seldom or never entirely 


submerge the body when feeding, though having 


16 INTRODUCTION. 


> 
the power of doing so and swimming under 


water quite long distances when wounded and 
pursued. Their food, then, of course, must be 
different and their natural haunts separate from 
those of the deep-water varieties, which, as their 
name indicates, dive for their food. The bodies 
of the deep-water varieties are proportionally 
broader, both as compared with their length and 
depth; the legs set farther back, and the wings 
proportionally shorter than those of the other 
class; the tail feathers shorter, more stiff, and less 
inclined to “cock up,” being naturally held hori- 
zontally or slightly drooping ; the plumage is gene- 
rally shorter, but the feathers are more close and 
densely filled with down ; and as a rule they will 
be found more tenacious of life than the shoal- 
water ducks. In the deep-water varieties, with ‘the 
canvas-back I shall treat of the red-head, blue- 
bill or broad-bill, tufted duck, and _buffle-head 
or butter-ball. 

In the shoal-water class are the mallard, sprig- 
tail or pintail, blue and green winged teal, wood 
or summer duck, gadwall or gray duck, widgeon, 
shoveller, and dusky or black duck (the _last- 
named, though not properly a Western duck, 
being sometimes found associated with the mal- 


INTRODUCTION. 17 


lard). To the shoal-water variety, with the ducks 
belong the wild goose and the swan, whose 
habits, with the manner of hunting them, I shall 
also consider. 

It will be noticed by those conversant with 
Western wild-fowling that two or three species 
of ducks, with the mergansers found on West- 
ern waters, have been omitted in the above 
classification. These | have considered it a great 
waste of time and space to describe, as they are 
rarely pursued for sport, and are of such rank 
and fishy flavor as to be totally unfit for the 
table. . 

Though several ornithologists have made this 
same division of the duck family, as may be 
seen by referring to their scientific nomenclature, 
they have, however, denominated their subfamilies 
Fuliguline, or sea-ducks, and Anatine, fresh- 
water ducks; and in view of the fact that I 
am treating solely of inland wild-fowling, and 
yet find both classes in nearly equal abundance, 
I have deemed it more appropriate to their 
habits and general characteristics to classify them 
as I have at first done. I have dwelt at greatest 
length upon the pursuit of the mallard and ecanvas- 


back, as it is to the capture of these two varieties, 


18 INTRODUCTION. 


representative types of the two classes, that the 
labors of sportsmen are chiefly directed. Many of 
the methods therein described will be found appli- 
cable to the taking of the other varieties; but 
where the different habits of the other varieties 
occasion different plans of operation, they are 
elsewhere duly and explicitly explained. 

The various concurrent subjects of guns, boats, 
decoys, etc., have been briefly yet compre- 


hensively discussed under their proper headings. 


CHABVER: I; 


GUNS. 


1 supposr I must say a few words as to the 
comparative merits of breech and muzzle loaders ; 
for, to my mind, notwithstanding [ am willing 
to acknowledge the general superiority of the 
new invention, the muzzle-loader possesses several 
decided advantages which entitle it to merit, 
and, in certain eases, to preference in selecting 
the most suitable weapon. 

The chief superiority of the breech-loader lies 
in its capability of being so quickly reloaded 
when in the field or boat, and this alone is a 
sufficient advantage to compensate for many other- 
wise serious objections; for, no matter how smart 
a man may be with a muzzle-loader, he will often 
lose many opportunities of shooting, through not 
being ready loaded, while to the patron of the 
breech-loader such occurrences are very rare, pro- 


vided he has plenty of loaded cartridges handy. This 


19 


20 : EQUIPMENT. 


one requirement, however, being often wanting, the 
advantage is not so conclusive. The providing or 
reloading of a sufficient number of metallic shells, 
or the transportation and room required for their 
paper substitutes, is the most serious drawback in 
their use; and here it is that the claim of the 
muzzle-loader is especially noticeable. This con- 
clusion was not formed hastily, but was brought 
to my mind very forcibly, though rather unwill- 
ingly, and most frequently whilst sitting up at 
night loading shells and listening to the snoring 
of my fellow-hunters, votaries of the muzzle-loader, 
who, having eaten their supper, washed their guns, 
and refilled their pouches and fla&8ks, had rolled 
up in their blankets to “woo tired nature’s sweet 
restorer.” 

On pleasant days, when shooting from my boat, 
1 usually made a practice of reloading as fast as 
possible between shots, carrying an ammunition- 
box and loading-tools with me for that purpose; 
but this, for obvious reasons, I could not well 
do on very stormy days or when shooting away 
from my boat, and, consequently, I had to refill 
my shells at night—often when I should be sleep- 
ing—or else forego my morning shooting next day. 


Frequently in spring continuous shooting may be 


GUNS. 21 


had at “travellers,” as they are termed by the hunt- 
ers—i.e., ducks making long flights, often migrat- 
ing, flying high in the air, offering few shots 
under fifty yards and more over sixty. This 
kind of shooting requires a good gun and heavy 
loading, lots of powder, and large shot if pro- 
curable—so much powder, five to six drachms, 
that it would be folly to make a practice of 
using so large an amount in ordinary sport; con- 
sequently, the shells being usually loaded with 
common charges, this sport must be given up, or 
the shells emptied and reloaded more, heavily, a 
tedious job when ducks are flying thickly. With 
a muzzle-loader® all one needs to do is to raise 
his charges a notch or two, and he is ready to 
kill his farthest. Again, on the other hand, 
very close shooting may often be had when avail- 
able ammunition is not very plentiful. It is then, 


of course, desirable to lessen our charges as much 


as possible, in order to receive the greatest benefit 


from our opportunities. And here, again, the 
muzzle-loader has the preference. 

To be brief, a man risks fewer long, wild shots 
with a muzzle-loader, and consequently wastes 
less ammunition, has less extra bulk and weight 


to carry, as shells, loading-tools, etc.; and in boat- 


oF EQUIPMENT. 


shooting, if he uses ¢wo muzzle-loaders, can, I 
think, kill more game the season through than 
with one breech-loader, as he will frequently have 
opportunities to shoot both guns into the 
same flock of ducks before they get out of 
reach. | shall describe hereafter a method 
for loading a muzzle-loader in which the _ opera- 
tion is greatly shortened, and much valuable time 
saved. 

Now, because of my saying a few words in 
favor of the muzzle-loader, do not consider me an 
old fogy, or old-fashioned either. I have not finished 
yet. I intend to give the claims of the breech- 
loader an equal showing, and, | think, can still find 
advantages enough to overcome most of its de- 
ficiencies. And first (I will be brief as possible), 
they have the advantage of rapidity in loading, 
whereby in wild-fowl shooting, besides the ad- 
vantage of always being ready for new-comers, 
cripples may be the more readily secured. Sec- 
ond, ease and quickness of exchanging loads in 
a gun, as in the case of the approach of geese 
or swan when awaiting ducks. Third, facility of 
cleaning. Fourth, less liability to miss fire. Fifth, 
safety, no getting two loads into one barrel, no 


need of having head or hands over the muzzle, 


GUNS. 23 


or leaving gun loaded when not in use or when 
riding in a wagon or other vehicle. 

Now, to sum it all up: In my opinion, for the 
majority of uses, the breech-loader is the superior 
weapon for the novice or the gentleman sports- 
man. For the poor market duck-hunter, if he can 
afford but one gun, | would advocate the muz- 
zle-loader; he will find it much less trouble to 
take care of, and less work to keep loaded; he 
may kill a few more ducks with a breech-loader, 
but they will cost him enough more to make up 
the difference both in labor and ammunition. For 
boat-shooting, I would advise, where it can be 
afforded, the use of both guns, when either may 
be used as occasion demands, and the — special 
advantages of each be secured. 

We will suppose our reader to have made up 
his mind as to which class of guns suits him 
best—breech or muzzle loader. And, next as to di- 
mensions, ete. For flight-shooting, an 8-bore is as 
large as is advantageous, and a 10 is sufficiently 
small. For a_breech-loader, | should never use 
larger than a 10, as the cartridges for an 8 are 
too bulky and require too much room for trans- 
portation, and the 10, if properly loaded, will 
kill nearly if not quite as far. For a muzzle- 


24 EQUIPMENT, 


loader, a slight increase in the gauge will, admit 
of larger charges being used for flock-shooting, 
while the objections in the case of the breech- 
loader do not occur. Their weights in propor- 
tion to their gauges should be as follows: 

For a 10-bore, 9 to 104 Ibs.; 9-bore, 104 to 
12 lbs.; 8-bore, 12 to 14 lbs. The barrels should 
never be under 30 inches in length, while anything 


over 35—and _ that only for an 8-bore—is super- 


fluous, and only waste and useless metal to carry. 
Damascus is, | think, the best material, on ac- 
count both of its beauty and superior strength. 
Laminated steel, if properly. made, is about as 
good, but so many cheap and almost worthless 
imitations are in the market that it cannot be 
relied upon. Damascus cannot be cheaply counter- 
feited, and therefore is more to be depended on. 
Select barrels, if possible, having nearly a true 
taper from breech to muzzle. The rib should be 
about 4 to & inch wide, slightly concave laterally, 
but perfectly straight lengthwise, and sufficiently 
elevated at breech to prevent under-shooting. 
Sight-piece small and close to the muzzle. 

So many different principles and methods are 
employed for breech-loading actions that a full 
consideration of their merits and defects will be 


GUNS. 25 


impossible here. To my own mind, the best and 
most desirable is the under-lever double-grip, 
on account of both its great simplicity and dura- 
bility, though many of the first-class snap actions 
work very freely and wear quite well; in fact, 
for ordinary use are sufficiently durable; but for 
rough, every-day work, nothing, in my opinion, 
equals the double-grip. 1 have fired one over 
twelve thousand shots, and though never in the 
hands of a gunmaker to be repaired, it is now ap- 
parently as tight as when new. “Greener,” the 
celebrated English gun manufacturer, in his book on 
“ Modern Breech-loaders,” says: “The double-grip 
is considered by all practical gun-makers to be 
the strongest and most durable arrangement for 
sporting guns and rifles. Nothing can be more 
simple or do the work better. There being a 
great amount of leverage, it possesses wonderful 
binding power, and when properly made and well 
fitted it will last many years without becoming 
loose, as it can be made selftightening to allow 
for wear and tear. It is getting more into favor 
every season amongst the sportsmen at home and 
in India. When guns and rifles constructed on 
the double-grip plan have failed, it is attributable 
to the imperfect mode of making the action. We 


26 EQUIPMENT. 


have seen long, heavy double rifles of 8-bore, fitted 
to a light breech action with bar-locks, and the 
metal cut away just where it was most required, 
being left barely strong enough for a light shot- 
gun.” 

The break-off in the breech-loader should not be 
less than three-fourths inch in thickness, and the 
strap long and fastened to the stock by two screws. 
The locks, as quoted from Greener, should be back- 
actioned, thereby leaving the action stronger, and 
should have a fine oily feel, and give forth a sharp, 
clear click on cocking. (For a muzzle-loader I 
should prefer forward-action locks, as they are 
more pleasing to the eye, and do not weaken the 
gun any more than the old style, if as muck. They 
should be independent, as they are less liable to 
get wet inside.) The mainspring should be rather 
stiffer than is usual in muzzle-loaders, and the 
hammers should have a good sweep, as some 
breech-loading caps require a strong blow to ex. 
plode them. Rebounding locks are rather a detri- 
ment than an advantage. They are more liable 
to get out of repair than the common lock, 
cannot (from principles of construction) be made 
to strike a blow sufficiently heavy to always in- 
sure exploding the cap or primer, and from the 


GUNS. 27 


sudden jerk upon the mainspring are liable to be 
broken in very cold weather. Another very seri- 
ous objection, which I have seen occur myself, is 
that the cap may be driven back into the needle- 
holes by the force of the explosion, the hammers 
not holding the strikers up to them, and the 
working of the gun thereby for a time prevented. 
If the strikers are sufficiently long, however, to fill 
the hole completely, this objection cannot occur. 

The stock should be of English or German wal- 
nut, with a strong, thick wrist, and the grain and 
fibre of the wood running with the angle of bend. 
A pistol-grip is thought by some to be an ad- 
vantage. The stock should be varnished and pol- 
ished. An oiled stock does not stand water well: 
when wet the fibre of the wood is raised, the 
wood is swelled, and on drying shrinks from the 
metal work, leaving the joints open. 

The trimmings should be of case-hardened iron, 
with little or no engraving. 

To determine the length and bend of stock re- 
quired in ordering a gun, the best way is to pro- 
cure a gun, if possible, which seems to “come 
up” to suit you, then lay a straight-edge along 
the top rib sufficiently long to extend to the butt- 
plate, and measure the distance from the under- 


28 EQUIPMENT. 


side of the straight-edge to the stock, both 
at the top of the rise from the wrist, or the 
nose, as it is called, and at the butt-plate; this 
will give the benc. From the right trigger to 
centre of heel-plate is the length of stock required. 
About three inches is found to be the ordinary 
bend, and fourteen to fourteen and one-half inches 
the usual length of stock required. 

As to the shooting powers of the gun when 
properly loaded, they are dependent mainly upon 
the form of bore, in connection with the elasti- 
city of the material of which the barrels are 
composed. It is a very foolish idea, though one, 
I am sorry to say, quite prevalent among  sports- 
men, to suppose, because some one gun is found 
to do very strong and close shooting, that all 
others made by the same maker will do equally 
or nearly as well. This is a very unreasonable 
presumption, especially in the judging of those 
gunmakers who manufacture to order. Their cus- 
tomers generally order their guns made to shoot 
as their use requires. One who may not be over- 
particular in aiming, or who desires a gun solely 
for wood or brush shooting, and where he seldom 
has to shoot far, will, perhaps, order the gun made 


to shoot open. Another, who may shoot nothing 


GUNS. 29 


but ducks, may require his to shoot very close. 
It is obvious neither alone could be taken as a 
fair sample of the gunmaker’s abilities. 

As to factory guns in general, they are meant 
to be made to shoot passably before leaving the 
shop, and, where they fail to equal the ideal of 
the purchaser, the dealer usually rebores them 
to shoot as desired. Thus, again, as many guns 
are rebored after leaving their makers, their good 
or bad shooting qualities cannot with justice be 
ascribed to them. Sportsmen’s ideas, too, differ in 
regard to shooting so frequently, that what one 
might call an extra shooting gun, another would 
consider as only ordinary. Nearly all our first- 
class gunmakers understand boring fully, as an 
essential part of their business; so in ordering a 
gun, if the sportsman will specify how he wants 
the gun to shoot, he will nearly always be suited, 
if his demands are at all reasonable. 

Before I go further, let me explode  an- 
other foolish notion entertained by many of the 
thoughtless ones. Because game may be killed 
with more certainty at short distances with small 
shot than with too large a size, or because they 
may sometimes happen to kill an extra long shot 


when using them, they have concluded that small 


30 EQUIPMENT. 


shot will kill farther. Now, on asking their rea- 
sons for this belief, several have told me—and, 
indeed, one late author has published the same 
theory—that a small shot striking a bird, say 
through the lungs or stomach, makes but a small 
hole, which closes after the passage of the shot, 
thus preventing the escape of blood, and causing 
the bird to die quickly from internal hemorrhage; 
whereas a larger shot striking in the same place 
leaves an open hole, through which the blood 
runs freely, and the bird flies on frequently out 
of sight, or until it dies from sheer loss of blood. 

My own idea is that fully nine-tenths of the 
game that dies solely from loss of blood or inter- 
nal hemorrhage is never recovered by the sports- 
man; and though I admit they die more quickly 
when bleeding internally than if the blood flows 
outwardly, yet from the wound made by the 
larger shot, as more of the veins or minute 
blood-vessels are severed, more blood would escape, 
and the choking from internal hemorrhage would 
ensue full as quickly though a portion of the blood 
should pass through to the outside. 

It is by the severe shock or paralysis of the 
nervous system more often than otherwise that 


death from gunshot wounds is produced, and this 


GUNS. 31 


alone is the almost invariable cause of instant 
death in such cases. Assuming this to be 
the fact (and I think but few of my _ thinking 
readers will hesitate to do so, being supported 
in the opinion by the testimony of our most 
skilful surgeons), it follows that our object should 
be to create a shock sufficiently severe to always 
insure death if possible. It is well known that 
a comparatively slight blow in a vital point, as 
certain parts of the head, neck, or the immedi- 
ate region of the heart, will produce a_ shock 
sufficient to cause death. A very heavy blow, or 
the united shock of a number of lighter blows, 
taking effect in less vulnerable parts, may be suf- 
ficient to accomplish our purpose. So _ long 
as we insure striking a vital place, it is obvi- 
ous the larger the shot we can use the better, 
as, their momentum being greater, and their in- 
dividual striking surfaces larger, they must con- 
sequently’ have greater bone-smashing and nerve- 
destroying effects, and produce greater shocks. 
Once in a while, though once too often, a stick- 
ler for small shot will assert as an argument in 
their favor that small shot will penetrate deeper 
than large ones, as their surface to be resisted 


is so much smaller. 


32 EQUIPMENT. 


But, without arguing the point, let the sceptic 
put it to practical test, and if he finds in shoot- 
ing at the same target of pine-wood, all other 
things being equal, that he can get deeper pene- 
tration with No. 6 shot than he can with No. 1, 
my faith in the certainty of things in this life 
will be sadly shaken. 

Having wisely chosen our shot, our desire 
should certainly be to give as great a force 
to those shot as is compatible with safety, 
comfort of shooting, and sufficient closeness and 
regularity in their dispersion; for an _ excess 
of powder over the proper charge will 
cause the shot to scatter widely. The  pro- 
per amount of powder, as well as the size 
and proportionate quantities of shot, we can 
determine only by experiment. As to the 
amount of each suitable for duck-shooting, from 
my own experience and observation of the 
charges used by the most successful duck-hunt- 
ers of my acquaintance, | find the best propor- 
tions to be: 

For a 10-gauge, 4 to 53 drachms powder, 1 
to 14 ounces shot. 

For a 9-gauge, 44 to 6 drachms powder, 1 


to 13 ounces shot. 


GUNS. 33 


For an 8-gauge, 5 to 7 drachms powder, 14 
to 14 ounces shot. 

These charges are amply sufficient for single 
ducks, and will kill as far as heavier ones if the 
game be fairly held on. For flock-shooting or a 
poor marksman, more shot may be added with 
advantage, as giving more striking surface; and in 
using larger shot than No. 4, one-quarter ounce 
should be added to each of the foregoing charges, 
on account of the fewer number of pellets con- 
tained in the ounce. As good a way as any to 
determine the best size of shot to be used for 
game is to shoot at a target the actual size of 
the game it is intended for, and at any distance 
where you can be tolerably certain of striking 
the target, with four or five pellets, and suffi- 
cient force and penetration (which is the main 
point), you may be sure you will be able to 
secure your bird if fairly held on. 

For duck-shooting with a breech-loader | would 
recommend the use of metallic shells. | am satis- 
fied they shoot stronger. Paper shells are very 
liable to get wet and thereby spoiled, besides 
requiring so much room if a large amount of 
shooting is expected. Their extra cost, too, 


though an insignificant item in the minds of some, 


34 EQUIPMENT. 


is not to be overlooked by the poorer  sports- 
man. 

I have seen an objection made to the metallic 
shell in the columns of the Turf, Field, and 
Farm, | believe, by a paper-shell man, to the 
effect that they were dangerous to use. In sup- 
port of this he goes on to say that, having had 
one miss fire, he put the shell into a vise, and was 
punching a hole in the cap for the purpose of 
prying it off with an awl, when it exploded, and 
he narrowly escaped serious injury. This reminds 
me very much of the boy who, to discover whe- 
ther his gun was loaded or not, commenced to 
blow in the muzzle. Seeing the hammer was down, 
and thinking perhaps that prevented the air from 
escaping, he endeavored to cock the gun with his 
toe, which slipped, but not until he had _ raised 
the hammer sufficiently, however, to convince him 
undeniably that the gun was loaded. Had he 
been permitted to live a few moments longer, he 
perhaps might have been led to remark, in the 
simplicity of his spirit, that “loaded guns were 
dangerous.” 

I have known two cases of shells being  ex- 
ploded accidentally—one a paper, the other a 


metallic shell—both in capping after the shells 


GUNS. 35 


were filled. The paper shell burst, splitting the 
holder’s thumb open, and depriving him of the 
use of his hand for several days. The metallic 
shell did no serious harm whatever, not bursting, 
delivering its charge rather forcibly, but luckily 
not towards any one. By capping the shells 
before filling, which should ahkoays be done, 
all positive danger from accidental explosion is 
avoided. 

The “Sturtevant” shell [I like best for the 
following reasons: First, the loading apparatus is 
reduced to a minimum. From its construction, the 
anvil and ejector remaining in the shell, the extra 
tool for punching off caps needed with all other 
shells is dispensed with, the rod for pushing down 
the wads answering the purpose. Second, they 
are less liable to miss fire. Third, the cost of 
caps, which are the same as used in the paper 
shells, is less than any others, excepting common 
muzzle-loading, and, in cases of emergency, G. 
D’s may be used. Fourth, with proper care 
they are more durable than any other shell. 

Wads (Eley’s are the very best ones) two 
sizes larger than the bore of the shell should be 
used to prevent the displacement of the shot in 


one barrel by the discharge of the other, as fre- 


36 EQUIPMENT. 


quently happens if wads of too small a See are 
used. Repeated firing, however, will loosen most 
any wad; so the sportsman if in~ the habit of 
firing one barrel more than the other should, 
after firmg that barrel two or three times in 
succession, change the loaded shell remaining in 
the gun to that barrel, and put the fresh one in 
its place. Some sportsmen of my acquaintance 
use wads three or four (and one five) sizes larger 
than their guns; but this I consider decidedly 
going to extremes. Where one of so large a size 
is used it crimples, and holds even less than a smal- 
ler one. If the wads are at all thin, two should 
be used over the powder. One alone is apt to 
be blown to pieces in the barrel, causing the gun 
to shoot badly. 

More breech-loaders get shaky in the action by 
being worked carelessly than from repeated firing, 
and when buying a gun the purchaser is seldom 
taught the proper method of using it, so I will 
attempt to describe it here. The barrels should 
never be allowed to drop down suddenly, bring- 
ing up with a sudden jerk, as is the favorite way 
with the snap advocates; neither should they be 
thrown back into position with a snap; that 


must wear the hinge excessively. But, on taking the 


GUNS. 37 


gun down from the shoulder after firing, drop the 
stock inside the elbow, and hold it firmly against 
the body with the upper arm; then, grasping the 
barrels tightly with the left hand a few inches 
in front of the hinge, unfasten the lever with the 
right, and lower the barrels down easily. Use 
either hand to withdraw and insert the shells, 
holding the gun in position with the other. The 
gun should then be closed in the same careful 
manner. The whole operation, so long on paper, 
can thus be performed as quickly as in any other 
way, if not quicker. 

In loading a muzzle-loader, study to make as 
few motions as possible, and those short and di- 
rect. If shooting from a boat, have a large, straight 
rod nearly the size of the bore, with which you 
may push the wads down as quick as you please. 
A quick-loading flask, 7.¢., one having a large 
feed-hole to the charger, should also be used. 

It is often desirable, where ducks are flying in 
spurts, or cripples are to be, secured, to load 
as fast as possible. In order to do this, the 
shooter should provide himself with a few 
thin metallic tubes (tin is good), about an 
inch and a_ half in length, with an_ inside 


diameter equal to the bore of the gun. | Then, 


38 EQUIPMENT, 


first placing them on a level surface, he is 
to push a wad into each as far as the bottom, 
and, after cutting in the proper loads of shot, is 
to secure each firmly with another wad. Then, 
when in a hurry to load, all he needs to do, 
after dropping his powder into the barrel, is to 
place one of these tubes over the muzzle (guides 
should be soldered to the outside of the tubes 
to insure their being in the right position), and 
with his rod push the contents down at once, 
when capping finishes the operation. The tubes 
may be refilled during the intervals between 
shots. 

The proper accoutrements for carrying powder 
and shot are so universally known that to de- 
scribe them would be simply a waste of time. 
To those who may be in need of such advice, 
however, I will just say, if you wil] load from the 
tin canister you buy your powder in, get some- 
thing else besides a screw-top; and, if you mast 
use a bottle to carry your shot in, try and find 
one with a neck large enough to prevent the shot 
from jamming and stopping it up when coming 
out; and, though you may save a cap or two by 
it, it is not economical in the end to carry your 


caps in a box, which frequently, in fact always, 


GUNS. 39 


when the ducks are flying thick, you must open 
with your teeth if you want a cap. Carrying 
them in your vest-pocket is (take my word for 
it until you try it) full as handy. 

Now, to both old and young, let me add the 
caution: Be careful in handling and carrying 
your gun. NervER CARRY IT WITH THE HAMMERS 
DOWN oN THE caps. At half-cock is the proper 
position; then, if the locks are well made and in 
good order, it will be almost impossible for the 
gun to be accidentally discharged. Even at full- 
cock there is less danger than with the hammers 
down. 

More of the frightful accidents with guns are 
attributable to this carrying with the hammers 
down than to any other one thing. How many 
times guns are accidentally discharged without. seri- 
ous consequences we have no means of finding out. 
If it could be known, I am satisfied the number 
from the reasons above given would exceed all 
others combined. 

A very careless and dangerous way of carry- 
ing a gun, though a very common one with some, 
is to grasp it by the muzzle, with the barrels 
resting on the shoulder and pointing to the front. 


1 have myself knowr of three fatal accidents 


40 EQUIPMENT. 


caused in this manner, all directly occasioned by 
stumbling, when, in guarding against the fall, the 
stock was suddenly thrown over to the front, 
and the hammers, striking the ground, exploded 
the charge. 

One of the safest, easiest, and readiest methods 
of carrying the gun is across the front of the 
body, the barrels pointing diagonally upwards, the 
fore end of the stock resting in the hollow of 
the left arm, and the gun held in position by 
the left. hand, which grasps the wrist of the 
stock. The right hand instead of the left may 
be used to hold the stock, in which case the 
fingers of the left simply lie behind the ham- 
mer. With the barrels over the shoulder and 
the stock to the front is always a. good way; 
but care should be taken, especially if hunting 
in company, to keep the muzzle well elevated. 
In a boat, lay the gun in such a position that 
the muzzle may be pointing from you, and hunt 


as little with a greenhorn companion as possible. 


THE ACT OF SHOOTING. 


I shall suppose my readers to have at least 
a fair knowledge of shooting in the field, and, 


therefore, will not attempt a discourse upon the 


SHOOTING. 4] 


A BC of the art. It is an acknowledged fact, how- 
ever, that some of our most successful field-shots 
frequently make rather poor work of shooting 
wild fowl. ‘Their usual fault is in hurrying too 
much, not taking time to make the necessary 
allowance for the rapidity of flight. Straight- 
away shots they usually kill better than any 
others, because little or: no calculation is required; 
but in cross and over-head shooting, where most 
judgment is called for, their shot too frequently 
passes behind the bird. A few brief instructions 
upon the subject, therefore, may not prove in- 
appropriate. 

Never bring up the gun in a direction opposite 
to the bird’s flight, nor put it up in any way 
in front of the birds, waiting for them to come 
to it; but wait until they get nearly to you, 
and then, bringing the gun up directly behind 
them, carry it forward quickly in the exact line 
of their flight, and pull the trigger without 
stopping the motion of the gun. The precise 
time of pulling, and the amount of space which 
must be allowed in front of them and_ behind 
the line of aim, will, of course, vary greatly in 
accordance with the direction and apparent velocity 


of their flight and the probable distance they 


42 EQUIPMENT. 


may be from the shooter. All these conditions, 
and the allowance to be made, you must estimate 
almost instantly, whilst putting up the gun, and 
without musing or pondering over it. This, of 
course, can be learned only by practice; no in- 
structions can convey the art. 

The rates of allowance vary with different 
people, some almost imperceptibly arresting the 
motion of the gun at the instant of pulling 
trigger, others stopping it almost entirely ; there- 
fore it will be impossible to give any precise 
rules by which this may be determined. To 
kill mallard when flying at their usual rate of 
speed, I myself should aim, I think, about two 
feet, or their length, in advance, if at a distance 
of thirty-five yards from them. This may help’ 
to give the tyro a proximate idea of it, though 
he may find in practice, for the reasons given 
above, his proper allowance to be either a little 
more or less. With experience, the hand and 
eye will seem to act intuitively without prompt- 
ing from the mind; but it will require painstak- 
ing attention. It is not enough to toss the gun 
up carelessly, and to shoot anywhere in the 
direction of the ducks. 

To make the best work of sitting shots, dif: 


SHOOTING. 43 


ferent rules are given by various authors, some 
saying to shoot at the birds as they are turned — 
from us on the water, and others telling us_ to 
wait for the broadside chance. One thing certainly 
you may rest assured of, which is agreed to by 
all: when the birds are facing you is the poorest 
time. 

Your position should not be too high, but 
about two feet above the level of the ducks, if 
convenient. If the flock is large and close to 
you, do not shoot at the nearest ones, but rather 
beyond, inside the edge of the flock, as many 
pellets which in the first case would be wasted 
in striking the bodies would, if delivered as 
directed, take effect almost entirely upon the 
heads and necks, most vital parts; those of the 
nearer ducks, if the flock is closely packed, often 
completely shielding the bodies of those farther 
off. 

The ducks may be engaged in feeding, some 
of them tail-end up, with their heads and necks 
under water. It is useless to shoot at them in 
this position. In such a case the shooter should 
give a low whistle to make them raise their 
heads before firing. Do not start them up, as some 


authors advise, but shoot as soon as their heads 


44 EQUIPMENT. 


are raised. More may be killed when on the 
water by following the above directions than in 
any way after they have started. 

Do not use shot of too large a size, nor try 
to get too near, but give your charge a chance to 
spread. 

In shooting over your cripples, which should 
be done as soon as possible, secure the liveliest 
one first, and try, if you can get two.or three 
in line, to shoot them before they separate. 
The dead ones should be the last gathered. 


CHAPTER II. 
BLINDS. 


THoucu the principles of general procedure 
may often be the same in like varieties of wild- 
fowl shooting, the different surroundings frequently 
necessitate the exercise of considerable ingenuity 
in the providing of proper ambush, or blind, as 
all such hiding-places are generally termed by 
wild-fowlers. And as it will save considerable 
labor to know how to set about it properly, I 
will devote a few lines to the subject. 

The first thing to be done before building your 
blind is to decide upon its most favorable loca- 
tion; and this decision must be governed by various 
conditions influencing the actions of the ducks, 
and which you must understand, as well as the 
habits of your game, before you can be sure of 
being right. When you enter a pond, note how 
the ducks may be sitting, whether scattered pro- 


miscuously about it, or grouped in some particu- 
lo 748 * 


46 EQUIPMENT. 


lar place. Where they are thickest they care 
most to be. On putting them out, note how they 
leave the pond; they will almost invariably return 
from. that direction. They seldom take a round- 
about course. Note the position of the sun and 
time of day, remembering the sunny side of the 
pond is best for decoys. Note, also, the direction 
and force of the wind, and its probable influence 
on the ducks. From a proper consideration of these 
and various other little items, not easily enume- 
rated here, J will suppose its location determined. 
Now, if a natural blind can be found, such as an 
old tree-top or roots, a bunch of bushes, or such 
like, in a suitable position, it should, of course, be 
taken in preference to building a new one, as the 
ducks, accustomed to the object, have become 
familiar with it, and, having no suspicions of 
danger, do not hesitate to approach; but if such 
a blind is not to be had, your next course will 
be to decide upon the most suitable materials 
handy for building an artificial one, and these, with 
its shape, should be selected as nearly as possible 
in consonance with the nature of the surroundings, 
an improper selection exciting observation, and 
consequently suspicion. Take plenty of time and 


build your blind well; make it look as natural 


BLINDS. 47 


as possible, and sufficiently large and impenetrable 
to sight to afford proper concealment. If the 
ducks are liable to approach from different direc- 
tions, build it to enclose you completely. A half- 
built blind is a nuisance. 

It is certainly laughable to see a greenhorn 
behind a blind such as he usually builds—a few 
bushes stuck up to dodge around—when, as it often 
happens, a couple of flocks of ducks may be ap- 
proaching at the same time from different direc- - 
tions. At first he tries to hide from both, but, 
giving that up as impossible, makes up his mind 
which of the flocks is of the most heedless dispo- 
sition, or is coming most directly towards him, 
and so jumps to that side of his clump of bushes 
which affords most concealment from them. On 
looking over his shoulder an instant, however, his 
mind wavers, and, affecting his body, that, too, 
begins to waver, first to one side of the blind, 
and then to the other, as the vacillations of the 
mind seem to prompt it. All, his motions, how- 
ever, only serve to attract the attention of the 
ducks, and they swerve by to either side far out 
of reach. He now deliberates awhile, and concludes 
his blind is not large enough. So he starts for 


the nearest timber or patch of bushes to cut more 


48 EQUIPMENT. 


brush, watching as he goes for the approach of the 
ducks. Just as he gets to the timber he sees a 
flock coming, and back he runs as fast as possible, » 
perhaps through mud and slush, arriving at the 
blind as they go by, too wide of course by rods. 
Now he is sorry he left the blind, and remains 
fearful to leave, lest others may come; but upon 
their coming, and again disappointing him, he fully 
makes up his mind (if the ducks will only stay 
away long enough) to get more brush; does so, 
and finally succeeds in getting a halfdecent blind 
built, about the time the ducks quit flying. If he 
has a dog to whistle to and bellow at, and to yank 
around the blind when ducks are approaching, it 
adds very materially to the entertainment in the 
eyes and ears of one who can appreciate it. 

In high wild oats or flags of course no building 
is required. The boat, if shooting from one, should 
be pushed into one of the thickest bunches, at 
right angles with the main line of flight. Then 
the tops of the stalks or flags are to be struck 
down and in towards the boat with an oar, cover- 
ing as near as possible the bow and _ stern, and 
afterwards trimmed so as not to interfere with the 
swinging of the gun, and the blind is complete. 


When two persons are hunting in company in a 


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BLINDS. 49 


rice-pond, it is well for one to take a stand on 
one of the large muskrat-houses nearly always to 
be found there, as by taking separate positions 
more shots are obtained. ‘To build a blind in a 
rat-house, a large one like a small hay-stack 
should be selected, a hole dug in the middle with 
the hands and feet, and the edges then built 
higher with stalks of rice or flags. This makes 
an excellent blind, as the ducks, being accustomed 
to rat-houses, take no especial notice of it. It is 
a favorite manceuvre of greenhorns to crawl round 
the outside of rat-houses, endeavoring to hide, and 
being liable to be kicked off upon firing. I have 
crawled about many a one thus in my early duck- 
shooting days. ; 3 

If the blind is to be built of small branches or 
bushes, they should be stuck up in the ground 
close together, smaller twigs entwined among 
them, and bunches of grass, weeds, rice, or flags 
scattered judiciously over and amongst them, to 
close all large, open spaces or thin places that 
the ducks might see through. If very large, 
bushy branches are used, they may be laid down 
crossing each other, with the tops turned out- 
wards. The blind should never be built higher 
than the shoulders when in an erect position. 


50 EQUIPMENT, 


In cutting down a willow blind about’ a poat, 
as the common blinds are made in spring, con- 
siderable judgment is necessary. As the ponds 
are usually bordered with willows, it is generally 
easy to find a group growing in the position 
desired, the most favorable one being that where 
four trees grow as it were in the angles of a 
rectangular parallelogram, being apart in one 
direction the width of the boat, and in the other 
about three-fourths its length. If in such a posi- 
tion that the boat must be head on to the decoys, 
the boat should be placed between them, and the 
trees felled towards the bow, the cut ends 
allowed to remain on the stumps, the tops of the 
forward trees crossing each other on the bow, 
and the after-tops lying on the forward trunks. 
If the tops are not sufficiently leafy and dense, 
more branches must be cut from the neighbor- 
ing trees and placed upon them, and it will 
sometimes be necessary to tie these branches in 
position to prevent their being blown off. Should 
the trees grow the other way, é.e., the long side 
of the parallelogram towards the decoys, they 
should be felled, those on the same side of the 
boat towards each other, and branches should be 
added and fastened. The new cut ends or whe 


BLINDS. 51 


trunks and stumps should always be covered 
with mud or grass to hide them from sight of 
the ducks. Should the forward trees be the 
proper distance apart, it is a good plan to 
wedge the boat between them, thus making it 
more steady and better to shoot from. 

In blue-bill shooting upon the edges of over- 
flowed prairies and corn-fields, an _ excellent 
blind may be made by turning your boat upon 
its edge, and bracing it in that position by a 
stake or oar. ‘They do not appear to be at all 
suspicious of it. For teal and golden-eyes this 
plan answers nearly as well; but mallard and 
canvas-back are generally shy of it. 

In the winter, when the ground 1is_ covered 
with snow, a blind made of bleached cotton-cloth, 
fastened to stakes stuck in the ground, affords a 
good concealment, and cannot be easily distin- 
guished from the surrounding snow. A white 
handkerchief should be worn over the cap or hat. 

Great quantities of ducks are often killed in 
the air-holes about  freezing-up time. Long 
after the feeding-ponds are entirely covered with 
ice the ducks remain feeding in the corn-fields 
miles from the river, to which they return to 


roost at night, in holes which they keep open 


52 EQUIPMENT. 


during the severest weather by the warmth of 
their bodies, and by keeping the water con- 
stantly in motion. It is not unusual at such 
times to kill over a hundred during the day. 
One of the best blinds for this kind of sport is 
made of ice. It should be cut in cakes, the size 
of which should be proportioned to its thickness, 
and these should be placed on edge or end in the 
proper form. If the ice is thin, say three or four 
inches thick, and the day cold, shallow grooves 
should be cut in the bed-ice, and the ends of the 
cakes placed therein. Water should then be poured 
about them, and the fine ice made in chopping 
packed in beside them, which will quickly cement 
together, holding the cakes firm and upright. Old 
ice or ice mixed with snow is the best, as new 
ice, if thin, is generally too transparent; but, if 
white cotton cloth be hung inside the new ice, 
it makes the blind all that could be desired. 

* Another and perhaps the very best blind that 
ean be made for air-hole shooting is the sunken 
box, not the battery described under the head 
of canvas-back shooting, but a deep box of pine, 
almost forty inches square on top and_ fifteen 
inches on the bottom. On account of the diffi- 


culty of sinking it, it should be as small as 


BLINDS. 53 


convenient, and the sides made tapering from 
top to bottom; or like the figure given below, 
which I think is the better plan; the lower part 
being as deep as from the knee to the sole of the 
foot, the upper part sufficiently deep to completely 
hide the body of the shooter when in a crouching 
position. To sink the box, a square hole, a trifle 


larger than the outside of the larger box, is cut 


in the ice where the box is intended to be 
placed, and the box then sunk to the desired 
depth by loading it sufficiently with water. It 
is now fastened in position to two stout poles, 
about twelve feet long, which have been previ- 
ously pushed under the surrounding ice, one 
along either side, and touching the box. The 
water used in sinking is now bailed out again, 
and, after hiding the edges of the box with pieces 


of ice, it is ready for occupancy. When the 


54 EQUIPMENT. 


ice is not sufficiently strong to hold down the 
empty box, this plan must be given up, and 
the box kept to the desired depth by stones or 
other heavy weights. 


CHAP TiE Hl, 


DECOYS. 


One of the most important requisites to insure 
success in wild-fowl shooting, and more especially 
in the pursuit of the deep-water varicties, is a 
suitable flock of decoys. They may be made in 
a multitude of ways, and of several different 
materials, each of which has its peculiar advan- 
tages, but at the same time its corresponding 
defects. The principal objects to be attained by 
all, however, are naturalness, or a sufficient resem- 
blance to the species they are intended to repre- 
sent, with the proper shape necessary to enable 
them to ride in an erect position during the 
heavy blows they are often | exposed to. This 
last desideratum is often partially and, | might 
say, entirely overlooked in the desire to make 
the decoys as light as possible, and of such 
shape as to take least room in transportation. 
With such objects in view, would-be inventors 
have tried a variety of methods in making them, 

55 


56 EQUIPMENT. 


and though certainly accomplishing their 6bject in 
this respect, have failed most decidedly in the 
main thing needed. One of them gave us 
rubber decoys for the modest price of thirty 
dollars per dozen. They were hollow, with a 
tube attached, through which, when needed for use, 
they were to be inflated with the breath, which 
being ejected by compression when ready for 
transportation, they could be packed in very little 
space. They would float remarkably light and 
airy, a property, though contrary to general sup- 
position, not at all desirable, as causing them to 
roll sidewise in the least ripple, a motion the 
natural ducks never make, even in the roughest 
weather. A  shot-hole ruined them, and as the 
rubber soon began to crack after but little usage 
in a hot sun, they soon proved a failure. De- 
coys of metal, too, were tried, both of copper 
and tin, made to be taken apart, and the several 
parts nested together for packing; these, besides 
being very expensive, were proved to be com- 
paratively no better than the rubber ones, for 
reasons very obvious to the knowing ones, but 
which the “greenies,” who want everything new, 
could not see until they had paid their money 
to find out. 


DECOYS. 57 


Decoys made of wood (not the things one 
usually finds for sale in the gunshops, where 
they should be allowed to remain, but as con- 
structed to use, according to reason and with 
a proper appreciation of the thing needed) are 
preferable to any others. Having had some little 
experience in their manufacture as well as_ their 
use, and having the satisfaction of seeing my OWN 
used as models by better hunters, I will describe 
them as I think they should be made; willing at 
the same time to yield due deference to the opin- 
ions of others. 

My principal object has been to secure the 
best shape possible to prevent rolling, and to 
ensure with least extra weight an upright posi- 
tion at all times when in use. How I have en- 
deavored to do this will be better understood from 


the annexed cuts, representing outlines of the 


58 EQUIPMENT. 


decoy, than by any explanation I could convey in 
words. 

White cedar and soft pine are undoubtedly the 
best woods for decoys, on account both of their 
extreme lightness and ease of cutting. Pine per- 
haps is better for heads, being less easily broken, 
while cedar is the most durable. The timber 
should be well seasoned and free from knots and 
sap. For ducks, 2X6 inches is the proper size, 
but for geese larger timber is needed. 

The timber, being planed on one side and sawed 
in proper lengths, is next cut around on its edge, 
according to a pattern representing a horizontal 
section of the decoy intended. Two pieces are 
needed for each decoy, which must be gouged out 
to the proper thickness, thus making the decoy 
hollow. The head (which has been previously 
shaped) is fitted and fastened to the top part by 
a screw from beneath, and the two parts, being 
roughly hewn into shape in conformation with a 
side pattern, are, after being nicely fitted, glued 
or otherwise cemented firmly together, and the 
decoy rounded and finished smooth. After being 
thoroughly sand-papered, it should be wet slightly 
all over so as to raise the grain of the wood, 


and when dry should be again sand-papered. If 


DECOYS. 59 


the decoy be washed over with a thin dressing of 
shellac, it will prove much more impervious to 
water. This should be done before painting, and 
no varnish should be put on afterwards, as it 
makes the decoy too glaring when in the sun. 
When thoroughly smooth, a heavy coat of priming 
should be put on, of some neutral tint that will 
not show too plainly through the coloring coat; 
all of which should’ be mixed with raw oil, and 
without an artificial drier. The priming should 
be allowed to harden thoroughly before the colors 
are put on. No priming is used on many of the 
decoys for sale in the gun-shops; consequently, 
they soon become water-soaked and heavy, and 
the colors indistinct. Artists’ tube colors should 
be used, being more lively and durable than com- 
mon paint, and costing but little more : and the 
nearer the painting resembles the coloring of the 
natural duck the better. A small brass wire staple 
or piece of leather is to be fastened to the lower 
part of the breast, to attach the line to. A piece 
of lead, about four ounces in weight, formed as 
shown in the figure, should next be screwed on 
to the bottom lengthwise, like a keel, and the de- 
coy is complete. 


For shoal-water duck-shooting, flat-bottomed, hol- 


60 EQUIPMENT. 


low decoys, of two and one-half inches in thiekness, 
answer fully as well, as the water is seldom rough. 

Each decoy should be provided with a sepa- 
rate line and anchor, which last should be of 
lead, if convenient, as it is less liable to scratch 
the. paint from decoys than anything else. This 
need never exceed four ounces weight. The line 
should be what is known as “sixteen thread” 
seine twine, about one-tenth inch thick, of a length 
adapted to the depth of water, and attached to 
the staple or leather in the breast of the decoy. 
Instead of winding the line round the neck of 
the decoy, as is often done, the proper way is 
to wind it tightly round the middle, which 
may be done in much less time, an item of 
importance when taking up decoys in a heavy 
wind. And in setting them out again, instead of 
unwinding them turn by turn, the decoy should 
be taken by the head in one hand, and the lead 
thrown with the other to the place desired, the 
turns coming off towards the tail as the lead is 
thrown. A large flock of decoys may be set out 
in this way in a remarkably short time. 

In this connection it will, I think, be well to 
give a few directions as to the management of 


the boat when taking up decoys in a _ heavy 


DECOYS. 61 


“blow.” If you remain in the stern, you will find 
it very hard to keep your boat head to wind; 
when stooping to pick up your decoys, it will 
whirl round, and you will have some work to 
turn it back again. Therefore, stand in the bow, 
with your knees braced against the bulkhead or 
sides of the boat, end paddle bow first as usual. 
By so doing the boat will never of itself turn 
the wrong way, and you may pick up your 
decoys in a short time and with comparatively 
little labor, when it would be impossible in the 
manner first mentioned. 

Always pick up your leeward-most decoys first, 
and, just before stooping to grasp each one, give 
the boat an extra stroke ahead to keep up its 
headway whilst winding the line. If you erro- 
neously commence at the windward side of the 
flock, many of the lines will invariably become 
entangled in winding up, when those of the 
windward decoys must often be pulled over 
those nearest to leeward; and in the event of 
the boat’s drifting back upon them and_ bunching 
them together, as wilt unavoidably occur if the 
decoys are placed as closely together as they 
should be, before the snarled lines are sepa- 


rated and wound up the boat may have been 


62 EQUIPMENT. 


blown to leeward many yards, occasioning hard 
pulling to bring back again, besides the confu- 
sion it has made. 

A favorite way of making decoys with some of 
the old sea-coast “gunners” of my acquaintance 
(though I never thought much of it and have never 
seen such used in the Western country) was simply 
to cut them in outline of inch boards. These 
were fastened one at either end to short boards, 
termed floaters, about two feet long and six 
inches in width, by pins inserted in holes bored 
in the under edges of the decoys, which, being 
loose, left them free to turn sidewise with the 
action of the wind and waves. ‘The anchor-line 
was fastened to the centre of the floater; and 
when not in use the decoys could be lifted 
from the pins and be packed in compara- 
tively little space. They seemed to work first- 
rate, especially in coot-shooting, though I should 
much prefer the full-sized hollow decoy, notwith- 
standing the additional packing-room required. 
One special advantage they undoubtedly _ pos- 
sessed—that of being easily and quickly made. 

Another, and perhaps the best decoy for coot- 
shooting, is made as follows: A piece of pine- 


board, or. cork is better if procurable, is shaped 


DECOYS. 63 


for the bottom of the decoy, and to this is nailed, 
at right-angles and lengthwise, another piece of 
board, cut to represent a vertical section of that 
portion of the decoy above water, the under edge 
being left straight to fit the bottom piece; pieces 
of flat barrel-hoops, or similar elastic material, 
are now bent over the top crosswise, and fast- 
ened to the bottom board about three to four 
inches apart by tacking, thus forming a_ frame- 
work for the decoy. This is now to be covered 
smoothly with strong cotton cloth, and the edges 
pinned securely ; the head, which is made of wood, 
being fastened in proper position on the edge 
of the vertical board, and the decoy, after being 
painted and thus rendered perfectly waterproof, is 
complete. Ballast, however, is usually added to 
keep them erect in rough weather. These de- 
coys are generally made three or four times the 
size of the natural duck for greater show, and 
are a great advantage over the life-sized wood- 
en ones on this account, coot being uncom- 
monly foolish ducks, so much so that “silly as 
a coot” has become a frequent expression of the 
coast-gunners when speaking of a light-headed or 
tipsy person. This pattern of decoys I would not 


recommend for Western gunners, unless it be for 


64 EQUIPMENT. 


goose-shooting, as they are too large and” clumsy 
for convenience in carrying. 

A few years agoa man named T, H. Snow (if 
I remember the name correctly) got out a patent 
for a flapping decoy. A board, which served as 
a floater, had a hole cut through it the size of 
the decoy, and in this the decoy (which was made 
like any common wooden one) was placed and fast- 
ened to the board by pins running into its 
sides, and serving as hinges upon which the de- 
coy tilted easily. Wings, formed of wire and 
covered with cloth or other similar substance, 
were hinged in position, and the decoy anchored 
in the usual manner. A line leading to the blind 
was so fastened to the decoy that upon its be- 
ing pulled the forward end was raised upon the 
hinges to a nearly erect position, similar to that 
of the live duck when flapping its wings, and the 
wings were elevated at right angles with the 
body. It was quite an ingenious contrivance, and 
helped considerably to attract attention to the de- 
coys, especially on dark, calm days. On_ such 
days, if a string be tied to a common decoy, by 
pulling it a ripple is occasioned or a motion made 
among the decoys, which will prove of con- 


siderable advantage. A short whistle or slight 


DECOYS. 65 


noise of any kind sufficiently loud for the ducks 
to hear without alarming them may direct their 
attention toward the decoys, and so prove the 
means of turning them; but for such ducks as 
may be called readily, of course an imitation of 
their call-note is better. 

Thirty decoys, at least, are needed for canvas- 
back shooting, and as many as two hundred and 
fifty are often used—the more the better. For 
mallard shooting, twenty wooden ones are sufficient 
to carry, as dead ones may be stuck up at any 
time. Though a few canvas-back may pro- 
perly be used with mallard decoys in mallard or 
redhead shooting to increase the show of the 
flock, it is seldom, or I may almost say never, de- 
sirable or advantageous to use the mallard decoys 
for canvas-back, as they do not feed together and 
have no desire to associate. For Western duck- 
shooting, but three, or at most four, different 
varieties of duck decoys are needed, all other ducks 
decoying to some one of these kinds as well as 
to their own. Mallard and canvas-back are the 
kinds most especially required, while redhead and 
blue-bill decoys may be advantageously used. 
And here I will endeavor to arrange the decoys 


as needed for the different varieties. 


66 EQUIPMENT. 


For Mallard—Mallard decoys; a fow “hudliowt 
and canvas-back beneficial if the flock is small, 
and especially on overflowed prairies. 

For Canvas-back 
and blue-bills added to any extent advantageous. 

For Redhead—Redhead decoys; with mallard 


in shoal water, and canvas-back and blue-bills in 


Canvas-back decoys; redhead 


deep water. 

For Blue-bills—Redhead and canvas-back decoys 
with blue-bills (blue-bills alone do not show well). 

For Sprigtail Teal and Gray Ducks—Mallard, 
or mallard and redhead decoys. 

For Widgeon—Any or all kinds; mallard best, 
especially in shoal water. 

Spoon-bills—Mallard decoys. 

W ood-duck—Mallard decoys, though these do 
not decoy well to anything. 

Other small deep-water ducks, to deep-water 
decoys. When ducks desire to come into any 
particular place, any decoy may help to quiet 
their suspicions of danger, and would then be 
of advantage, though of little use in other places. 

To illustrate the crude ideas of some _ indi- 
viduals in regard to decoys, I will relate a little 
incident. I was paddling up a certain river in 


company with my hunting partners one day dur- 


DECOYS. 67 


ing spring duck-shooting, when, a heavy rain-shower 
coming up, we took refuge under an old ware- 
house in the smali town we happened to be 
passing, and while there were visited by several 
of the town inhabitants, to whom strangers were 
an especial attraction. Amongst the rest was a 
sporting New Yorker, dressed up in fancy shoot- 
ing costume, and followed by a retinue of “saloon 
bummers and dead-beats,’ by whom his every 
wish was anticipated and his money most eagerly 
sought for. I found on conversing with him that 
he had come to hunt ducks, and certainly he had 
chosen a good place to find them, though skilful 
hunters were not to be had then to accompany 
him; in fact, when going down the river during 
the fall before, our cook sold to one of the town 
fellows the first decoys ever owned there. 

We had some idea of stopping there to shoot 
awhile, and so I enquired of him what the prospects 
were, if ducks were plenty, etc. “Oh! yes,” said 
he, “there are plenty of canyas-backs, but they 
are fearfully wild, and won’t decoy worth a d—n.” 
“So, then, you use decoys?” said I. “ Yes, indeed ; 
brought them from New York with me; you 
can’t do anything without decoys, you know.” | 
of course agreed with him there, and asked him 


68 EQUIPMENT. 


what kind he used. «Well, ’'ve got Mallards, 
canvas-back, redheads, sprigtails, blue-bills, and 
teal,” he answered rather consequentially. “ Why, 


you have got a variety certainly,” 


said I, some- 
what surprised. “How many have you _alto- 
gether?” “ Thirteen,” was the reply. I didn’t 
ask him what the odd one was, being entirely 
satisfied as to why the canvas-backs were so “ fear- 
fully wild,” and we afterwards found they decoyed 
to a nice little flock of about seventy of the 
proper kinds entirely to our satisfaction. 

In the chapter on “ Midday Mallard-shooting,” I 
shall give a full description of the “setting up” 
of dead ducks in shallow water, and so will omit 
it here. In canvas-back and other deep-water duck- 
shooting, however, as it is often desirable to in- 
crease the show of the decoys, dead ducks may 
be fastened to them by a short line, allowing 
them to float some five or ten feet behind the 
decoy. The line should be fastened to the neck 
of the dead duck, which should be placed on its 
breast on the water. The fact of the heads not 
being in sight makes no material difference, this 
absence being probably considered by the live 
ones as due to the position of feeding. A small 


flock of decoys may be patched up in this way 


DECOYS. §9 


to’ make quite a creditable appearance. In cold 
weather, when there was no danger of the ducks 
being spoiled by keeping a few days, 1 used to 
often leave fifty or sixty, when I had them at 
night, covered up with leaves and brush, near 
my shooting-place, to use for decoys next day, 
and these, with the wooden decoys I usually carried, 
were generally sufficient to allay all fears enter- 
tained by the suspicious ones. 

Live tame ducks make probably the best decoys 
to be had for mallard and black-duck shooting, 
but they are such a nuisance to take care of 
and transport that they are seldom used in 
the West. It would almost seem as though they 
took an especial delight in seeing their kindred 
killed, from the continuous calling and quacking 
they keep up whenever a flock of wild ones come 
in sight; and they seldom call in vain, for on the 
wild ones hearing them they immediately turn 
and come in. The young wild-fowler, when shoot- 
ing over live decoys, should learn to imitate their 
notes as nearly as possible, an accomplishment 
which will prove of decided benefit to him 
when shooting without decoys or over wooden 
ones. 

It is often a great advantage, when shoot- 


70 EQUIPMENT. 


ing over wooden decoys, to have a live Wuck to 
throw in the air when wild ones are approaching. 
She should be secured by a light, strong line, 
of from fifteen to twenty-five yards in length, to 
the blind to prevent escape, and should be blind- 
folded by a hood drawn over the eyes; then, not 
being able to see how far she has to fall after 
being thrown up, she will spread her wings and 
allow herself to drop gradually with feet extended. 
as is the usual manner of ducks when alighting. 
The attention of the other ducks being attracted 
toward the decoys by her motions, they come in 
without hesitation. In the absence of a live duck, 
dead ones may be thrown up to attract attention, 
but do not answer quite as well, as they fall too 
quickly ; for this reason should not be thrown too 
high, but rather in a nearly level direction. 

When shooting teal or mallard in very shallow 
water with but few decoys, lumps of mud, pieces 
of bark, or bunches of brush of the proper size 
may be judiciously employed to deceive the ducks. 
They should be mixed with those decoys nearest 
the blind, but never outside the wooden ones. | 
have known ducks to decoy all day to a little 
rough patch of ground left bare by the melting 


of the ice along the main shore. Of course they 


DECOYS. va 


would discover their mistake before alighting, but 
would dart near enough to afford quite fair shoot- 
ing from a blind near by. 

Rather a cruel method, perhaps, but one at- 
tended with great success in wild-goose shooting, 
is, on securing a wing-broken one, to fasten it to 
a stake a short distance from the blind, when it 
will call most vociferously on seeing others 
approaching or passing by, who are almost 
certain to come if within hearing distance. Geese 
should be set up for decoys as fast as killed. 
{f shooting at an air-hole in the ice, stick their 
heads under their wings, and set them up near 
the edge of the hole. 

An excellent decoy for swan-shooting (they de- 
coy very readily) is an old white shirt drawn 
over a bunch of brush, the sleeve being supported 
by a branch or stick in the proper position, form- 
ing the neck and head. A single one, if thus set 
out in their feeding or roosting ponds, will answer 
nearly as well as a dozen, but for travelling birds 
more are needed. 

As to the position and shape necessary to 
arrange the decoys in respect to wind, I shall 
describe that in reference to battery-shooting, under 


that head. For point-shooting, shooting from a 


T2 EQUIPMENT. 

. 
blind on shore, or in the edge of the willows trom 
a boat, a few hints may be welcome. 

With the wind off shore a very good way 
for shoal-water ducks is to set them out 
lengthwise with the shore, rather thinly scattered, 
immediately opposite the blind, and grouped 
together, as it were, in two separate flocks at 
either hand. The open space opposite the blind 
should not be more than ten to fifteen yards 
wide, with perhaps five or six decoys in it, and 
the main flocks about thirty yards from the 
blind, no decoy being more than fifty yards 
distant. By arranging them in this manner, 
the ducks are allowed to come in between the 
two flocks, and drop into the open space instead 
of alighting outside the flock, as they often do 
when the decoys are improperly arranged. For 
deep-water ducks, three or four decoys as tolers 
may be set out to leeward, sometimes one hun- 
dred yards or more from the blind; but if so 
placed for the  shoal-water varieties, they will 
frequently alight with them instead of coming on 
to the main flock. 

With a side wind, the habit of the deep-water 
ducks is to alight with the middle or windward 


decoys, while the shoal-water varieties seldom pass 


DECOYS. Te 


over them, but usually alight with the more 
leeward ones; place your decoys accordingly. 

But the success in decoy-shooting often depends 
more on their position in reference to the sun, 
if it be shining unobscured, than as regards the 
wind. This fact, I have often observed, is entirely 
overlooked by the great majority of duck-hunters. 
The position of the sun is seldom for a moment 
thought of, and, if at all, only to avoid its 
shining in the face when shooting, in the loca- 
tion of the decoys. There are so many things 
to be observed and considered in the selec- 
tion of the position for blind and decoys, that 
no absolute rule can be adopted to fit all 
cases. Circumstances will not always allow of 
it; but, as a rule to be observed when con- 
ditions permit, remember to so place the decoys 
that the sun may shine on that side of them 
Jrom which the ducks approach. They will thus 
attract attention, and be much more readily seen 
than if the shady side is presented. This is a 
secret of success in duck-shooting understood by 
very few amateurs, but well worth knowing. 
A thorough knowledge of these little things 
marks the difference between the lucky man 
and the unlucky one. 


74 EQUIPMENT 


Many are the different rules given by the would- 
be thought knowing ones as to the best time for 
shooting at ducks over decoys, the most common 
one being to “wait until they are just in the act 
of alighting, and then give it to ’em.” Others, 
who understand plover-shooting better than wild- 


fowling, say, “ Wait for them to double.” These 


oO? 
rules may do very well in their practice, but in 
mine I have always found the best time to shoot 
was not to be decided by rule. The numbers 
of the ducks, their manner of appreach, their 
species, and various actions, whether suspicious or 
otherwise, should influence the decision as to the 
proper time. And as these conditions are con 
stantly changing, no one rule will apply. 

If single ducks or pairs come in, where is the 
need of waiting until they are ready to alight ? 
They may see something to alarm them, and, 
instead of alighting, sheer off. Besides often 
losing them in this way, much time is lost in 
waiting; and perhaps others that might be coming 
arrive just in time to be frightened by the wild 
shots made at the retreating ones, and thus 
two chances are gone. No; just as _ soon 
as you are satisfied they are within easy 


killing distance, kill them if possible. How much 


DECOYS. (o. 


better it looks to see a man kill his pair prettily | 
when flying over or by his decoys, than to wait 
until all headway is stopped, and then shoot as 
though at a sitting mark! If a small flock comes, 
watch to get two or three crossing, and as soon 
as you do, shoot; be ready at the same time to 
use the second barrel. When a large flock comes 
in, if you are satisfied they will alight, let them 
do so, and wait until you get several in range, 
if possible, before firing; but never give a single 
duck the chance to get away, after his once 
coming within thirty-five yards, without doing the 
best you can to prevent him. 

How well I remember my old partner, Joe 
Carroll, the best duck-hunter by all odds I ever 
met! What a slim chance a duck had for its 
life after once approaching him within gunshot ! 
We were shooting together from an ice blind at 
the edge of an air-hole one day (one of our big 
days too), and the ducks were coming almost 
continually. We had decoys and dead ones stuck 
in front of us, and almost every flock that came 
along darted to them. The blind, however, was 
made of new ice, and, being to a considerable 
degree transparent, they could see us, though rather 


indistinctly, through it—plainly enough, however, 


76 EQUIPMENT. 
- 


to make them a trifle suspicious, and to want to 
circle round and look at it awhile before making 
up their minds to alight. Though they were 
coming all the time, [ was at first inclined to 
wait until they came near enough in front of us 
and over the decoys, the more especially as the 
blind was small and not easy to turn about in. 
] soon gave up this idea as a flock came in, 
and circling behind us swung in within easy gun- 
shot, and Joe, who was watching them as they 
circled, jumped up, and, turning half-way round, 
killed his pair prettily. “Why didn’t you wait 
until they came round in front, so that we might 
both have a chance?” I asked. “How did you 
know,” was his Yankee reply, “that they were 
coming round in front? And even if they were,” 
said he, “a duck killed behind us is as good 
as one in front; and when they are coming as 
fast as they are here, it won’t do to lose time 
in waiting. I supposed you were ready and 
watching them when [ jumped. I gave you 
the word when | got up. Never wait,” said he, 
“when they once come within easy kiiling dis- 
tance in a situation like this.” And this advice 
I have made it a point to follow, and, I think, 


much to my own advantage. 


DECOYS. he 


Mud-hens often cause the duck-shooter consider- 
able annoyance, especially in blue-bill shooting, as 
the ducks, instead of coming to the decoys, often 
dart down to and alight with them. They should 
always in such cases be driven out of the pond 
if possible. 

A large bag (a coffee-sack answers admirably) 
is the best thing to carry duck decoys in on 


land. 


CHAPTER IV. 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 


Tue size and shape of a paddle-boat proper for 
duck-shooting on inland waters must depend, of 
course, in a great measure, upon the locality in- 
tended for its use, as a small, low-sided boat, 
such as would be sufficiently large and safe for 
narrow rivers and ponds, might be entirely out 
of place and even dangerous on larger waters ; 
while one adapted to the latter would obviously 
occasion more trouble in the finding of a suff- 
cient concealment than was necessary on the 
smaller streams if a correspondingly fit boat 
were used. It follows, then, in regard to the size, 
that it should be as small as possible compatible 
with safety and the capability of transporting any 
needed amount of freight. As to its shape, it 
should be so formed as to insure greatest speed 
with sufficient steadiness and seaworthy qualities, 
and of such material and substance as to combine 


least weight with satisfactory durability. 
2B 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 79 


I shall first describe a boat such as built for 
comparatively large streams (the Illinois River, for 
instance), capable, when managed by an_ expe- 
rienced person, of withstanding any weather to 
which the Western hunter is likely to be ex- 
posed—such as I myself have made use of more 
than any others, and which, I am satisfied, is the 
best shape for general use on Western waters, 
and not too large for novices anywhere. 

Now, the building of a paddle-boat is not so 
simple an undertaking as many of my readers 
may suppose; in fact, it is almost an art, and 
simply giving the dimensions of the finished boat 
proves of little value, for, not knowing how to 
set about the building of it, the novice is 
as far from its possession as though he had 
never heard of. it. I shall therefore en- 
deavor to so explain the modus operandi 
as to enable any one having a sufficient know- 
ledge of the use of tools to build the boat as 
it should be; and, to make my instructions more 
clear, shall refer my readers to the drawing on 
the following page. 

The materials—clear white pine for sides, 
seats, bulkhead, and bottom, and __ straight- 


srained white oak for stem, stern-post, ribs, 


80 EQUIPMENT. 


INSIDE VIEW OF BOAT. 


a—Stem. 6—Rib. c—Stem, showing attachment. d—Mud-stick 
or pusher. ce—Oar-lock seat. 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 81 


knees, etc.—being collected, the first thing usu- 
ally done is to “get into shape” the stem and 
stern-post, the angles of which may be ascer- 
tained by drawing an isosceles triangle, which shall 
have for its base the width of the bulkhead at top 
(184 inches), and for its sides the distance from 
front side of bulkhead to extreme point of bow (27 
inches); the angle at apex of the triangle will then 
be that proper for stem. The stern-post will 
need to be a trifle more acute. Each should 
measure 4$ inches through from front to back, 
and be cut as per figure, 24 inches back from 
apex, and 4 inch deep, to receive the side-boards. 

The side-boards, which should be 16 feet long, 
164 inches wide, and from 2 to $ inch thick, 
are next shaped in the following manner: At 
11 inches back from bow, and 10 inches for- 
ward from  stern-end, measured on the under 
edge, cut off the end, up to the near upper 
corners of board. This gives the slant of stem 
and stern-post. Now, if the “boards were bent 
around in shape and with proper flare, the rake 
of the bottom would be found entirely too 
great; so to remedy this we cut away from the 
under edge of the side-board a shallow are, 


which, commencing at the lower corners, rises 


82 EQUIPMENT. 


- 
in. a smooth curve to 4} inches at centre. 


The top edges must also be cut down at 
either end to a depth of 2 inches, dimin- 
ishing in a gradual curve to middle of board, 
otherwise the bow and stern would “ cock-up” 
too much, increasing the difficulty of paddling 
in a strong side wind. 

The bow-ends may now be screwed to the stem 
(see c in the figure), care first being taken that 
they are evenly placed. The bulkhead-board (the 
bottom edge being even with the inside lower 
edge of sides) is next nailed or screwed in. This 
should be 184 inches in width on top and 11 
inches wide on bottom (back side), and placed per- 
pendicular with top edge of side-board, 27 inches 
back (measured along the side) from point 
of bow. The stern-ends and_ stern-post are 
now screwed together, and temporary _ braces 
put in to secure the sides in proper position 
to receive the ribs. The width of middle 
set should be, top, 89 inches; bottom, 26 inches— 
inside measurements. Light cords are now bound 
round outside of the boards to draw them in place 
where they are inclined to spring off too wide, and 
the stern-seat brace (permanent) put in. This, 


made of pine and similar to the bulkhead, should 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 83 


be 12 inches wide at bottom, at top proportioned 
to height, and placed square, with the top of the 
side-board, 80 inches forward from long point of 
board, measuring along its edge. 

The curves are now trued by two other sets 
of braces, which must be regulated by the builder, 
the bow end being left rather more full than the 
stern. All is now ready for the ribs and _ cross- 
bars, nine sets of which should be used, placed 
at equal distance, about thirteen and a half inches 
apart. The ribs, as before mentioned, should be 
made of oak, half an inch in thickness, and two and 
a half in width, where they join the cross-bars, 
and from here are tapered (see 6 in the figure). 
The cross-bars should be of oak, half an inch thick, 
and one and a half inches deep or wide. Lach 
rib must be accurately bevelled to fit squarely in 
its place; the cross-bars being cut to their proper 
lengths, and the flare of each set of ribs being 
determined by fitting, they are screwed together,* 
and fastened in position. Care must be taken 
that the bottom of each ecross-bar shall be placed 
even with inside edge of the side-boards. 

The whole is now turned over, bottom upwards, 
and the outside edges of  side-boards planed 


* Screws No. 9, 114 inch. 


84 EQUIPMENT. 


. 


straight and smoothly in line with cross-bars, and 
the edges afterwards painted to receive the bottom. 
A straight line should now be drawn from stem 
to stern, and, if it is found on measuring that 
one side-board has sprung more than the other 
(not often the case, however), it must be brought 
back to position and secured when screwing on 
the bottom. The bottom boards, five-eighths of 
an inch thick (not more than three should be used, 
and two is better, if they can be obtained of 
sufficient width), being screwed firmly in place to 
the cross-bars and tulkheads, are. next roughly 
trimmed around on their outside edges in line 
with the sides, and fastened to them firmly by 
“fourpenny” nails driven along the edge, about 
two and a half inches apart, the heads of which 
should be slightly sunken in the wood. 

After finishing the bottom smoothly (not round- 
ing the edges), the boat may be turned over, and 
the seats put in; one near the stern, with its for- 
ward edge resting on the permanent brace before 
mentioned, nine inches wide, and- parallel with 
bottom of boat; a second at eight inches forward 
of the middle, and the third midway between 
the two others. These two last should be seven 
inches wide, one inch thick, and placed six inches 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 85 


above the bottom of the boat. The middle seat 
may be fastened by hooks, so that it can be taken 
out and replaced again at any time, if desired. 
This seat is particularly useful when two persons 
go together, when both may row, if two sets 
of oarlock-seats are provided, and these should be 
placed, for an ordinary person, eleven inches back 
from the nearest edges of: seats. 

Hand-holds are next in order; these small 
angular pieces should be of one-inch oak, 
and fastened one at either end in the angles 
formed by sides and stem and _ stern-post. 
Two small angle-pieces should also be screwed in 
at the back corners of bulkhead and sides, to 
add to finish, and also to grasp when drawing 
the boat upon shore. After receiving the wal- 
ing—a semi-oval strip of hard wood half-inch thick 
and one inch wide—around the outside upper 
edges, as a protection against wear to the sides, 
the boat is ready for its first coat of paint, 
which should be of white-lead; mixed with raw 
linseed-oil, and colored a light brownish drab by 
the addition of burnt-umber and lampblack. No 
artificial drier should be used, as it causes the 
paint to scale and crack when exposed to the 


action of water. 


86 


EQUIPMENT. 


When the priming has been allowed to harden 


i 


> {9 
iil 


a 


water 


or 


Side View of Boat. 


thoroughly, strips of sheet-zine should 
be bent on and_ tacked smoothly 
around the edges of the bottom, from 
the bow back to midships. This will 
protect the boat from damage whilst 
cutting through thin ice, and will save 
wear in various ways. It should ex. 
tend up the sides about four inches at 
the bow, but farther back it may de- 
crease gradually to half that width. 
On the bottom it should lap about 
two inches. The putting on of zine 
is so simple an operation that an ex 
planation is unnecessary. Another fin 
ishing coat of paint, and the boat is 
complete. 

The oars, which are usually cheaper 
bought than made, should be seven 
feet in length, and bound round with 
leather for about eight inches where 
they rest in the oar-locks. A light 
paddle about nine feet in length is 
also necessary, for paddling when 
standing up, or for pushing in shoal 


through brush. The oars should 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 87 


be free in the oar-locks, not pinned or hinged to 
them. Nothing about a boat looks more “green” 
or old-fashioned to me than to see an oar 
pivoted to a long iron pin which sticks up from 
the side of the boat, and is continually catching 
upon weeds and brush, and yet I know several 
first-class duck-hunters, in other respects, who 
use them. 

To run easiest, excepting when very heavily 
loaded, the boat should be so trimmed * that the 
bottom at the bow shall be slightly out of water ; 
then, instead of ploughing through, it will glide 
smoothly over the surface. 

A very good style of paddle boat for small 
streams and ponds may be cheaply and very quickly 
made as follows: The bottom of inch pine is 
first got out in shape, thirteen feet long and 
twenty-five inches wide at centre, tapering in an 
easy curve to each end, both ends alike. To 
the bottom are securely fastened, at right angles, 
equidistant from each end, and six feet apart, 
two braces of pine, one and a half inches thick 
and nine inches in height; at the under side, 


equal in length to width of bottom where they 


* Loaded in such a way. 


88 EQUIPMENT. 


join, and at the top flared five inches on each end, 
The stem and stern-post are now nailed in 
position, at angles of about sixty degrees, and 
the proper rake (about an inch and a_ half) 
being given to the bottom (by moving its sup- 
ports either way), its edges are bevelled all 
round to fit the sides; the side-boards, one inch 
thick, also of pine, are bent round and_ nailed 
in. place.. The lower edges are now planed 
smooth with bottom; the upper ones cut to the 
proper height; the braces hollowed considerably 
on their upper edges to save weight, and after 
painting the boat is ready for use as soon as 
dry. No provision is made for rowing, but the 
boat is propelled by pushing or paddling from a 
kneeling or sitting position. 

This boat is particularly suitable for teal, wood- 
duck, and mallard shooting in the fall, but is not 
large enough to carry many decoys, and it takes 
in water so easily when fastened in a blind broad. 
side to a good breeze, that if is unfit to use for 
canvas-backs, or, in fact, for spring shooting of any 
kind in open water. The novice may find it 
rather unsteady to shoot from at first, but that 
is due rather to his mismanagement than any fault 


of the boat. One accustomed to small boats need 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 89 


have no fear of using it on reasonably smooth 
waters. 

It sometimes happens that boards of sufficient 
width to build a boat, as at first described, can- 
not be easily procured. In such a case, strips of 
weather-boarding, or “ siding,” as it 1s called out 
West, may be made to take their place. The 
operation of building is then quite different. The 
first thing to be done is to prepare the bottom, 
and fasten the principal ribs, bulkheads, stem, 
and stern-post in position ; then the siding is put 
on, commencing at the bottom in lap-streaks, cop- 
per or clout nails being used to fasten the laps, 
and the remaining ribs and seats afterwards added. 

The sculling-float mentioned in the chapter on 
wild-goose shooting 1s rarely used in the pursuit of 
ducks where they are to be found in any consider- 
able numbers. So much time Is lost in the neces- 
sarily slow approaches, that more ducks are usually 
to be killed with less labor and more sport in 
some other way. But where wild fowl are scarce 
or appear only occasionally, the case is different. 
Time is then of less importance, as one or two 
favorable shots are, perhaps, all that can be rea- 
sonably expected during the day, and these can be 


obtained with most certainty by use of the scull- 


90 EQUIPMENT. 


: 
ing-float, provided, of course, the sportsman 
thoroughly understands the methods of operating 
it. This, however, requires a much greater expe- 
rience than many of my readers may suppose, 
and even the operation of sculling whilst lying 
upon the back will be found exceedingly laborious 
and awkward to the beginner. The operation of 
building the sculling-float is so similar to that 
already described for other boats, that I will not 
weary my readers with a repetition of details. 
Its dimensions are as follows: 

Length over all, eleven feet six inches. 

Length on bottom, ten feet seven inches. 

Width, five feet from stern, on top, three feet 
two inches. 

Width, five feet from stern, on bottom, two feet 
three inches. 

Width, at stern, top, two feet three inches. 

Width, at stern, bottom, one foot nine inches. 

Depth, one foot one inch, or thirteen inches. 

Slant of stern, three inches. 

At eighteen inches from stern-end the bottom 
rises quickly toward the stern to the height of 
one and a half inches, and a scag of inch oak is 
put on along the centre of this slant, running on 


its under edge in line to meet the bottom where 


BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 9] 


the quick rise commences. The object of this rise 
is to prevent dragging water, and making too 
rough a wake, which might alarm the game. The 
scag helps to keep the boat’s course steady and 
direct. The bow is covered, to a distance of four 
feet six inches back from the stem, with a 
wash-board of quarter-inch pine, which also extends 
six inches in width around the sides to the stern 
to prevent shipping water in rough weather. The 
sculling-hole, which should be lined with leather 
to deaden any noise which might otherwise be 
produced by sculling, is placed six inches to lar- 
board of centre of stern, and seven inches above 
the bottom. A plug of wood fitting water-tight 
is to be kept in the hole when not being used. 
Provision should also be made for rowing when 
desired. 

It is always advisable, when it can be done 
conveniently, to pull your boat up and turn it 
over on the bank when you come in to camp 
at night, otherwise in the mornimg you may find 
it coated on the inside with a thick white frost; 
or, if it has stormed during the night, partly 
full of rain or snow. If not pulled up, it should 


at least be fastened in some way to prevent its 


92 EQUIPMENT. 


floating off in case the river should rise during the 
night. 

A large sponge, such as is commonly used for 
washing carriages, should always be kept in the 
boat, to dry it if necessary, or to wash away 


stains of blood. 


CHAPTER VY. 


DOGS. 


A WATER-RETRIEVER is described by many of our 
best sporting authors as a cross-bred dog. All 
agree that strong powers of endurance, an un- 
wearied, persevering disposition, speed in swim- 
ming, nose, and an acute readiness of apprehen- 
sion are the essential qualities to be sought for. 
But as regards the particular breed or cross com- 
bining most perfectly these manifold require- 
ments, their ideas differ widely. For my own 
part, 1 have had no experience in the breeding 
of dogs, and consequently do not consider myself 
capable of expressing a decided opinion. I have 
seen superior retrievers of variouS breeds, and to 
me it seemed their exceptional excellence de 
pended more upon their individual love of the 
sport, and their great experience, than upon any 
peculiar characteristic of their breed; and_ their 


willingness to undergo hardship and fatigue was 
| 08 


94. EQUIPMENT. 


to be attributed not so much to their actual 
powers of endurance as to their ardent love for 
retrieving, the charms of which outweighed all 
their antipathies. 

I am satisfied, trom my own experience, that a 
hardy, well-bred setter is as useful as any other 
need be for retrieving in Western waters. By well- 
bred I do not mean the silky, thin-haired, nar- 
row-chested, and slab-sided animal so fashionable 
nowadays; but a long, thick coated, deep-chested, 
round-ribbed, and broad loined dog, capable as 
well as willing to do hard work. Such a one, if 
rightly taught and properly managed, will never 
refuse to go where any dog should be sent; and 
very few cripples will ever escape his untiring 
activity and perseverance. The fact of his excel- 
ling in the pursuit of other game cannot detract 
from his usefulness as a retriever, but, on the 
contrary, is a positive advantage, as his increased 
experience with his master’s habits of hunting 
cannot fail to make him understand more fully 
the duties required of him; and certainly thus 
securing in one dog the usefulness of two must 
prove a decided gain. Liver or liver-and-white 
is the best color for concealment; black or white 


is too conspicuous, and may alarm the ducks. 


DOGS. 98 


You can hardly begin too early to teach your 
dog. He should, first, after learning his name, 
be taught to drop, whether by your side or at 
a distance, instantly, at the word or signal of 
hand, and to lie quietly until permitted to rise 
again. Do not allow him to rush out on the re- 
port of the gun to recover game, but make him 
wait until ordered to do so. Observe Markham’s 
advice on the subject, a thorough sportsman and 
writer, whose book, “ Hunger’s Prevention,” was 
published in the year 1655: “But by all meanes 
you must have your Dogge in such true  obedi- 
ence, that hee may not stirre from your heeles or 
let so much as his shaddow be perceived, till 
you have shot and yourselfe bid him goe, for to 
rush forth too suddenly or upon the first fire or 
clap of the Snaphaunce, though the piece goe not 
off (as many mad-headed currs will doe), is many 
times the loss of much good sport; which to 
avoyd suffer not your Dogge to  stirre till you 
bid him.” 

It is frequently unnecessary to gather your 
dead birds as soon as_ killed, especially in still, 
shallow water, when it is better to allow them to 
remain until the shooting slackens or is nearly 


over, as the continual going and coming or the 


96 EQUIPMENT. 


7 
dog will certainly alarrh many ducks that other. 
wise might have “come in” fearlessly. Cripples, 
however, should always be secured as soon as pos- 
sible, and this an old, well-experienced dog will 
generally do without waiting for orders; often 
dashing out before the bird has struck the water, 
knowing full as well as its master, from its man- 
ner of falling, whether the bird is dead or not, 
and in such a case it would certainly be folly to 
detain him. It is really wonderful how soon a 
dog 


g, if properly taught, will learn to understand 


his duties, and it would almost seem to compre- 
hend the reasons for them. I have seen old dogs 
who were so fully up to their business that they 
scarcely needed speaking to the whole day, taking 
unordered a position where they would be screened 
from sight of the ducks, remaining motionless 
when they were approaching, and fetching cripples 
as soon as possible, though leaving dead ducks 
seemingly unnoticed until ordered to retrieve 
them. Such a dog, 1 hardly need say, is inval- 
uable, and never to be found, unless having had 
great experience with a suitable and competent 
master. 

When teaching your dog to fetch, insist that 
he shall deliver into your hand. -If taught to 


DOGS. 97 


bring to your feet, when retrieving game he may 
release cripples where they will be enabled to 
escape, or at least cause unnecessary trouble to 
again secure. 

Duck-dogs are usually rather hard-mouthed, 
being frequently obliged to grip tightly to, pre- 
vent cripples from escaping; as ducks, I think, 
are more inclined than land fowl to struggle 
when captured, besides being considerably stronger 
and heavy to carry. My own dog, which I 
trained from a pup and made my almost con- 
stant companion, I taught to bring wounded birds 
tenderly in the following way: 

One day, as he happened to be amusing himself 
gnawing splinters from the round of my chair, a 
kind of diversion he appeared to be particularly 
delighted with, [ told him to quit, at the same 
time tapping him slightly on the nose with a small 
stick which I happened to have in my hand. He 
stopped, but presently commenced again. It im- 
mediately occurred to me that here was a splendid 
opportunity for teaching him the meaning of a 
command which it might be well for him to under- 
stand thereafter. So saying to him, “ Don’t bite 
it,” I tapped him again. He of course stopped, 


not because I told him to, but to wonder at the 


98 EQUIPMENT. 
: 

cause of the rapping. On his beginning again, | 
would command and rap him as before, always 
giving the command (the same one every time) 
just before the rap, until, associating the command 
with the rap to come afterwards and his biting 
together, he soon learned to stop on hearing it in 
time to escape the punishment. I persevered in 
this way, sometimes giving him food and restrain- 
ing him by this command from eating it, until at 
the end of two weeks (I had previously taught 
him to fetch) he would bring to me from a dis- 
tance pieces of meat or bread without attempting 
to eat them unless permitted. The first crippled 
bird he ever retrieved (a wing-tipped pigeon) he 
carried over two hundred yards, delivering it into 
my hand without apparently hurting it in the 
least, and on his first day’s experience with game 
he retrieved for me in the best manner thirty- 
seven ducks, mainly mallards. | 

Accustom your dog to retrieve from the water 
in the summer-time. If you commence to teach 
him in water too cold, he will learn to dread it; 
but, if a love for the sport be instilled into him 
before he learns to fear it, he will never re- 
tuse to retrieve, no matter what the temperature 


may be. 


DOGS. 99 


Frequently throw the object to be retrieved 
unobserved by him to a distance, or hide it in 
some easily accessible place; then encourage him 
to search for it, and, when needful, indicate its 
direction by a wave of the hand and arm. 
Throwing it over a fence or house, so that he 
may observe its direction, but not be able to see 
where it strikes, is also good practice. Let his 
lessons be short, yet frequent, remembering the 
more thoroughly these early lessons are learned, 
the more useful he will prove in after-life. 

He should be taught to come to heel when 
ordered, and to remain there until permitted to 
go on, and should never be allowed to chase 
rabbits; otherwise when he is required for retriev- 
ing he may be having a little hunt on his own 
account. 

Never whip your dog unless you are satisfied 
he understands what it is for, and let it be as 
soon after the committing of the fault as possible. 
Do not go at it in a merciless, inhuman manner, 
simply to vent your passion on the poor animal, 
who perhaps misunderstood your orders; and, in- 
stead of kicking or clubbing him, thereby possibly 
breaking a bone or otherwise seriously injuring 


him, use a whip or switch, which will sting suffi- 


L100 EQUIPMENT. 


ciently without bruising. Two or three strokes, 
rating him at the same time, are better than a 
dozen (or, as some do, “lick” till their arm is 
tired), for with too much punishment the dog 


forgets the fault in his desire to escape. 


CHAPTER VI. 
CAMPING OUT. 


As a rule, the best shooting is not to be had 
near good hotel accommodations; consequently, if 
the sportsman would enjoy it, he is often com- 
pelled to sacrifice a few creature comforts, and 
be contented for a time with perhaps less desir- 
able quarters. By many, however, possessed of 
hardy, vigorous constitutions and a keen love of 
the sport, this very opportunity . for getting away 
from the trammels of society to the unreserve 
and freedom of the hunter’s camp is often con- 
sidered as even a greater enticement. than the 
increased quantities of game. 

I am satisfied but comparatively little is known 
by many sportsmen concerning the daily routine 
and business of camp-life, and much unnecessary 
Jabor and trouble is therefore undergone during 
their first experiences. A great deal of useless 


luggage is often taken, while much that should. 
1M 


102 EQUIPMENT. 


be taken is overlooked or forgotten. I will, there- 
fore, for the benefit of such of my readers as may 
be in want of it, venture to offer a few plain 
suggestions, trusting they may be turned to good 


account. 


For from two to four persons and cook (full as 
many as are desirable on a ducking expedition), a 
regular house-shaped tent, about nine by twelve 
feet on the ground, with a perpendicular wall of 
about three feet in height, is as convenient as any. 


This may be made of sail-duck as most durable, 


CAMPING OUT. 103 


but good heavy “drilling” will be found full as 
warm and impervious to rain, besides being much 
lighter for transportation, and, with proper care, it 
will last two or three years. A new tent should 
be well wet before using, or the first heavy shower 
may beat through, causing, perhaps, some incon- 
venience. As a further precaution against rain, a 
fly, as it is called, should be provided. This is 
simply a sheet of light cloth sufficiently large to 
completely cover the roof of the tent, which, how- 
ever, it should not touch, excepting at the ridge- 
pole, but should be drawn high enough at the 
eaves to leave a space of three or four inches 
between it and the tent. This breaks the force 
of the storm. Be careful not to touch the in- 
side of the roof during a heavy rain-storm, espe- 
cially if the tent has no fly, for the water will 
gather and run through wherever the tent may 
be touched, when otherwise it would run down 
outside. | 

Always pitch your tent on as,high ground as con- 
venient, on a little knoll, if possible, with the ground 
slanting slightly on all sides, so that water may 
not run into it. Without this precaution it is 
often necessary to dig a little ditch around the 
tent to conduct the water off; but, if the tent is 


104 EQUIPMENT. 


pitched in a hollow or depression, even this is often 
of no avail, for as soon as ‘the ditch is filled 
the water begins to come in, while cheerfulness 
and comfort depart. Never select a camping- 
place under large trees. They may fall down 
and perhaps kill some one, or cause other serious 
damage. Rather choose a situation amongst low, 
dense bushes or brush, which will shield the tent 
from heavy winds, and always pitch your tent with 
the open end towards the south. If near the river, 
see that the ground is sufficiently high to prevent 
inundation in case the water should rise. 

Instead of cutting new poles and stakes when- 
ever a change of camp is made, I would advise 
the providing of a permanent set, to be removed 
with the tent. They save a great deal of unneces- 
sary labor, the tent sits better, and there is al- 
ways plenty of room for them on boat expeditions. 

Very few parties start out nowadays without 
the luxury of a camp-stove, and no one that I ever 
heard of, having tried it thoroughly, ever cared 
to give it up and go back to the old log-fire 
again, especially during cold or rainy weather. 
They may be made in a variety of ways, several 
of which I have tried, and the following plan I 


consider best answers my requirements : 


CAMPING OUT. 105 


~Camp-Stove. 


Material, sheet-iron; length, 2 feet; breadth, 14 
inches; height, 15 inches; oven, 10 inches square 
by width of stove, set in 2 inches in front of 
back end, and 8 inches below top of stove, thus 
leaving a flue of 2 inches deep underneath. At a, 
a partition formed of two thicknesses of heavy 
sheet-iron is riveted strongly to sides and_ bot- 
tom, 24 inches in front of oven and equal to it 
in height; in front of this is the fire-box. The 
kettle-holes are b, 73 inches, and ec, 6} inches, in 
diameter ; each strengthened around the edges by 
cast-iron rims or wiring, and provided with mov- 
able sheet-iron covers, which should be saucer- 
shaped, to prevent irregular warping. The damper 
is represented at d@, and extends across the stove ; 
by turning it either way the flames are made to 


travel over or under the oven, as may be desired. 


106 EQUIPMENT. 


A brace, e, of thin wrought-iron to strengthen the 
top of the stove and to prevent its warping, is 
firmly fastened on the inside across the top and 
part way down each side. Around the stope-pipe 
hole should be a rim of sheet-iron, upon which the 
pipe is fitted. Pipe, 31 inches in diameter, made 
in tapering sections, which telescope together for 
transportation. When in use, the pipe should not 
be allowed to touch the tent, but a loose tin collar 
should surround it where it passes through, and 
be sewed in position to the cloth. The draught is 
regulated commonly by slide-gates, but various 
methods may be employed. Cost of stove com- 
plete, about $10 to $12. For cooking uten- 
sils: 1 frying-pan, 2 tin kettles, 1 coffee-pot, 2 
sheet-iron baking-pans, 1 bread-pan, 1 dish-pan, 
and a large iron spoon are needed. 

For a table, if you can procure a box such 
as is used for packing large plate-glass in, you 
will be suited to a nicety. Have the top planed 
smoothly, and set it up on legs to the proper 
height, then between the two sides of the box 
you may stow away your dishes when not in use. 
A tin cup, knife, fork, and spoon are, of course, 
needed for each person, besides a few extra plates and 


pans to use in cooking and upon which to serve food. 


CAMPING OUT. 107 


If you are out only for a few days or whilst 
travelling, it may be better to sleep on the 
ground than to go to the trouble of making a 
bed; but let me assure you, if you are located 
for any length of time, you will find a bed much 
more neat and comfortable. All you need to 
carry besides your ordinary bed-clothes is a 
common bed-cord, and the labor of building the 
bed is almost inconsiderable. Four stakes, three 
to four inches thick and about four feet long, 
are cut from the neighboring trees, and driven 
firmly and to equal depth into the ground, in 
the angles of the parallelogram the bed is to 
occupy ; six feet in length by four and a half in 
breadth, being proper for two ordinary persons. 
Two other strong poies are next cut the in- 
tended length of the bed, and fastened, one on 
each side, about six inches below, and connect- 
ing the tops of the stakes. Each stake being 
strongly braced to prevent its springing in side- 
wise, the cord is wound «tightly around and 
across, from one side pole to the other, the 
entire length of the bed, the turns of the line 
being about four inches apart. Other poles are 
now cut and fastened in position for side, head, 


and foot boards; the cording covered with a 


108 EQUIPMENT. 


' 
rubber blanket or spare quilt; leaves, weeds, flags, 


corn-husks, hay, or straw (as may be most con- 
venient) piled on to the desired depth; the re- 
maining quilts and blankets laid on smoothly, 
and, with the exception of the pillows, the bed 
is complete. These last may be composed of 
old boots, coats, empty boxes, powder-kegs, or 
possibly feathers, if the party has killed and 
picked game enough. Grape-vines may be used 
instead of the cord, if it cannot be easily pro- 
cured,- and, barring extra trouble in _ building, 
answer full as well. 

Under the bed you may store your spare 
ammunition, clothes boxes or bags, and such 
sundry articles as are not needed for every-day 
use. 

Two large chests should be made for ammuni- 
tion, provisions, ete., and a third—or, what is quite 
as good, a stout waterproof bag—for clothes and 
sundries. The boxes should be made of pine, and 
of dimensions proportioned to the wants of the 
party. 

The quantity of provisions to be taken will of 
course depend upon the number of persons to be 
provided for, and the intended duration of the trip ; 


also, upon whether it will be convenient to procure 


CAMPING OUT. 109 


more at any time upon the way or not. The habits 
and tastes of those who are to use them will, of 
course, determine their variety. Old hands at the 
business always learn to do without many luxu- 
ries, rather preferring hearty, nutritious food with 
hunger for their only sauce ; and the more experience 
they have the less they are inclined to bother 
themselves with variety. The usual provisions 
carried by the market hunters are as follows : 
flour, corn-meal, pork, beans, coffee, sugar, salt, 
pepper, baking-powder, molasses, and onions, if 
procurable; to these, or such of them as he 
wishes, the novice may add what luxuries he may 
think prgper—the fewer the better; and a good 
supply of matches, as well as soap, towels, gun- 
rags, and oil for lanterns must not be forgotten. 

For tools, a saw, axe, and auger should be car- 
ried; a few nails, too, often come handy, and 
may be needed to mend a wrecked or leaky boat. 
A fish-line, with a few assorted hooks, might help 
to procure a change of diet, and should not be 
neglected. An old powder-keg, with the head taken 
out and fitted with a rope-handle, makes an ad- 
mirable pail; and, if sawed in two, the bottom 
makes an excellent basin in which to wash the 


hands and face. 


CHAPTER VII. 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 


Clothing.—The color of the wild-fowler’s dress 
should, as nearly as possible, be that of his natural 
surroundings, or, at least, be of some dull, neutral 
tint unlikely to attract particular attention ; for, if 
it contrast too strongly with its background, any 
slight movement of the shooter will be likely 
to be instantly detected by his game, and _ his 
immediate locality afterwards carefully avoided. 

In the fall, when the leaves and weeds are turn- 
ing yellow, a light-brown or yellowish-drab will be 
found as good as any; whilst in spring, when the 
trees are more devoid of foliage, a suit of “ pep- 
per-and-salt ” cloth is better, being less readily dis- 
tinguished from an old log or stump, For tim- 
ber or overflowed-prairie shooting, the “ pepper- 
and-salt” is particularly recommended. Remem- 
ber, too, ducks appear to apprehend danger more 
from the very dark colors than from the lighter 


ones. 
110 


. 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 111 


Due regard should be paid to the temperature 
of the climate and seasons. In August or early 
September, a thir linen coat with large pockets 
for game and ammunition is the proper thing; 
while, as the weather grows colder, something 
thicker must take its place. And in winter and 
the colder fall and spring months flannels should 
be worn next the body throughout. The “ pep- 
per-and-salt” cloth before mentioned for outside 
wear will be found warm, durable, cheap, and 
“for sale everywhere.” For very cold weather 
an English guernsey is one of the best things 
possible. With a good coat outside, a person 
can stand almost any needed exposure ; and, being 
flexible and easy, though close-fitting, this does not 
interfere with free movements of the arms and 
body. 

Thick woollen gloves are preferable in cold wea- 
ther to any others. If by accident they become | 
wet, wring them out dry as_ possible, and they 
will be nearly as warm as® before. In case 
of necessity an old shot-sack drawn over the 
hand will be found quite serviceable, especially 
when picking up decoys or while paddling when 
the handle of the paddle may be wet or cov- 
ered with ice. 


dl 


112 EQUIPMENT. 


: . 
Do not let false pride induce you to buy close. 


fitting rubber-boots. They are intolerable in hot 
weather, and on very cold days you may wish 
to wear two pairs of stockings, which would then 
be impossible. Neither have them of too large 
a size, but choose a happy medium ; for, if too 
large, they will soon crack across the wrinkles, 
and are then worthless, 

A waterproof coat should always be carried in 
the boat in anticipation of rain, especially if hunt- 
ing deep-water ducks, for during a shower they fre- 
quently fly much better than at any other time. 

The Aminunition-Box.—When shooting from 
a boat with a breech-loader, an ammunition - box 
should be carried, to contain the cartridges and 
other ammunition, and to prevent their getting 
wet, as may frequently happen in a leaky boat 
or during rainy weather if no such provision is 
made. It should be made of wood or tin, water- 
proof, and large enough to hold cartridges  sufh- 
cient for a good day’s sport, with loading-tools 
and loose ammunition sufficient to refill the empty 
shells during the day if desired. It should be 
divided into two or three compartments for keep- 
ing separate the cartridges and other articles, 


and be provided with a hasp-lock, and leather 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 113 


strap on the side to serve as a handle for car- 
rying. My own, of three-eighths inch pine, strongly 
dovetailed together, in which I usually carry 180 
short 10-bore shells, loading-tools, three pounds of 


powder, half a sack of shot, and wads and caps 


iA 
4 
{ i} } 
NRA 
MINN RN 


SLO” Was 
MAH | iif 
ith 


| 


The Ammunition-Box. 


to match, is 15 inches long, 12 inches wide, 
and 5 inches deep, and is,divided into three 
compartments, as in the small foregoing sketch. 
The powder-canister is of tin, square, and made 
to fit in proper place. The loading-tools, all that 
are necessary with Sturtevant shells, are: a rod 


for pushing down wads, pressing on and ejecting 


114 EQUIPMENT. 


caps; a tapered metallic tube through which (to 
insure them a level position and to prevent their 
edges from being injured) the wads are pushed 
into the shell; and a short piece of inch pine 
plank, bored partly through with sixteen holes, to 
receive the bases of the shells and to hold them 
erect for loading. 

Oil for Locks, etc—No vegetable oil should 
ever be used upon gun-locks; it is liable to 
‘gum, and thus interfere with their free working. 
Porpoise oil or refined sperm are the best for 
the purpose, and but very little is’ required. 
Porpoise oil 1s the kind generally used by gun- 
makers. To prevent rust, almost any kind of 
animal or fish oil free from galt is good; and 
for the stock, linseed-oil well rubbed in gives 
a nice polish, and will prevent water from pene- 
trating. Caked dirt or a slight rust may be easily 
removed from the interior of a barrel by scouring 
with wet wood-ashes. 

Powder.—\n the West it is customary to use 
a much finer-grained powder for duck-shooting 
than is employed by the sea-coast shooters; but 
this I consider due more to habit than because 
any better results can be obtained from it; in fact, 


of two of the best duck-shooters of my acquaint- 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 115 


ance, one uses F.I'.G., very fine, and the other 
No. 1, exceedingly coarse. Neither can be per- 
suaded to use anything different, and both kill, 
‘it seems to me, equally far. For my own part, 
I am not so particular concerning the size of 
grain, if it is only uniform and even; but where 
| commence the season’s shooting with a certain 
size, I dislike to change to another. F.F.G. is 
certainly fine enough for any one, and F.F.F.G,. 
unfit for use in a shot-gun. 

For cleanness, strength, and evenness of grain, 
no powder can, in my opinion, excel that manu- 
factured by the Oriental Company, of Boston. | 
have used many kegs of various kinds, and pre- 
fer this to all others. | When I finished shooting, 
last’ spring, having been using Oriental powder, 
though my gun had not been cleaned for nearly 
three weeks, and had been fired almost every 
day, and on several days over one hundred times, 
it was scarcely perceptibly foul, and might, to all 
appearances, have been fired as many times more 
without detriment to its shooting or inconvenience 
in loading. The strength was equally extraordi- 
nary. My partner (who probably has killed as 
many ducks as almost any man in the West) 
used to remark almost daily: “This is the best 


116 EQUIPMENT. 

* 
powder I ever shot, I really believe.” These per- 
haps rather partial statements are in no wise in- 
fluenced by any desire to favor one person or 
firm more than another, but are given simply for 
the benefit of such of my sporting friends as are 
continually asking, “ What powder do you use ?” 

Minute exactness is often necessary in measur- 
ing rifle charges, and the Troy standard has there- 
fore been adopted, while charges for | shot-guns 
not requiring this particular nicety are weighed 
by the avoirdupois scale. This being the case, 
many persons, not being acquainted with the rela- 
tions which the two standards bear to each other, 
are at a loss to properly compare them. To aid 
such I append the following: 


One pound avoirdupois contains 7,000 grains. 


66 6c troy 6é 5,760 6< 
“ ounce avoirdupois es cS fe aa 
66 66 troy 6c 480 6“ 
“ drachm avoirdupois “s 27H 


The pound, ounce, and grain, apothecary, are 
the same as those of the troy standard. 

Shot.—It would prove of great convenience to 
sportsmen, especially in comparing the shooting of 
different guns, if shot could be made of uniform 
weights and sizes throughout the country; and 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. ne 


with this object in view a committee were ap- 
pointed by the New York State Sportsmen’s 
Convention, held at Niagara Falls, to determine 
upon a suitable scale, and submit it for adoption 
to the various makers. This was done, and 
though their scale was accepted and the shot 
numbered accordingly by several leading manu- 
facturers, yet the number of pellets contained 
in the ounce of their several makes was found 
to vary widely, which fact has given rise to 
much heated discussion. To me uniformity seems 
practically an impossibility; for lead taken from 
the same mine, and worked as nearly as may 
be in the same manner, will frequently be 
found to vary somewhat in density, owing to 
several reasons—it may be to a slight change in 
the degree of heat applied in some part of its 
reduction or refining, or, possibly, to some pecu- 
liar condition of the atmosphere. Then again, 
as the shot are sifted or assorted, the - pellets 
which remain in a certain colander cannot be 
of precisely the same size, and consequently the 
numbers contained in separate ounces of the 
same manufacture may also, and do, vary. for 
instance, a No. 5 shot, which, according to the 


scale, should be #2, of an inch in diameter, is, 


118 EQUIPMENT. 
: 


in fact, any shot sufficiently small to pass 
through a circular hole 343, of an inch in diam- 
eter, and vet too large to pass through a 
similar 2, hole. The following tables, show- 
ing the average number of pellets to the ounce 
of the various sizes, as now made by the leading 


manufacturers, may prove of utility to sportsmen ; 


T. O. Leroy & Co., N. Y. TaTHAM & Bros., N. Y. 


pigin sue, Pyle «Din nye, Ret 

fou a dad) 32 fas FF 24 
T00 a 38 V0 F 27 
wo BBB 44 Tou fee 31 
tos BB 49 Too T 36 
Tie B 58 Tis BBB 42 
vou 1 69 tes BB 50 
er 2 82 Li; B 59 
tits 3 98 tos 1 it 
tis 4 121 00 2 86 
Tis 5 149 Tor 3 106 
woo 6 209 3; 4 132 
Ton 7 278 pis 5 168 
Too 8 375 Tis 6 218 
Tos 9 560 an 7 291 
Thy 10 822 T80 8 399 
rb0 pW 982 Té5 9 568 
rie 12 1778 tba 10 848 

TOU td. 1846 


+ 
a” 
ert 
ci) 
ras) 
co 
ri) 
o> 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 119 


Str. Louts SHot TowER Co. Cxurtcaco SHot TowErR Co. 


Size. en Free meets. oe 
000 33 28; 0000 22 
00 39 10 000 Q7 
0 46 Sa 00 33 
BBB 51 20, 0 98 
BB 60 eB BB 46 
B 71 ids BB 53 
1 90 Tis B 62 
2 100 8; 1 "5 
3 118 Lis 2 92 
4 159 why 8 118 
5 237 Lg, 4 146 
6 299 see 5 172 
a 385 ide 6 216 
8 509 5 Pe 323 
9 700 +i 8 434 
10 +103 70 9 596 
Th 10 854. 
Too 11 1414 


4 

ch 

a 
— 
ras) 
©~ 
nse 
S 
i) 


EQUIPMENT. 


WALKER & PARKER (ENGLISH SHOT). 


Size. Pellets to oz. 


AA 40 
i vt 50 
58 


w 
a 
-3 
ae 


— 
i=) 
a 
bed 
rw) 
oO 


MovuLpD SHOT. 


LG b} 
MG 83 
SG 11 
SSG 15 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 12} 


Antidotes for Bite of [Rattlesnake and Poison- 
ing by Strychnine.—lt is not an uncommon oc- 
currence in certain sections of the Western coun- 
try for dogs and even men to be bitten by rat- 
tlesnakes. The best remedy in such cases (which 
if neglected usually prove fatal) is whiskey, taken 
internally as soon as possible, and in sufficient 
quantity to produce intoxication, manifestations of 
which may be considered as certain evidence that 
the action of the venom is neutralized and the 
patient cured. For a dog, a pint will in most 
cases be needed, and a man may take fully a 
quart before showing signs of its effects, so pow- 
erful is the controlling influence to be first sub- 
dued in the venom. 

For cases of poisoning by strychnine, liquefied 
lard should be given immediately in large quanti- 
ties. : 

Pocket Compass, Wood-Craft, ete-—A pocket 
compass is a very essential article of the duck- 
shooter’s outfit; without it, on dark, lowery days, 
he may easily lose his way in the tortuous and 
intricate windings amongst the tangled weeds and 
bushes of the swamp, and perhaps experience con- 
siderable trouble and uneasiness before finding it: 


again. In the woods, a man who is versed in 


122 EQUIPMENT. 
_ 


ond oeatt has many things to guide him. The 
moss which grows upon the trees he knows is 
partial to the shade, and therefore always thick 
est on the north side; on the warm and sunny 
side of the tree (the south) he knows the branches 
are most frequently the largest, and his course 
is governed accordingly. In the swamp, he may 
be sometimes guided by the direction of the 
wind; but this is at best a fickle resource, for, 
should it change, it might lead him in a direc- 
tion contrary to that desired. Perhaps the water 
may flow slowly through the swamp, and _ this 
may be sufficient to guide him; but it is often- 
er stagnant, and then affords no clue. ‘To be 
on the safe side, carry a compass. 

You may determine from which side the wind 
comes, even when the air is seemingly still, by 
holding above your head your wet finger, which 
you have previously held in your mouth until 
warm; it will be plainly felt to cool first on 
the windward side. 

Cracked Hands.—Duck-shooters are frequently 
troubled with chapped and cracked hands; _ the 
alkaline deposits of burned powder, and the con- 
tinual wetting of the hands whilst picking up 


gaine and decoys, rendering such a condition in 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 123 


cold weather, without constant and _ particular 
care, almost inevitable. As a_ precautionary 
remedy, diluted vinegar is, I think, as~ good as 
any ; for by its peculiar acid action the harm- 
ful properties of the alkali are neutralized. The 
skin should also be kept soft and pliable by 
frequent applications of glycerine, camphor-ice, or 
tallow, particularly just before going to bed. 
Rheumatism.—The wild-fowler is often liable 
to get wet from being caught without proper 
protection in a heavy rain-storm or otherwise, 
when acute rheumatism or a severe cold may 
follow, in anticipation of which, and to prevent 
such undesirable consequences, liquor, such as 
whiskey or brandy, should be carried and taken 
internally when necessary, but should never be 
resorted to at any other time. I! am sorry to 
record it, but it is a fact, that many parties start 
out from home on a camping expedition with 
the ostensible purpose of shooting ducks, when 
in reality an opportunity for unrestrained whis- 
key-drinking is their main object. I once hap. 
pened to call at a camp where four fellows 
were “roughing it” for a few days. Seeing no 
one outside the tent, I ventured. to look in. 


Lying on a lot of straw, which was scattered 


124 EQUIPMENT. 
' 


about the floor fully a foot in depth, were all 
four, drunk and sleeping soundly. By some of 
their restless, unconscious motions the straw had 
been pushed against the hot stove, and when | 
looked in had already commenced blazing. I of 
course extinguished it as soon as possible, and 
awoke them. Had I not providentially chanced to 
call as I did, some one of the party, if not all, 
would in all probability have been fatally burned, 
for all were too stupefied to save themselves. 

As a local remedy for acute muscular rheu- 
matism, a mustard-plaster placed immediately 
upon the part affected will, in most cases, soon 
prove effectual. If the white of an egg be mixed 
with the plaster, no blistering will ensue. 

Ague.—Never start out to shoot in the morn- 
ing with an empty stomach. Eat something, if 
it be no more than a cracker; you will be less 
liable to be attacked by ague. Be careful, also, 
to avoid drinking warm slough water. Different 
remedies are required by different persons to 
cure ague; as for myself, I have so far got 
along without requiring any, never having ex- 


perienced a touch of “ the shakes.” 


CHAPTER. Vit, 
MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 


The Mallard (Anas boschas).—Adult Male : 
Bill about the length of the head, higher than 
broad at the base, depressed and widened toward 
the end, rounded at the tip. Upper mandible 
with the dorsal outline sloping and a little con- 
cave; the ridge at the base broad and flat, to- 
ward the end broadly convex, as are the sides; 
the edges soft and rather obtuse; the marginal 
lamelle transverse, fifty on each; the wungius 
oval, curved, abrupt at the end. Nasal groove 
elliptical, sub-basal, filled by the soft membrane 
of the bill; nostrils sub-basal, placed near the 
ridge, longitudinal, elliptical, pervious. Lower 
mandible slightly curved upward, with the angle 
very long, narrow, and rather pointed, the lamel- 
jee about sixty. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. 
Neck rather long and slender. Body full, de- 


pressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind 
125 


126 GAME—SHOAL-WATE£R FOWL. 
. 


the centre of the body. Legs bare a little above 
the joint; tarsus short, a little compressed, an- 
teriorly with scutella, laterally and behind with 
small reticulated scaies. Hind toe extremely 
small, with a very narrow membrane; third toe 
longest, fourth a little shorter, but longer 
than the second; all the toes connected by reti- 
culated membranes, the outer with a thick mar- 
gin, the inner with the margin extended into a 
slightly-lobed web. Claws small, arched, com- 
pressed, rather acute; that of the middle 
toe much larger, with a dilated, thin, inner 
edge. 

Plumage dense, soft, elastic; of the head and 
neck, short, blended, and splendent; of the other 
parts in general, broad and rounded. Wings of 
moderate length, acute; primaries narrow and 
tapering ; the second longest, the first very little 
shorter: secondaries broad, curved inward, the 
inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, much 
rounded, of sixteen acute feathers, of which the 
four central are recurved. 

Bill greenish-yellow. Iris dark-brown. Feet 
orange-red. Head and upper part of neck deep 
green, a ring of white about the middle of the 


neck; lower part anteriorly, and  fore-part of 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 137 


breast, dark brownish-chestnut; fore-part of back 
light yellowish-brown, tinged with gray; the rest 
of the back brownish-black; the rump __ black, 
splendent, with green and purplish-blue reflections, 
as are the recurved tail feathers. Upper surface 
of wings grayish-brown; the scapulars lighter, 
except their inner webs, and with the anterior 
dorsal feathers minutely undulated with brown. 
The speculum, or beauty spot, on about ten of 
the secondaries, is of brilliant changing purple and 
green, edged with velvet black and white, the 
anterior bands of black and white being on the 
secondary coverts. Breasts, sides, and abdomen 
very pale gray, minutely undulated with darker; 
lower tail coverts black, with blue reflections. 
Length to end of tail, 24 inches; to the end 
of the claws, 23; to the tips of the wings, 22; 


extent of wings, 36; wing from flexure, 101; 


D 9 
tail, 41; bill, 22,; tarsus, 13; middle toe, 23; 
its claw, 35,; weight from 24 to 3 Ibs. 


Adult Female: Bill black in the middle, dull 
orange at the extremities and along the edges. 
Iris as in the male, as are the feet. The gene- 
ral color of the upper parts is pale yellowish- 
brown, streaked and spotted with dusky-brown. 
The feathers of the head are narrowly streaked ; 


128 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
. 


of the back with the margin and a central streak 
yellowish-brown ; the rest of the scapulars similar, 
but with the light streak on the outer web. 
The wings are nearly as in the male; the spe- 
culum similar, but with less green. The lower 
parts are dull olive, deeper on the lower neck, 
and spotted with brown. 

Length, 22 inches; weight, from 2 Ibs. to 2t. 

The young acquire the full plumage in the 
course of the first winter. > 

Mallards breed in small numbers in the various 
swamps and sloughs of the Western country, but 
by far the greater number betake themselves to 
the unknown regions of the north, and _ there, 
unmolested, rear their young. The month of 
August is hardly over before they again begin to 
make their appearance in the more northern of 
the Western States, but the shooting of them 
cannot be said to have fairly commenced until 
about the middle of September. After that time, 
and until the freezing of the waters drives them 
further south, the numbers killed are sometimes 
almost incredible. Their habits vary consider- 
ably in the different localities which they fre- 
quent, and at different times, and various means 


are employed for their capture, the most practi- 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 129 


cal of which it is my intention to explain as 
clearly as possible. 

For convenience’ sake, and to ensure a more 
thorough description of details, I shall, in’ the 
yemainder of this chapter and that immediately 
following, adopt the conversational style, address- 
ing my remarks to a supposed novice, who is 
about to take his first lessons in duck-shooting, 
the present time being the evening preceding the 
sport; place, hotel near the shooting-grounds. 

We must start early in the morning; so get 
your gun and ammunition ready, and don’t be 
sparing of the latter, for it is much better to 
have to bring~some back than to leave good 
shooting for want of it. Sometimes, when least 
expected, a person will find all the ducks he can 
reasonably wish for. Chicago sixes or St. Louis 
fives are about the shot you need, as at this 
season the ducks are not very full feathered, and 
the mallard is not over-tenacious. 

Load your shells with four drachms of powder. 
«Rather a large charge of powder,” you say. 
You perhaps have been used to shooting quail 
or woodcock, where smaller charges are sufficient, 
the shooting always being close. 


An ounce of shot is enough; there is no need of 


130 ‘GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
' 


more. The gun will kick harder and shoot weaker ; 
besides, if you add half an ounce to each of those 
cartridges, you will have considerable extra weight 
to carry. You can kill as far with the ounce if 
you hold right. As we shall probably have to 
leave the boat, take along your sack for carrying 
shells; you might carry them in your pockets, 
but the sack will be handy to hang on a branch 
or to lay down while shooting, and it will be 
much more comfortable than having the weight 
in your pockets. You will need your long rubber 
boots, as we shall probably have some wading 
to do. But put a pair of slippers in your pockets ; 
you can wear them while in the boat, and will find 
them much easier than the boots this warm weather. 

Breakfast will be ready before daylight, and I 
will see to the luncheon; for if we find the 
shooting decent, we shall most likely stay till 
dark. 

1 am glad to see you wear a hat to shoot in. 
A cap [ abominate. If it rains, the water is con- 
tinually dripping and running down the back of 
your neck; and when the sun shines fierce and 
hot, it furnishes no shade, as does the hat. Very 
often, too, as a person is taking sight, the rays of 


the sun strike one’s eyes, dazzling them, and 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 131 


thereby causing a miss. Well, .good-night; I will 
call you in time in the morning. 

Why, here it is after four o’clock. I came very 
near oversleeping. I must call my young friend; 
but here he is, coming to call me! Good-morn- 
ing. You are on hand, sure enough. Suppose you 
feel like giving the ducks particular fits to-day. 
Well, we'll see what we can do for them very 
soon. The sky promises fair weather, and we 
have a cool west wind to refresh us while row- 
ing to the shooting-grounds, and which, if it con- 
tinues, as I think it will, will make the ducks feel 
more like moving about than they might be 
inclined to do if it were warmer. Breakfast is 
ready, I hear from the dining-room; so let’s go 
in and see if we can do it justice. There’s not 
a big variety,-to be sure, but it’s good stuff to 
last and to work on, this corn-bread and duck; 
and it isn’t very apt to produce dyspepsia, especi- 
ally if one does much rowing, and tramps far in 
the muddy bottoms for exercise. It just suits 
you, does it? Well, eat heartily, for you may 
have work to do, and, as Joe Carroll used to say, 
«A man that can’t eat isn’t fit to do much of 


anything else.” 


132 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
. 


Keep on eating. I am only going out to 
call Jack, the dog, to his breakfast. Here he 
is; what do you think of him? A_ pure-bred 
setter, you see, and I think as good a retriever 
as-can be found. He also understands a thing 
or two about quail and chicken shooting, as I may 
have an opportunity of showing you before long. 
Sportsmen have peculiar fancies regarding retriev- 
ers, and among writers one advocates one variety, 
another another, and a third again perhaps a cross 
between the two; in my opinion, the main requi- 
site, second only to power of endurance, is simply 
this: that the dog should take an especial delight 
in retrieving. No man can excel in any pursuit 
unless he has a particular liking for it, no matter 
how well adapted he may be. So it is with the 
dog; no matter what particular breed he may 
belong to, if he has no actual love for the sport, 
no amount of breaking will make a decent re- 
triever of him. 1 know of a dog to-day, a cross 
between a setter and a pointer. He is rather old 
now, but four or five years ago a better retriever 
for Western duck-shooting was not made. To 
look at him, you would laugh at the idea of his 
being a duck dog. He looked more like a fighting 


dog, and, in fact, next to retrieving, fighting was 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. l3e 


his favorite pastime; and, excepting for this one 
purpose, he did not appear desirous of courting 
the society of any of his kind. He would weigh 
perhaps fifty pounds, smooth haired, very strongly 
built, and stood about twenty inches high. It 
-was almost impossible to tire him out. [ have 
known him to retrieve mallards all day in run- 
ning water for four. persons, quite constant shoot- 
ing, bringing in over two hvndred ducks, and 
going for the last ones as readily as for the first. 
He returned with a duck as quickly as possible; 
never walked or loitered on the way. He could 
tell when a duck was struck as well as the 
shooter, and would watch it as eagerly to see 
if it fell, when he would immediately go after 
it, sometimes five or six hundred yards. 

[ well remember on one occasion [I was. sail- 
ing down the Illinois River with a hunting party, 
and passing by “Clear Lake,” a beautiful sheet 
of water, saw quite a large flock ot mallards feed- 
ing near the shore of the lake. I seized my gun, 
and calling to the dog jumped into a paddle-boat, 
paddled ashore, and proceeded to “ bushwhack ” 
them. The grass was quite high, and by creeping 
low down on all fours I was enabled to get quite near 


them. The dog followed close behind me, crouch- 


134 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


. 

ing low and watching my every motion. Getting 
as near as I wished, I fired both barrels, and sue- 
ceeded in stopping thirteen, eight being dead and 
five splashing round with wings broken or other- 
wise crippled. In went the dog. I ran down to 
the water’s edge, when he brought me out four 
of the cripples, passing by the dead ones going 
and returning, and not paying any attention to 
them (the fifth skulked low down in the water, 
and he did not see her). When he had de- 
livered the fourth, he started along the lake 
shore as fast as he could go. I called and 
whistled; he paid no attention to me, but kept 
on some hundred and fifty yards or so, and, diy- 
ing into the grass, appeared with another crippled 
duck, which he immediately brought to me. I 
had no idea what he could be going after, but 
his quick eye had seen the duck fall from the 
flock when mine were engaged in another direc- 
tion. After his retrieving the dead ones, we re- 
turned to the party with ducks enough for sup- 
per. I have often had him bring me over a 
dozen crippled ducks in a day, while going to and 
coming from the ponds—ducks that I had no idea 
were near me. He would come across their trail 


when they had run up into the woods from the 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 135 


water, and then follow them up until he found 
them hiding in some old brush-pile or under a log. 

But let us start. It is only a short distance to 
the river. Just take your gun and the lunch-basket, 
and I will carry mine and the ammunition. 

There, this is our boat; put down the dunnage, 
and we'll launch it. Jack, you see, is in his place 
in the bow as soon as it is in the water. You 
may sit in the stern. Keep your gun handy, and 
] will row; it is not far. What a splendid river 
this is for boating, isn’t it? Straight stretches for 
miles, and but very little current; the shores, you 
see, are quite bare and devoid of weeds, and offer 
little inducement for the ducks to light along them. 
A stranger who was not well acquainted with the 
habits of ducks would little think from the few he 
might see along the river what multitudes abound 
in this country. There! do you see that flock of 
ducks to the right, away beyond those tall trees? 
They are mallards, and are now over a favorite 
feeding-ground of theirs, called» by the local hunters 
here the duck or rice pond. It contains perhaps 
three hundred acres, water from ten to twenty 
inches, and mud ten to twenty feet in depth; 
almost the entire surface is covered with the 


dense growth of the wild oats or rice, whose 


136 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
: 


stalks grow to the height of ten to fifteen feet. 
The seeds of this cane are the favorite food of 
mallards and other shoal-water ducks in the fall, 
and when it grows to any great extent the ducks 
are usually quite numerous. This pond is fed 
chiefly by springs, and has for its outlet a small, 
crooked, shallow stream, call Mud Creek, which 
empties into another, known as Crow Creek, the 
mouth of which is only a short distance from here, 
just where you see that opening in the willows 
on the east side of the river, perhaps a quar- 
ter of a mile ahead. We will strike in there, 
and try a couple of hours’ shooting in the rice- 
pond, until the morning flight is over, when we 
will go to another place I think rather favorably 
of for mid-day shooting. I will explain to you 
when we get there why the shooting at that 
time of day is better there than in the rice- 
pond. 

Here we are at the mouth of the creek. It is 
not wide enough to admit of rowing, so you may 
take an oar and stand in the bow and paddle, or 
push against the logs or bank, as you have op- 
portunity. I will guide the boat with this long 
paddle. Come forward to this seat, and sit per- 


fectly still while I pass by you. I will look out 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. au 


for the balance of the boat, so don’t you mind 
anything about it. There, that’s good! Two 
nervous persons in a boat like this -are very 
apt to get spilled out if they attempt to pass 
each other. Neither will trust the other; so in 
passing, if the boat cants either way, both throw 
their weights to the opposite side, and, instead of 
preventing the accident, it is thereby made certain. 
So remember this: let the one who passes keep 
the balance. Hark! just listen to the cracking of 
the guns in the rice-pond. The poor ducks are 
catching it now. 

The moon is now in its first quarter, and 
the nights being quite dark the ducks remain 
later in the morning; but during the full of the 
moon, when they can see better, they feed 
nearly all night, and are ready to take their 
departure out of danger from the hunters much 
earlier. I have been in places where they were 
hunted a great deal, and during the full of the 
moon could hardly get a shot in the rice-ponds 
until after dusk, when they would come in by 
hundreds, and at daylight would leave as suddenly. 
After a very dark night they would seem more 
anxious to stay a while in the morning, and would 


stand considerable banging. 


138 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
. 


That fork to the right is the noted stream 
“Mud Creek.” You may put down your oar 
now, as the current is not quite as rapid as_ this 
we're leaving, and get your gun ready; for in a 
few rods the creek widens, and we then come to 
the edge of the wild rice, which grows on either 
side of the creek, until we come to the pond. 
There are always a good many ducks sitting in 
the edge of the rice along the creek, and by 
moving quietly we can get very close to them 
before they take alarm. Sit with the left side 
rather more in advance, so that you can shoot 
ducks crossing to the right more easily, and 
don’t shoot if you have to drop them too far 
in the rice, for it will take more time to break 
down rice and hunt them up than they are 
worth. Wait until you get one over the creek 
or close to the edge. We must not waste too 
much time here, you know, for it may be more 
valuable somewhere else. Now, no more loud 
talk for a few moments, until we see if we can’t 
get a shot; and remember this last caution: Be 
cool; and don’t shoot until you get your gun just 
right, for nothing but dead ducks count here 
—cripples are of little use. 

Steady ! Well! well! Why didn’t you shoot? 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 139 


Gun wasn’t cocked, eh? Why, I’ve heard you 
cock it fully a dozen times since we struck the 
edge of the rice. I guess you must be getting 
a trifle excited. Well, it’s to be expected at first, 
with so many ducks continually jumping up before 
you; but it will soon wear off. The trouble is, 
when you took the gun down after sighting at 
that’ wood-duck a moment ago, you let down 
the hammers, and forgot to raise them again. 
Look out next time, and keep cool; youll have 
lots of chances. 

Careful! Well done! That duck was neatly 
killed. No one could do better. A young mal- 
lard drake! Waited a little too long, didn’t he? 
Pick him up as we pass. Always pick up ducks 
by the bills or heads, and shake them well be- 
fore putting in the boat; their feathers hold a 
lot of water, and they look much better and will 
keep longer when dry than after lying in the 
wet all day. Lay him on his back in the bow, 
‘in front of the dog. I like to keep my ducks’ 
feathers smooth too, not turned “every which 
way.” Look sharp, now; in this bend ahead there 
are ducks, ’ll warrant. Steady! I thought so! 
Well, 1 guess you an’t much of a “slouch 6 


at shooting, if this is the way you are in the 


14) GAME—SHOAL- WATER FOWL. 
» 


habit of doing. wo dead that shot! I expected 
to see you kill the other with the second bar- 
rel. She flew straight up the creek. Why didn’t 
you try it? The surprise of killing both the 
others with the first barrel took you off your 
guard, and you didn’t think of it, I suppose. 
But youre doing well enough, any way. It’s 
easier to sit here and tell how than to take 
your place and do it any better. 

Do you see that low muskrat house there in 
the edge of the rice? Well, remember where it 
is, and when we come out look out for a shot at 
a wood-duck there. You will be almost sure to 
find one. They are very fond of sitting on such 
places to preen themselves and bask in the sun, 
and [ have jumped many a one from the same 
place. They are feeding now, and it’s only from 
about nine o’clock in the morning to three in 
the afternoon that they frequent such places. 

Mark! Do you see that flock of teal just in 
the edge of the rice near those _lily-pads ? 
Don’t make a motion, and Ill see if I can’t 
steal on them behind that point of rice. Now, 
watch sharp as we come into view; if they will 
wait, give them the first barrel on the water, 


and don’t forget the second one this time. 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING——FALL. 141 


There they go! (Bang! bang!) No, several have 
suddenly concluded not to go, | should judge; 
take my gun and shoot those cripples, if you 
can. That’s the way to do it; seven more to 
help the pile. A’n’t ‘they pretty little fellows? 
And fat, too, as butter. Most delicious eating, as 
youll find to-morrow. 

Here we are at the pond. You can’t see 
much of it, though, this rice is so high; but we 
will land as we come out on this point to our 
left, and then by climbing one of those tall trees 
you can have a better view of it. If the pond 
was new to me, that would be the first thing I 


he ducks 


should do. I could then see. where t 
were working most, and where the thin, open 
patches were in the rice, and, by taking my 
bearings properly, could go directly to them. 
My back path, too, would be the most direct 
way out. A person who didn’t think ot this 
might push around for hours without finding 
many ducks, and when he did stop he could 
not be sure of being in the best place ; then if he 
could see nothing to determine his direct course 
out (which he would have to break anew), he 
would be compelled to follow his perhaps long 


and circuitous route back. Now, put these little 


142 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
' 


hints “to soak,” as they say out here; your suc- 
cess hereafter depends chiefly upon them. 

We probably won't scare out any very large 
batches of ducks, as some of the other hunters 
have come in this way before us; but I think 
we will have some pretty good fun for a while, 
from the way the other boys are shooting. What 
a rattling they keep up! And just look at the 
poor mallards trying to find a place to light. They 
do hate to leave. Well, we'll take this path where 
some one has broken a road for us. I know 
where it leads to, and I guess we shall find a 
few ducks there. What a squawking they do 
keep up everywhere! Now, you see, this mud- 
stick or setting-pole,* as we call it, which I have 
exchanged the oar for, comes into use? With- 
out it we could hardly get along, or at most 
very slowly; for the mud is so soft you can 
push a paddle almost its length into it, and 
it is often harder to pull out than it was to 
push in. By putting this on the roots of the 
wild rice you have something solid to push 
against, and it does not enter the mud deep 


enough to stick much. The boat makes such a 


* Pole with a forked or widened end to prevent its sinking in mud. 
Seec.t in the chapter on “ Boats.” 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 145 


noise going through the rice you need not ex. 
pect to shoot much until we get on a stand: the 
ducks hear us too plainly. 

Look! what a lot are getting out ahead of us. 
That is where I want to stop. There is an cpen 
place there in the rice for a few rods, and the 
rice is rather lower and more thinly scattered 
about it; there is a nice thick bunch in the 
middle, too, if no one has broken it: down, where 
we can hide completely. Now you can see it 
straight ahead. We will run the boat right into 
the middle of it; there, I guess that will do well 
enough. Take the paddle, and bend the tops of 
the rice down over the bow, so as to hide the 
boat a little better, and it won’t be in the way 
of the gun when you are shooting. 

Ha! ha! don’t be in a hurry to stoop; those 
ducks are a quarter of a mile off, and no 
more apt to come here than to go somewhere 
else. You never need stoop until they get nearer 
than that. How angry it has made me to have 
a nervous know-nothing catch me by the arm and 
yank me down, for fear a duck that he happened 
to catch sight of half a mile off would see me 
and take alarm; a duck too, perhaps, that | nad 
been watching myself for two or three minutes. 


144 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


“ Greenhorns” and “hoosiers,” as the regular 
hunters call such fellows, when they are hunting 
tnree or four together (and often half a dozen 
shoot from the same boat, usially a big fishing- 
skiff), always commence to cry, “Down! down! 
Here comes a duck!” whenever they see one any. 
where, no matter how far off, or in what di- 
rection he may be going; then all crouch low in 
all kinds of positions. “ Where? where?” the 
others ery, and the one who said “down” now 
says, “This way”; then the enquirers look at him 
to see which way he is looking, and commence 
turning round, getting partly up, and _ stretching 
their necks to discover the duck, when the dis- 
coverer says, “Oh! he’s going; he a’n’t coming 
this way.” Then all rise up again and breathe 
freer, until another starts the “Down, down” 
again, when the same performance is_ repeated. 
When a duck is coming, he usually sees them 
while making so many motions, and of course 
sheers off; but sometimes when they are all stand- 
ing up, watching, some young fool of a drake will 
come right up to them, unperceived, perhaps, until he 
is passing by. “ Down! down!” again; and while 
the others are stooping, one fires, but not until 
the duck is out of range. Then they commence, 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 145 


« What made you shoot?” “Why didn’t you let 
him go by?” “ We could have called him back!” 
And one perhaps is now trying to do so, mak- 
ing a noise more like- a bull-frog than a duck, 
and keeping it up until the duck is out of sight. 
I am not over-drawing it a particle, as I have 
often seen it. 

Mark! to the right. VIL see if I can’t call that 
young drake this way. Yes, here he comes; don’t 
move until he gets almost to you, and then put 
it on him without getting up, and pull. (Bang! 
Bang!) You shot too quick, but ve saved him. 
Remember this isn’t like shooting along the creek ; 
there the ducks, jumping up in front and flying 
most always directly away nearly on a level with 
you, may be often killed with snap-shots, like 
quail or snipe; but in this cross and overhead 
shooting, overhead most especially, snap-shooting 
won't do. You can’t make the proper and _ne- 
cessary calculations unless you take more time, 
and the position in overhead shooting is one you 
are not much accustomed to in the field. Now, 
the next one that comes, take it slower; if coming 
in line, let him get an angle of forty-five degrees 


or more with you before you raise the gun; then, 


bring it up directly behind him, moving it con 


146 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. ’ 


siderably faster than he is coming, and timing it as 
near as possible, so as to be just passing in front 
of him as he gets almost directly over your 
head; then press the trigger smartly (don’t pull 
it) without stopping the gun, and if he is inside 
of thirty yards you will kill him clean; beyond 
that distance you will need to hold a little 
further ahead, according to the increase of dis- 
tance. 

Mark! straight ahead; here comes a flock di. 
rectly at us. Don’t be in a hurry, and pick out 
your bird; take one of the hind ones. Good! 
that fellow won’t get away. I got a couple down 
dead that time—that makes four altogether. We 
must keep account of them, and mark where they 
fall. We will pick them up when we get through; 
three are in open sight, and one is in that little 
bunch to the right, remember. 

Mark! Teal coming. Cool now, but not too 
slow. There, that’s business-like. We can’t count 
that wing a broken one, for he’ll get away; the 
dog might get him,’ but I don’t want him clam- 
bering into the boat all dripping with mud 
and water, and there is no place fer him to 
stand on out there, so -we will let that one go. 
Mark! east. If they come, take the head one; I 


MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 147 


will try and get the hind one. Good! Load up 
again; here come some more to the right. How 
quick they turn when they hear the call? Steady! 
Four down that time; those make fifteen, includ- 
ing the five teal. 

See what a lot some fellow is putting up over 
east; we will be apt to get a crack at some of 
those. Yes, here they come. [I'll leave the head 
ones to you. Only two down that time, eh? I 
missed that second shot of mine clean. Load 
up quick; we'll get several shots at these be- 
fore they ail get settled. Did you see those 
two drop from that flock over there to our right? 
Some fellow is doing pretty good shooting there. 
Pve seen him kill several lately. Steady! Low 
down to the left. (Bang!) He’s all right; but 
never mind, no man can kill every time. 

See that flock towards the sun coming into 
the pond; how quickly they lower when they get 
over it? There! that same fellow at our right 
just dropped another. That flock is coming 
straight towards us, but is rather high yet. Keep 
low, and let them circle; YTIl call them right 
down. Did you see how they darted down when 
they saw those dead ones? They’ll turn right 
back. Now, steady! That’s the kind of fellows 


148 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


we want. Three more! Every one makes the bag 
bigger. We are doing what I[ call mighty good 
shooting; of course we are bound to miss some. 
Yes, 1 see him; you can ‘take care of | him. 
Well, he did let go everything, and all at once 
too, didn’t he? “ Dead as a stone!” 

So the sport continues, until the ducks, as 
though tired of performing their part of it, be- 
come fewer and further between; then the dead 
ones are picked up, and we start again towards 
the river, killing a few more while paddling 
down the creek, the wood-duck, as I predicted, 
contributing to the number. The continuation of 
the day’s shooting | will describe in the next 
chapter. 


CTA PER. DX. 
MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 


We have done very well so far this morn- 
ing—fifty-three ducks, I believe you said. Now, if . 
you are not tired—and you surely don’t look to 
be—we will try the place I mentioned. It is now 
about ten o’clock, and we can go there in half 
an hour, so I think we will have a look at it 
any way. We leave the boat in the bend just 
ahead of us, and then we have about a quarter 
of a mile to walk back into the woods. You 
can be putting on your rubber boots. 

There, jump out, and take the guns and dun- 
nac>, Lay them down there on the bank until 
1 moor the boat; it’s always best when conve- 
nient, for there may be cattle here in the woods, 
and 1 have known them to step into boats, when 
pulled up on the bank, and break through the 
bottoms of them; our ducks, too, will be safer 
from hogs. I never carry an anchor or weight, 
but simply push the paddle down into the mud_ 


as far as possible, and fasten the chain to it. I 
149 


150 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
7 


guess that will do. Take your gun and ammu- 
nition. We will take the lunch with us, too; 
and there are a couple of bottles of lager-beer, 
which is much better to drink than slough-water. 
There, Pll take the rest. How much better walk- 
ing it is in this bottom-timber than in the woods 
of New England; no underbrush to bother you, 
and the ground level and free of stones. 

Do you see those Jarge bunches of sticks and 
brush in the tops of those tall trees? What do 
you suppose they are? “Nests of some kind.” 
Yes, they are the nests of the blue heron; there 
are hundreds of them here, you see. They come 
here every year about the middle of April, and 
commence to build their nests for rearing their 
young. They keep up a constant noise day and 
night during their stay, and can be heard a con- 
siderable distance. Here comes Jack with a crip- 
pled duck in his mouth. Well done, old fellow! 
Back, now! I want to have a look at those ducks 
ahead of us before you scare them off. 

The slough is just there in front of us where 
you see that opening through the trees. Be care- 
ful, and don’t step on a dry stick, and keep that 
large maple between you and the slough. See 


that flock come in, and what a quacking the 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. Tok 


others are making over it! There, just look by 
the tree, and see what a lot of them there are. 
Down, Jack! What comfort they appear to be 
taking; it almost seems a pity to disturb them. 
Why, the slough is almost full. 1 suppose you 
have picked out the thickest cluster, and are im- 
patient to shoot. But no, that won’t do; you 
might perhaps get ten or a dozen with both bar- 
rels, but you would very likely spoil our shooting 
for the rest of the day. We mustn’t tell this 
big body of ducks that we have guns_ here, or 
they won’t be very likely to come back; but V’ll 
just step out and put them up without alarming 
them too much, and then they will return again 
shortly, a few at a time; and, from the large num- 
ber here now, I judge we will be kept pretty 
busy taking care of them. If it was later in the 
day, it might be to our advantage to try a sit- 
ting-shot, as there might then be enough come back 
to last us the rest of the day, and we would have 
those killed at the first fire for decoys; but just 
now I think we had better wait. 

Halloo! What a flapping and quacking! You 
go round to the right, and wade out, most to 
the edge of the open water. 1 will go round 


the other way, and take a stand opposite to 


152 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


you. The ducks will come in between us, and 
as the slough is not over fifty yards wide, we 
will have some pretty shots. See them coming 
back already! Just shoot away now whenever 
you feel like it, till we get our stands. fixed. 
One down, but a cripple; you needn’t shoot him 
over. Jack will get every cripple that falls here, 
Pll warrant you. Hang up your cartridge-bag on 
a branch of the buck-brush, and cut some brush 
to make your blind thicker. I can see you 
through it quite plainly; and trim off the tops 
of the brush in front of you about  breast-high, 
so that you can shoot over it more easily. 
Mark! east. Let them go over once while l 
eall them. Here they come again, right low 
down. Be careful, now, and don’t shoot me; take 
the foremost. Hurrah! Five down. Go on, Jack, 
and fetch that cripple. Good dog! The ducks 
almost always enter this pond from the east, as 
the trees are much lower on that side; so when 
I ery “mark,” look to that end, unless I tell you 
some other direction. Mark again! Well done! 
I guess I will go out now, and stick up these 
ducks we have killed for decoys; they will help 
to quiet any suspicions in the new-comers. These 
dead ducks make the best of decoys—far better 


et 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 153 


than any artificial ones. Cut me three or four 
more sticks; make them about two feet long, 
and sharpen both ends. Come, Jack, old fellow, 
and fetch me these dead ducks. There! see how 
naturally that duck sits on the water. You see 
I push these stakes down firmly into the mud, 
leaving about six or seven inches above water ; 
then right between the base of the bill and neck, 
on the under side of the head of the duck, there 
is a soft place free from bone, and by pushing 
this down firmly upon the point of the stick 
the duck is held in position. The tail feathers 
usually need raising a little, as in life the mal- 
lard carries them slightly elevated. Many use a 
crotched stake instead of one sharpened at the top, 
and inerely hook the duck’s head over it. This 
plan is full as good in caim water, but if there 
happens to be a little swash the heads work 
loose and fall down. There, that makes quite a 
respectable-looking flock. Come, Jack,>let’s get 
back to our blind now, the sooner the better. 
In some parts of the country, where it may be 
dificult to procure stakes, cane or rice stalks 
may be used to stick up ducks on. But as these 
are very brittle and elastic, they cannot be easily 
pushed into the under part of the head; so 


154 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. » 


they should be cut considerably longer than 
sticks needed for the same depth of water, and 
one end being pushed down the throat of the 
duck, it should then be bent sharply just back 
of the head, and the other end pushed firmly 
into the mud. 

Mark! Let them go over. Tl call them down. 
Coolly, now; and always take the head ones 
when coming in from that direction. Glorious! 
Every one clean killed. No work for you this 
time, Jack. By Jove, this kind of sport can’t be 
beat anywhere. They drop their wings and come 
in’ so unsuspiciously right in between us_ here, 
and they can’t get out either, except by “ climb- 
ing” almost straight up; and as their headway 
is almost stopped, we can take our time with 
them. We ought not to miss a shot, but of 
course some unaccountably bad ones will be made. 
| remember doing. some most miserable shooting 
here once, and my partner for the day, usually 
a better shot than common, doing the same as I. 
1 can’t explain it to this day, and I sha’n’t try. 
Mark! Let them go by. Take it cool now, 
and see how “clean” you can do it. [ll trust 
you with both of them this time. Steady! Ah! 


that won’t do; you were in too much of a 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 155 


hurry with your first — bird, for fear the second 
one would get away. There was no need of that, 
for after you had fired both barrels he was 
not ferty yards from you. Take plenty of time 
with your first barrel; let the second be the 
snap-shot, if either—but neither, if you can help 
it. I see, though, to-day you are not one of the 
kind to get discouraged because of an occasional 
miss. Why, on the day when I did my poor 
shooting here, I was standing in this very blind 
and eating my lunch—my partner, whom I will 
call Ned, was in your position—when a single 
mallard duck came into the slough, low down, 
intending to light within thirty feet of me. I 
jumped up, rather too quickly, perhaps, and fired ; 
not a feather was touched, as I could see. Then 
the second barrel more carefully, as 1 thought, 
but no game. Ned laughed rather immoderately, 
it seemed to me, as the duck flew directly towards 
him, and, taking aim very deliberately, he fired ; 
the duck certainly was not ten yards away, and | 
expected to see it literally blown to pieces; but 
no, it simply changed the direction of its course. 
I looked at Ned, who appeared a trifle more se- 
rious, and was taking aim again with a determined, 


bloodthirsty expression of countenance. Bang went 


156 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


the gun a second time, and the duck flew away, 
quacking wildly, scared most excessively, but ap- 
parently otherwise unhurt. It was now my turn to 
laugh, and I think | did so, Soon Ned had to join 
in. Well, we both agreed that such a completely 
scared duck we had never before sgen. It actually 
didn’t know which way to go; there was plenty 
of time for either of us to have fired a couple 
more barrels at it before it was out of range, 
and we could hear it quacking as though for a bet 
and against “ big odds” some time after it had got 
out of sight. 

Mark! By Jove! I reckon “somebody’s cut the 
bag open,” as the saying is out here, from the 
way they are coming. Leave the hind ones to 
my care. That’s the kind; load again as soon as 
possible. Well, ’m ready. ’Way you go! Two 
more. Now pitch it into them coolly. This is 
exciting, but we must keep steady. Let this large 
flock light. It isn’t exactly sportsmanlike, I think 
myself, but it is often excused in duck-shooting. 
When you can get three or four in range, blaze 
away; don’t wait for me. Quiet, now; don’t move. 
Bang, bang, ba—bang! There, Jack, is work for 
you. Tour, five, six, seven dead and three crip- 


ples, and only four escape. This is slaughter. 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 157 


Watch this old fool of a duck coming, and see me 
“raise her.” Quack! Quiet, Jack. Bang! What 
a cloud of feathers! Fetch her, Jack. Well, well. 
As Joe Carroll used to say, you'd think she’d 
been shot with a threshing-machine; she feels like 
a big sponge. “Twill make good. hash for some 
Chicago boarding-house. Did you notice when I 
called her, how quick she dropped her wings? I 
like “calling by mouth” much better than with 


¢ car 2? 
a “squawker, 


especially if the ducks are passing 
reasonably close. I will try and explain to you, 
though, how to make a squawker, if the ducks will 
only keep away long enough. 

First a tube of wood or metal (bamboo cane 
is chiefly used) is to be provided, about three- 
quarters of an inch inside diameter, and from 
four to eight inches long; a plug about three 
inches long is fitted to one end, and after being 
split in two, one-half is grooved to within a 
quarter of an inch of its smaller end, the groove 
being perhaps a quarter of an inch wide and 
of the same depth. The tongue is simply a very 
thin piece of sheet copper or brass, which should 
be hammered to increase its elasticity; it should 
be about two and a half inches long and from 


three-eighths to half an inch wide. At one end, 


158 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


which should also be thinner than the other, 
the corners should be rounded. The tongue is 
then placed over the grooved half, the round 
end nearly to the extreme smaller end of the 
plug, and the tongue completely covering the 
groove. The other half of the plug should be 
shortened about an inch and a_ half from its 
smaller end, and then being placed on the grooved 
part, thus holding the tongue fast, both should 
be pushed firmly into the tube. By blowing in 
the other end of the tube the call is produced; 
the tone, degree of fineness, etc., of which is regu- 
lated by the shortened half of the plug—moving 
it in or out as a finer and sharper or lower 
and coarser note is required. Some little expe- 
rience and practice is, of course, required to use 
it correctly. You should always pay particular 
attention to the different notes of wild fowl, as 
well as the occasions of their being made—whether 
as a call (which may be addressed either to a 
mate or to a flock passing by), a note of wel- 
come to a flock alighting, an answer to a all, 
a note of suspicion, or a signal to take wing. 
The call-notes especially, though also the note of 
welcome, you should practise whenever you have 


opportunity. When you hear them made by the 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 159 


ducks, try to imitate them as near as possible, and 
you will be well repaid. 

Now as to why we have this good _ shoot- 
ing here in the middle of .the day: ‘The 
ducks, you must know, feed mostly during the 
night and early morning, and would stay in their 
feeding-places pretty generally during the day, 
were it not for being driven from them by the 
hunters, and to such quiet, out-of-the-way places as 
this they come simply to rest and to avoid their 
persecutors. Two or three days’ banging uses up 
these places for a time; but in a feeding-place like 
the rice-pond one may shoot for weeks, of course 
varying his stand frequently, as the ducks would 
naturally avoid a point where a hunter was always 
to be found. When driven from one of these 
roosting-places or mid-day resorts by continuous 
shooting, they congregate in another, which the 
duck-shooter should know and repair to. That 
big batch of ducks that came in a, short 
time ago was probably “put out of some 
other slough by some trapper or duck-shooter. 
This I judge by their quacking and the scattered, 
irregular manner in which they came, as well as 
by their large numbers. These smaller flocks 


and single ducks often get up and come back of 


160 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
x 


their own accord, thinking (I am satisfied ducks, 
and in fact all animal kind, have the faculty of 
thinking in some degree) we had gone on after 
putting them out. 

To know how and where to find the ducks 
at mid-day, is one of the main requirements 
for noted success in duck-shooting. A thorough 
knowledge of the country is a great advantage ; 
but if a person will only keep his eyes open, 
and take note of what is going on around him, 
though in a strange place, he may find game with 
more certainty than a blinkard who knows every 
foot of it. 

Yes, I see them. Steady, now! Ill hold you 
answerable for both. Beautiful! See that puff 
of feathers floating down like flakes of snow! 
Here comes another pair. IT’ll try one of these. 
Well done again! Two more pretty ones! Quiet, 
Jack; he’s dead enough, you greenhorn. Let’s 
see, where was I? I was going to tell you how 
to find these places. Well, then, bear this rule 
in mind, and make a practice and habit of it: 
When shooting in the morning, or in fact at 
any time of day, keep your eyes open, end be 
sure you see every duck that comes within see- 


ing limits. More: observe distinctly the direc- 


>» 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 16] 


tions of their flights, from what parts they come, 
and towards which points they mainly appear to 
be going. You will perhaps see a great many 
pitching down or lowering their flight over some 
particular place, especially late in the morning, 
while few or none seem to be getting up from 
there. Mark that carefully; that is a mid-day 
roosting-place. Others you see earlier in the 
morning, coming and going continually to and 
from another place. This is probably a feeding- 
pond. Again, you may observe a point by which 
the main body appears to take its flight. There 
is a good passway for flight-shooting. Still again, 
you notice a certain point where most ducks, on 
approaching it, appear to suddenly dart upwards 
and scatter quickly. You may be assured there 
is a shooter there. In the evening the ducks 
will be seen coming from the roosting-ponds and 
going to the feeding-grounds. Thus you may 
know, while shooting one day, where to _ look 
for them on the morrow. "The uninitiated, non- 
observing numskull depends entirely on _ fickle 
luck, and probably spends the day, when not shoot: 
ing, in fingering the locks of his gun, playing 
with or talking to his dog, or other thoughtless 


proceedings, and paying no attention to the flight 


162 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


of any ducks, unless it be the few that happen 
to come within range. Let me impress this on 
your mind: Keep your eyes open. 

Mark! A pretty flock. Now see if you can’t 
get two the first barrel. [ll wait for you. 
Bravo! One is crippled, but that is no discredit. 
Aman can hardly be expected to kill more than 
one “clean” at a time. That is another trick 
whereby the skilful hunter makes the most of 
his opportunities; but you needn’t try it too 
often at first. It is better for the novice to con- 
tent himself with one bird at a shot. He will 
do better, and his shooting will improve faster. 
By trying to get two he often fails to get any. 
When you have had more experience, you can 
watch for them to cross, and be ready to avail 


yourself of those chances. 


It will be tedious to the reader to particular- 
ize the shooting further. Suffice it to say, after 
a couple of hours more of the choicest. sport, we 
gather up our game, seventy-two head in all, 
making a total for the day of one hundred and 
twenty-five, buckle it in the game-straps, and start 
for the boat, which we reach without noteworthy 


incident. It being nearly sundown, we decide not 


MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 163 


= 


to try evening shooting, which we would have to 
go to a feeding-pond again to enjoy; so we 
paddle directly home, where we arrive in time for 
a nice warm supper with “the folks.” 

The game-strap, an exceedingly useful part of 
the duck-shooter’s outfit, consists of a piece 
of sole or heavy  harness-leather, three — inches 
broad by six inches in length, to each end 
of which is attached a narrow strip of bridle 
leather, about two feet in length, punched at 
intervals of half an inch to receive the tongue 
of a buckle, which is fastened one at each end of 
the broad strip. One-half the ducks to be carried 
are bunched -heads together, one strap buckled 
tightly around their necks, and the remainder 
being buckled to the other side, they are thrown 
across the shoulders, and in this way may be 
carried a long distance. Twenty mallards on 


each side make a good strapful. 


CHAPTER X. 
EVENING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 


Tue general character and methods of proce- 
dure in the “ evening shooting ” of mallards are so 
similar to those described in the foregoing chap- 
ters that a full explanation of them is unneces 
sary. The stand is commonly selected in some 
one of their various feeding-ponds, or on some 
favorable point on their route to them from 
their mid-day resorts. The first named, however, 
is generally the best, if it can be reached con- 
veniently, as the shooting lasts much longer— 
often until too dark to see to shoot—from the 
ducks flying about the pond for some time after 
coming in; and more opportunities for close shots 
are to be had here than on the passways, as 
their flight is lowered immediately on reaching 
the pond. 

After it begins to get dark there is no need 


of a blind; just stoop a little—the ducks will 


take no notice of you—and by facing the west 


you may see them distinctly against the light 
164 


EVENING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 165 


sky long after the sun goes down, and when it 
would be impossible to see them in any other 
direction. Now you must be in readiness for 
snap-shots, and instantly, on seeing a duck with- 
in range, throw up your gun and pull without 
hesitation. If you have pointed correctly, you 
will be gratified by hearing the splash of your 
game in the water, following the report of the 
gun. If in a favorable locality, the numbers of 
the ducks and their continual quacking and whiz- 
zing by cannot fail to confuse the beginner, who 
will frequently stand still, undecided which one 
to shoot at. Experience will, however, quickly 
cure him (unless he be naturally of a very ex- 
citable disposition), so that no amount of game 
will afterwards disturb his composure. 

If you have a good dog with you, and are in 
a place that will admit of it, let him retrieve 
your ducks as fast as killed; if not, and you are 
shooting from a boat, you must quit shooting be- 
fore it gets too dark, and pick up your game, or, 
if you intend to come back in the morning, let 
them remain until then. The owls and minks, how- 
ever, in such case, will very likely have robbed 
you of a couple or so. If you intend to shoot 


in the same place next morning or evening, you 


166 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
: « 


had better quit and pick up early, or the flashes 
from your gun after dark will so alarm the ducks 
that they will forsake it for some other less 
dangerous place. Many shots will frequently be 
had at wood-duck, teal, and sprigtails in this sport, 
more particularly in the rice-ponds, their common 
favorite feeding-places. 

Now, a hint or two as to picking up your 
ducks in a rice-pond. Before you. leave your 
blind fasten to the top of the tallest handy stalk 
of rice a piece of paper, rag, or other conspicuous 
object, to serve as a guide to direct your course, 
which you may be the better able to 
judge when you have gone far enough -in any 
direction. If you have but few ducks down, it 
will be better to go direct to each one; but if 
there be fifty, sixty, or more, take a direct course 
from your blind, in the direction you suppose the 
greater part to lie, to a distance which will in- 
clude all the dead in that direction, and, keeping 
a sharp lookout in front and on both sides, pick 
up all you may see. When you have reached 
your limit of distance, turn squarely to the right 
or left from fifteen to twenty-five feet, according 
to the density of the rice, and then take a course 


back towards your blind parallel to your first one. 


EVENING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL. 167 


If there are ducks beyond the blind on that side, 
keep on by as far as you think proper, and so 
continue in this way until you have been ovei, 
in parallel lines, all the circle liable to contain 
your ducks. Very often the ducks will drop 
into a mat of rice which has been broken down 
to the surface of the water, in which case, if they 
go down through it, they are casily overlooked; 
so be careful in your search, and if you see the 
tip of a wing or foot sticking up anywhere, satisfy 
yourself whether there is the rest of the duck 
fastened to it or not. 

Where the rice is thick, the water not too 
deep, and the mud tolerably firm, you may get 
out of your boat, being careful to stand on the 
roots of the rice at first, and holding an oar near 
its middle with both hands, about two feet apart. 
Raise the oar horizontally over your head; now, 
bending your body only at the hips, bring the 
oar down forcibly against the stalks of the rice, 
thus breaking them to the surface of the water. 
Raising the oar again, step forward, with the toes 
turned well outwards, across and upon the pros- 
trate stalks, and bring down the oar again as be- 
fore. In this way you break your road _be- 


fore you, and at the same time provide a foun- 


168 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


dation which will prevent your sinking in the 
mud as you walk. It is rather hard work for 
one not accustomed to vigorous exercise, but in 
such a place one may travel much quicker in 
this way than by any other. Your ducks should 
be pocketed as fast as recovered, and afterwards 
“deposited in piles at convenient places, when you 
may then gather them in your game-strap, and 
take them to the boat. The oar should be used 
as a cane to steady yourself when carrying the 


ducks on your shoulder. 


CHAPTER XI. 
CORN-FIELD MALLARD SHOOTING—WINTER. 


As the cold weather approaches and the ponds 
begin to skim over with ice, the mallards in 
many places, instead of migrating further south, 
betake themselves to the rivers, where they con 
gregate in large numbers, and by the combined 
warmth of their bodies and the constant agita- 
tion of the water manage to keep large surfaces 
from freezing over, long after the surrounding 
water has frozen to a depth of several 
inches. For food they depend almost wholly upon 
corn, which they steal from the adjacent fields, 
making usually two trips a day for the purpose, 
and extending them frequently to a distance of 
six or eight miles from the river. At this time 
they feed almost. entirely by day, returning to 
the river to drink and to roost at night. 

Though their numbers are sometimes almost in- 
credible, comparatively few are killed in the fields, 
on account of the large extent of their feeding- 


grounds and their natural shyness when over the 
169 


170 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


land, which causes them to fly high until ready 
to alight, when they circle about and lower 
gradually near the centre of the field, approaching 
within gunshot of the fences as rarely as possible ; 
and this, from the large size of the Western corn- 
fields, they can easily do. 

During a heavy snow-storm is the best time for 
making a large bag, as the snow covers up the 
corn,* which being harder for the ducks to find, 
they fly lower and more continually. At this 
time the shooter’s dress cannot be too white, and 
he will need but a small blind (the smaller the 
better in a corn-field, as the ducks will notice 
any unusual appearance. and avoid it). In build- 
ing it (of corn-stalks, of course) the stalks should 
be stood on end, leaning against each other, and 
a heavy, solid look avoided as much as_ possible. 
After the shooter has secured a few ducks it will 
be a good plan to set them up for decoys on split 
corn-stalks, taking care to select as clear a space 
as possible, where the stalks are low and thinly 
dispersed. As they get covered with snow they 


should be shaken clean again, or they will be of 


* The ducks usually feed on the scattered grains lost in husking, or 
the small ears thrown away, rather than tear the husks off them- 
selves. 


CORN-FIELD MALLARD SHOOTING—WINTER. 17] 


no advantage. The usual call-note is never to 
be practised here, as it will only serve to frighten 
the ducks, who never call when feeding in the 
fields, but make a kind of low, chattering noise, 
which from its sound seemingly implies content- 
ment and happiness. 

Large shot, No. 2 or 3, Leroy’s size, with heavy 
charges of powder, should be used, and aim taken 
at a thick bunch, if possible, where the chances 
for breaking a wing or striking the head and neck 
are increased. Wing-broken ones are usually easy 
to secure, being killed by the fall, if the snow is 
not deep; and if not killed, they may be easily 
tracked upon it, if running away. One of the chief 
objections te this sport is its cruelty, so very many 
ducks are hit that fly on to linger perhaps for 
days in agony until relieved by death. 

Long shots are occasionally to be had at geese 
and brant in the fields, as they frequently remain 
roosting and feeding with the mallards long after 
winter sets in. The brant are generally the first 
to leave, the geese next, the mallards staying to 
the last, some of them frequently the entire win- 
ter, after the holes in the river freeze over, 
roosting in the small spring-holes and creeks fed 


by the same. 


172 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


The sportsman will often happen on a bevy of 
quail or pack of prairie-chickens in his corn-field 
excursions, and thus, if he be accompanied by a 
good dog, may enjoy a variety of sport. He 
should be very careful not to leave his game- 


strap at home. 


CHAPTER XII: 


MALLARD SHOOTING AT HOLES IN THE ICE——WINTER. 


“Big counts” are frequently made at the holes 
in the ice where the ducks roost and come to 
drink, and also at the shallow, open water at 
the mouths of spring creeks whose bottoms are 
covered with sand or gravel, and which the ducks 
seek as aid in digesting their food. This sport 
seldom lasts_very long, as the air-holes freeze 
over quickly in cold weather if the ducks are 
kept out of them, and the ducks are thereby 
forced to leave and hunt open water elsewhere. 
But few directions, not heretofore given, are ne- 
cessary to the novice in this branch of the sport. 
The providing of the blinds has been described in 
the chapter relating especially to them. All the 
decoys that can be conveniently procured should 
be used, the dead ducks being set on the ice, 
near the edge of the hole, with their heads upon 
stakes or under their wings. There is consider- 


able danger attending the sport, however, and it 
173 


174 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


should never be attempted until the ive is suffi- 
ciently strong to prevent the possibility of break- 
ing through. 

As it is sometimes necessary for the wild- 
fowler to cross weak ice, I will give a few pre- 
cautions which it will be well for the novice to 
observe. Keep as close to your boat as pos- 
sible at all times; and instead of walking in 
front of the boat, and dragging it after you by 
the chain, lay hold of it with the hands on each 
side, about two and a half or three feet from 
the stern, and thus push it before you; then if 
you break through the ice, you will fall upon 
the stern of the boat instead of into the water. 
A light pole six or eight feet in length, 
with a sharp iron point in the end, is very use- 
ful on weak ice. The fowler may then remain 
in his boat, and propel it by pushing the sharp 
end of the pole against the surface of the ice. 
If the boat should break through he should stand 
near the stern so as to lift the bottom of the 
boat at the bow above the surface of the ice, 
and either push against the edges of the firm 
ice with the pole, or use a paddle in the open 
water at the side of. the boat. The boat should 


then be “rocked” continually to break the ice as 


wilh dei 


MALLARD SHOOTING AT HOLES IN THE ICE—WINTER. 175 


it goes. And when new ice is found that the boat 
will not break, the fowler, after pushing the boat 
as far out of the water as possible, should step 
quickly to the bow, and, resting one knee upon 
it. should push with the other leg against the ice 
until he can get out, and push again from the 
stern, or use his pole as first described. 

If you have no- boat, and must cross where you 
suspect the ice to be weak, cut a strong pole a 
couple of inches thick and eight or ten feet long, 
and then seeping hold of the pole with both 
hands to prevent your sinking entirely in case 
the ice should break, lie down at full length on 
your breast, and you may wriggle across safely 
where otherwise it would be impossible. If you 
should break through, and have no companion 
with you, don’t be frightened, don’t tire yourself 
out with useless struggles, breaking ice in all di- 
rections, but take time to determine your best 
course and shortest way out, and then stick to 
it. By so doing you will easily get out where 
a nervous, excited person would inevitably be 
drowned. 

At the mouths of the creeks and shoals where 
the ducks come for sand, large numbers are fre- 


quently killed from a blind built at a convenient 


176 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


distance on the shore. I had, together with my 
partner, most excellent sport for several days one 
winter at two such places about a ‘mile apart, 
both shooting on alternate days at either place. 
The ducks at this time were feeding on corn, 
and would come in from the fields with their 
craws completely distended—often as much as a 
gill in each one. Those of the dead ones, after 
we had finished shooting, we would cut open and 
scatter the corn from them about in the shallow 
water, and the ducks finding it there next day, 
while we were shooting at the other place, would 
be so tempted by the bait as to almost make it 
hard work to keep them away when the third 
day came. Decoys should be used, “the more 
the merrier”; and “call your prettiest” whenever 


you see a duck passing. 


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TIMBER MALLARD SHOOTING—SPRING, 


ate 


“walk 


CHAPTER XIII. 


MALLARD SHOOTING IN THE TIMBER—SPRING. 


In the spring, when the heavily-timbered « bot- 
tom-lands,” as they are called, are inundated by 
the rising of the rivers, mallards may be found 
sitting in large bodies, both by night and day, 
in the depths of the woods, particularly amongst 
the maple and willow timber, where they feed on 
the larve, buds, and vegetable matter found there 
floating on the surface of the water. On being 
routed, instead of settling in some other place, 
and there remaining for the day, they will come 
back shortly, singly and in small parties, afford- 
ing most excellent sport. This fact is unknown 
to many sportsmen, who think, as I did in my 
earlier duck-shooting days, that the ducks cared 
but. little more for one place than another, and 
even if they wished to come back could not, or 
at least would be very unlikely to, find the place 
again, after once leaving. 


If the water is shallow enough to admit of 
177 


178 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


° 


wading, unless there happens to be a fallen tree- 
top or pile of brush in a favorable position for 
shooting, and large enough to conceal both boat 
and shooter, the sportsman would better, after find- 
ing a place for his boat where it will not be 
seen, get out and take a position as near as pos- 
sible to where the main body of the ducks are 
sitting. He must avoid standing under large 
branches or an overhanging tree-top, as such would 
interfere with his shooting; but if he can find an 
old log, stump, or clump of bushes in the proper 
location, he should get behind it, though if his 
dress be of the proper color, and he will hide 
his face and avoid moving suddenly when ducks 
are approaching, a blind is not absolutely neces- 
sary. On seeing ducks flying about, no matter 
in what direction, he should call loudly ; and after- 
ward from time to time repeat the call, whether 
ducks are in sight or not. Frequently they may 
be in hearing when he is unable to see them 


- through the thick woods; and in no place will . 


ducks answer the call as readily as here. De- 
coys are seldom used, yet if there js an open 
place handy where they may be readily seen, it 
is a good plan to stick up a few dead ones. A 


retriever is necessary for this sport, particularly 


A PORE AT ees 
~~ Noe 


MALLARD SHOOTING IN THE TIMBER—SPRING. 179 


if the water is deep—up to the calf of the leg 
or so—for if the sportsman is compelled to se- 
cure his cripples alone, he may catch his toe 
under a hidden root or stick when in pursuit of 
them, and thereby perhaps experience a style of 
“ducking” not looked for and little to be de- 
sired. Sometimes, too, he may find good shoot- 
ing, as I have done, when the buck-brush is so 
close that the boat cannot be easily pushed 
through it, and the water perhaps just too deep 
to wade. In such a case, if he has no retriever, 
he must leave it and look up another place. 

It is better to collect the dead ducks as fast 
as killed, as by so doing he will be able to 
shoot until the last possible moment, not having 
to quit before dark to find his game. 

Mallard are said by some authors to dive oc- 
casionally for food in the spring. Though they 
may, I have never seen them do so, and think it 
rather unlikely. 

Timber mallard shooting is one of the best 
of sports. The ducks come sailing so slowly 
about among the trees, with wings extended, 
that the veriest novice can hardly fail to hit 
them, and the experienced sportsman will usually 
kill his “right and left” easily. To give the 


180 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


reader an idea of what may be done in this 
sport, I subjoin a memorandum of shooting done 
by a friend of the author, Mr. F. Kimble, a 
genuine duck-shooter, during the spring of 1872, 
all with a single-barrelled muzzle-loading gun, 9 
gauge. Not over three ducks were killed at any 


one shot, and nearly all singly: 


Feb. 27, killed 70 ducks. Mar. 9, killed 82 ducks. 
BS ae Vie ae EN SY RUne see TOOK 
AST eae. 3 > Jee eeu tS Se partes “te ASE 
Midi as eit ee XS Be as Fee cE yc Mace 
BE eer, FO" SLING 2 ke ‘¢ 18, didn’t shoot. 
hs RR ne eal daly ‘¢ 14, killed 122 ducks. 
‘¢ 4, didn’t shoot. eee Sey aie 027 (| I 
‘¢ 5, killed 66 ducks. Me Gs fieaias MO: pee 
Gs : een ae | | ieee — 
Re Cg. XS ee eae oo Total, deaGOy ike 
cae 8 Maik at 3 Tee 


| 
Total 17 days’ shooting, 1,365 ducks, and 5 brant 


not included in memorandum. His ammunition 
gave out almost every day. Not expecting to find 
such a large amount of game, the party he was 
with took but little with them, and the “ store- 
keeper” at the little town near by would order 
only a keg or so of powder at a time, and then 
would not sell it all to one person at any price, 


for fear of offending others. 


:: 


MALLARD SHOOTING IN THE TIMBER—SPRING. 181 


Besides these haunts already mentioned, mallard 
are very partial to overflowed prairies and grain- 
fields, the shallows among low willows and pin- 

aks, whose tiny acorns they are particularly fond 
of. But it is unnecessary to characterize the 
shooting of them further; the various suggestions 
already given are applicable to their successful 


pursuit in all places. 


CHAPTER XIV. 
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (ANAS DISCORS). 


Aputt MALE: bill almost as long as the head, 
deeper than broad at the base, depressed towards 
the end, its breadth nearly equal in its whole 
length, being, however, a little enlarged towards 
the rounded tip. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. 
Neck of moderate length, rather slender. Body 
full, depressed. Feet short, placed rather far back. 

Plumage dense, soft, and blended. Feathers of 
the head and neck very small and slender; of the 
back and lower parts in general broad and round- 
ed. Wings of moderate length, rather narrow and 
acute. Primaries strong, slightly curved, tapering ; 
the first scarcely longer than the second; the rest 
rapidly decreasing. Secondaries broad, the outer 
obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and acu- 
minate, as are the scapulars. Tail short, rounded, 
and acuminate, of fourteen rather narrow acumi- 
nate feathers. 


182 


BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 183 


Bill bluish-black. Iris dark hazel. Feet dull 
yellow; webs dusky; claws brownish-black, with 
the tips grayish-yellow. Upper part of the head 
black; a semilunar patch of pure white on the side 
of the head before the eye, margined before and 
behind with black; the rest of the head and the 
anterior parts of the neck of a deep purplish-blue 
with purplish-red reflections; the lower hind neck 
and fore part of the back brownish-black glossed 
with green, Each feather with a curved band of 
pale reddish-buff, and a line or band of the same 
in the centre; the hind part of the back green- 
ish-brown, the feathers edged with paler. The 
smaller wing-coverts of a rich ultramarine blue, 
silky, with almost metallic lustre. Alula, primary 
coverts, and primary quills grayish-brown, edged 
with pale bluish; outer secondaries of the same 
color, those of the speculum duck-green, changing 
to blue and bronze, with a narrow line of white 
along their terminal margin; the inner greenish. 
black on the outer web, ereenish-brown on the 
inner, with a central line and narrow external 
margin of pale reddish-buff, the more elongated 
scapulars similar, but some of them margined with 
greenish-blue. Secondary coverts brown, with 


their terminal white. Tail feathers chocolate- 


184 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
. 


brown, slightly glossed with green, their mar- 
gins buffy. The lower parts are pale reddish- 
orange, shaded on the breast with purplish-red, and 
thickly spotted with black; the number of roundish 
or elliptical spots on each feather varying from 
ten to twenty-five, those on the upper and hind 
parts of the sides running into transverse bars. 
Axillar feathers, some of the lower wing-coverts, 
and a patch on the side of the rump pure white; 
lower tail-coverts brownish-black. 

Length to end of tail, 16 inches; extent of wings, 
311; weight, 124 ounces. 

Apvutt FEMALE: Bill greenish-dusky. Iris hazel. 
Feet of a duller yellow than those of the male. 
The head and neck are pale dull-buff, longi- 
tudinally marked with brownish-black lines, which 
are broader and darker on the top of the head. 
The fore parts of the cheeks and the throat whit- 
ish, without markings. The upper parts are dark- 
brown. The feathers margined with brownish- 
white. The smaller wing-coverts colored as in the 
male, but less brilliantly. No blue on the scapu- 
lars, which are also less elongated. On the lower 
parts the feathers are dusky-brown, broadly mar- 
gined with light brownish-gray, of which there is 


a streak or spot in the centre. The axillary 


“f oil) Mila eit 


ST ORS As pees 


BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 185 


feathers and some of the lower wing-coverts are 
white; but the patch of that color so conspicuous 
in the male is wanting. 

Length to end of tail, 15 inches; extent 
of wings, 24; weight, 10} ounces. 

The flesh of the blue-winged teal is considered 
by epicures to be superior in delicacy of flavor to 
that of most water-fowl, that of the red-head and - 
canvas-back alone excepted; and as they are sel- 
dom found in poor condition, unless having been 
previously wounded, generally command a high 
price in market, and are consequently much sought 
for by the market-hunters. They are one of 
the very first of the duck tribe to make their 
appearance from — the north, and congregate in 
vast numbers on their favorite feeding-grounds of 
the Western country. The seeds of the wild oats 
or rice, and grass, various kinds of pond-weeds, 
and mosses, and insects, are accepted by them 
as food. They are very partial to small, muddy- 
bottomed streams whose shallow edges are bor- 
dered with wild rice, and the broad leaves of 
the pond-lily, under which they are often to be 
seen sitting, seemingly to escape the too intense 
glare and heat of the sun; and are always to 


be found too, in proper season, in the shallow 


186 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
a 


ponds or sloughs whose slimy, stagnant waters 
are filled with the dense growth of weeds and 
mosses; but are seldom or never met with in 
ponds or streams having gravelly or sandy _bot- 
toms. The common method of hunting them is 
similar to that described under the heads of 
morning and evening mallard-shooting, but great 
numbers are killed by stealing upon them silently 
when feeding. A very slight blow brings them 
down, and, as they usually sit quite close together, 
as many as fifteen or twenty are often killed 
at a single discharge of a common shoulder gun. 
Being tamer and less wary than most other 
water-fowl, they may be easily approached with 
ordinary caution. Small shot should be used for 
shooting them, No. 7 or 8 being the proper 
size. They may be readily called by imitating 
their notes properly, which are very similar in 
character and expression to those of the mallard, 
but shorter and pitched higher, such as a mal- 
lard of the same size and proportionately feeble 
constitution might be supposed to make. They 
never appear to be suspicious of decoys, but drop 
amongst them immediately without hesitation. And 
as they are always found in shallow water, the dead 
ones may be set up for decoys, as described on 


P 
i 
on 
> 


BLUE-WINGD TEAL. 187 


% 


page ‘68 in mallard shooting. Bear in mind to 
set the decoys in such a position that they may 
show to best advantage; advice on the subject 
of decoying will be found in the chapter under 
that head. 

Capital sport may be had “jumping them,” 
as it. is called, after they are routed from their 
feeding-ponds and during the middle of the day, 
when they may be found sitting in small parties 
or singly in the edge of the rice which borders 
some favorite stream. A very light paddle-boat 
is generally used. If two go together, one shoots 
while the other propels the boat; it is usual, 
however, for one to hunt by himself, in which 
ease he must, of course, do his own paddling. 
He should sit or kneel near the stern, with his 
gun in front of him, and in proper position to 
be seized instantly on the bird rising, and paddle 
quietly yet quickly, keeping as near the edge of 
the rice as possible, yet taking care not to allow 
the boat to graze any of the stalks, which might 
alarm the game. He should be constantly on his 
guard to detect any movement of his game, and 
instantly, on the bird’s rising, he should drop 
the paddle, no matter whether in or out of the 


boat, and be ready to shoot as soon as need be. 


188 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


s 


The paddle should be fastened to the boat by a 
short, light cord, so that it may be regained 
easily if dropped overboard. When approaching 
teal on the water with the intention of shooting, 
fire as soon as sufficiently near, as they never give 
warning when intending to rise, but spring at once, 
irrespective of position. They seldom fly far on 
on being flushed, unless continually persecuted, 
and alight very much in the manner of wood- 
cock. Their flight is usually low and very fast; 
and when in flocks, packed closely together, 
they afford fine opportunities for killing several at 
a shot. The tyro will be frequently surprised 
at the small number killed from a_ large flock, 
if fired at at the wrong moment. They should be 
allowed to pass a little, and never fired at as 
they are approaching, for in such case at the 
report of the first barrel they instantly scatter 
in all directions, making the second barrel of but 
little use. They come together again, however, 
in a few rods’ flight. They are not very expert 
divers, but will endeavor to secrete themselves, 
if wounded, and will remain perfectly quiet, often 
allowing the hunter to almost step upon them 
before moving. In common with all ducks, they 


have the power of sinking the body level with 


BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 189 


the surface of the water when wounded, and often 
escape in this manner if the water is at all 
rough. In spring they are rarely seen in large 


numbers. 


CHAPTER XV. 
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (ANAS CRECCA). 


Apvutt MALE: Bill almost as long as the head, 
deeper than broad at the base, depressed toward 
the end, its breadth nearly equal in its whole 
length, being, however, a little enlarged toward 
the rounded tip. 

Head of moderate size, compressed. Neck of 
moderate length, rather slender. Body full, de- 
pressed. Wings rather small. Feet short, placed 
rather far back. Claws small, curved, compressed, 
acute; the hind one smaller and more curved ; 
that of the third toe largest, and with an inner 
sharp edge. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of 
the middle of the head and upper part of hind 
neck very narrow, elongated, with soft, filamen- 
tous, disunited bands; of the rest of the head and 
upper parts of neck, very short; of the back and 


lower parts in general, broad and rounded. Wings 
190 


GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 191 


of moderate length, narrow, acute. Tail short, 
rounded, and acuminate, of sixteen acuminate 
feathers. 

Bill black. Iris brown. Feet light bluish gray. 
Head and upper part of the neck chestnut-brown ; 
a broad band narrowing backward from the eye 
down the back of the neck, deep, shining green, 
edged with black below, under which is a white 
line, which, before the eye, meets another that 
curves forward and downward to the angles of 
the mouth. Chin brownish-black, as are the fea- 
thers at the base of the upper mandible. Upper 
parts and flanks beautifully undulated with nar- 
row brownish-black and white bars; anterior to 
the wings is a short, broad, transverse band of 
white. Wings brownish-gray; the speculum in 
the lower half violet-black, the upper bright-green, 
changing to purple, and edged with black; behind 
margined with white, before with reddish-white. 
Tail brownish-gray, the feathers margined with 
paler; the upper coverts brownish-black, edged 
with light yellowish-gray. Lower part of neck 
anteriorly barred as behind. Breast yellowish- 
white, spotted with black; its lower part white. 
Abdomen white, faintly barred with gray. A 
patch of black under the tail; the lateral tail-co- 


192 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
7 


verts eream-colored, the larger black, with broad 
white margins and tips. 

Length to end of tail, 14% inches; extent of 
wings, 24; weight, 10 ounces. 

ApuLt FEMALE: The female wants the elongated 
crest, and differs greatly in coloring. The head 
and neck are streaked with dark-brown and light- 
red; the fore-neck whitish; the upper parts mot- 
tled with dark-brown; the anterior feathers bar- 
red; the posteriors margined with yellowish- 
white. The wings are nearly as in the male, 
but the green of the speculum is less extensive. 
The lower part of the fore-neck is tinged with 
yellowish-red and mottled with dark-brown, as 
are the sides; the rest of the lower parts white. 

Length to end of tail, 133 inches; extent of 
wings, 224; weight, 10 ounces. 

This variety resembles the preceding very gene- 
rally in form, habits, and manner of flight, and 
its flesh is considered of nearly equal delicacy. 
They are a trifle smaller than the blue-wings, 
and their plumage is more varied and_ beautiful. 
Though generally making their appearance in the 
fall at about the same time, they are of a more 
hardy, enduring disposition than the other vari- 


ety, and remain much later, often until the wea- 


GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 193 


ther gets very cold. In flight and upon the feeding- 
grounds the two associate together promiscuously. 
Unlike the blue-wings, the green-wings are quite 
tenacious of life, and are more expert in diving. 
Their call-notes, too, are entirely different, being 
a succession of short, sharp whistles (pitched 
about “high F” on a piano), by imitation of 
which they may frequently be decoyed within 
gun-shot, as they may also be by means of 
stools, or wooden decoys. 

In the spring, though often quite abundant, 
they are seldom made the special objects of 
pursuit by the hunters, the larger and more 
profitable species of wild fowl then claiming their 
attention. If the sportsman is desirous of shooting 
them, however, he should visit the low, overflowed 
bottom-lands, where, amongst the low willows and 
buck-brush, they are almost certain to be found, 
the tender buds of the willow and other. trees 
being their principal food at this season. They 
frequently resort, too, to overflowed grassy prai- 
ries, and feed upon the seeds of the grass which 
fioat upon the surface of the water. In no other 
branch of wild-fowling is a breech-loader of more 
advantage than in teal-shooting, in consequence 


of the large number of cripples often to be 


194 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
7 


secured after a successful shot. Rapidity of load- 
ing is then of especial importance. 

Finally, they are generally considered most 
pleasing to the epicure when properly broiled 


and served in becoming style. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


PINTAIL DUCK (ANAS ACUTA). 


Localnames : “‘ Sprigtails,”’ ‘‘ Sharptails,’’ and ‘‘ Water-Pheasants.” 


Aputt MALE: Bill nearly as long as the head, 
deeper than broad at the base, depressed toward 
the end, the frontal angles short and obtuse. 

Head of moderate size, compressed, the fore- 
head rounded. Neck rather long and _ slender. 
Body full and depressed. Wings rather small. 
Feet very short, placed rather far back; tarsus 
very short, compressed at its lower part. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 
head and neck short; on the hind head and 
neck elongated. Wings narrow, of moderate 
length, acute. Tail of moderate length, tapering, 
of fourteen tapering feathers, of which the two 
middle project far beyond the rest. 

Bill black; the sides of the upper mandible 
light-blue. Iris brown. Feet grayish-blue. Claws 
black. Head, throat, and upper part of the neck 
anteriorly greenish-brown, faintly margined behind 

195 


196 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


: 

with purplish-red. A small part of hind neck 
dark-green; the rest, and the upper parts in gene- 
ral, beautifully undulated with very narrow bars 
of brownish-black and yellowish-white. Smaller 
wing-coverts, alula, and primary quills gray, the 
latter dark-brown towards the end. Speculum of 
a coppery-red, changing to dull green; edged an- 
teriorly with light brownish-red, posteriorly with 
white. The inner secondaries and the scapulars 
black and green, with broad gray margins. Up- 
per tail-coverts cream-colored, the outer ribs black- 
ish and green; tail light-gray, the middle feathers 
dark-brown, glossed with green. On each side of 
the neck is an oblique band of white, of which 
color are the upper parts in general; the sides, 
however, are undulated like the back; the lateral 
feathers of the rump cream-colored; the lower tail- 
coverts black, those at the sides edged with 
white. 

Length to end of tail, 29 inches; extent of 
wings, 36; weight, 2 pounds. 

ApvuLt FEMALE: The female, which is much 
smaller, has the upper parts variegated with 
brownish-black and light yellowish-brown; the 
margin of the feathers and a mark on each side 


of the shaft being of the latter color. The specu- 


PINTAIL DUCK. 197 


lum is dusky green, margined- behind with white. 
The primary quills grayish-brown. The lower parts 
are of a light brownish-yellow, the sides variegated 
with brown; the bill is black; the iris brown; 
the feet light bluish-gray. 

Length, 223 inches; extent of wings, 34; weight, 
1 pound 9 ounces. 

The sprigtail, the most graceful and symmetri- 
cally formed of the whole duck tribe, like the mal- 
lard, is found in nearly every State in our Union, 
with the exception of Maine and the New England 
States in general, and it is often made a cause for 
wonder amongst sportsmen that they do not fre- 
quent these States more, and Maine more especial- 
ly, as it would seem its hundreds of lakes and 
streams, with acres of marsh-lands adjoining, might 
prove enticement sufficient; but simply because 
their proper food is not to be found in these 
lakes or thereabouts in needed abundance is the 
sole and ample reason for their non-appearance. 
The timber of Maine consists chiefly of pine; 
oak is very scarce, and pin-oaks, whose tiny acorns 
are greedily sought for by mallards and sprigtails, 
are unknown. Smart-weed, cockle-burrs, and wild 
oats never grow there, and corn is not raised 
in sufficient plenty to afford food for them. 


198 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
> 


Beech-mast, a favorite food of sprigtails, is often 
very abundant, but the trees are as often on the 
hills far from water as near by, and no duck 
often makes a business of looking for food many 
miles from water, unless it be to sometimes steal 
a little corn or other grain from the farmers. 
The food of the black ducks, which are often 
found there in quite goodly numbers, consists 
mainly of leeches, snails, insects, and larve; and 
though sprigtails and mallards often partake of 
them, I am inclined to believe they would pre- 
fer wild oats as a steady diet. 

Sprigtails are not usually so plenty in the 
Western States in the fall as during the spring; 
but a few make their appearance during Septem- 
ber, associating very generally with the other 
shoal-water ducks, but with the mallard most par- 
ticularly; feeding and travelling with the same 
flock continually for days, and timing their flights, 
which are usually much faster than that of the 
mallard, to its rate of speed. Upon the break- 
ing up of winter, however, they begin to arrive 
in countless numbers, taking possession, as it were, 
of the overflowed prairies and corn-fields, where 
they feed upon the previous season’s waste and 


unharvested grain, and the grass-seeds which, float- 


PINTAIL DUCK. 199 


ing upon the surface of the water, become drifted 
together into large patches. Here they soon be- 
come exceedingly fat and their flesh fine-flavored. 
They fly closely together without order, darting 
aimlessly about, and it is not uncommon to kill 
several at a shot. When travelling, their flight 
is steadier, and they often keep up a continual 
cackling and whistling noise. Their call-note is a 
low, plaintive whistle of one tone two or three 
times repeated, which they will answer readily 
upon its being well imitated; but it is as well 
to use the mallard call for this fowl, as they 
answer it full as well, and decoy to mallard- 
stools as quickly and readily as though of their 
own kind. It is therefore unnecessary to make 
decoys to imitate sprigtails. They do not show 
as well as mallard decoys, being smaller and 
the colors more neutral and unattractive; and if 
made with long necks, as the natural birds are, 
they are easily broken, besides taking up too much 
room when moving about. — 

In sprigtail-shooting it is best to place the 
decoys to windward of the blind when circum- 
stances will allow, particularly when the ducks 
are shy; and in this respect they differ from all 
other wild-fowl. When much pursued, they get 


200 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
>. 


very wary, and often when shooting mallards | 
have had old cock-sprigtails come up against the 
wind, almost within gun-shot, when they would 
“jump” back all at once and circle about to lee- 
ward of the decoys, and, after coming and going 
perhaps half a dozen times, finally drop down just 
out of reach. I never saw a hunter who did not ex- 
perience a most happy feeling of satisfaction when 
he had succeeded in killing such a one. The object 
of putting the decoys to windward is to take ad- 
vantage of this habit of circling about to their lee- 
ward. When in flocks, they generally decoy much 
better and appear less suspicious. 

When wounded, they endeavor to escape by 
running, if on land, and will frequently hide and 
crouch motionless to escape observation. They 
are not very expert divers, and when wounded 
usually try to remain under water so long as to 
quickly tire themselves out, when they may be 
easily captured. In the fall they remain until the 
ponds are skimmed over with ice, when they 
take up their departure for the south. No. 5 
or 6 St. Louis shot is the best size for ordinary 


sprigtail-shooting. 


CHAPTER XVII. 
THE WOOD-DUCK OR SUMMER DUCK (ANAS SPONSA). 


Aputr mate: Bill shorter than the head, 
deeper than broad at the base, depressed toward 
the end, slightly narrowed toward the middle of 
the unguis, the frontal angles prolonged and 
pointed. 

Head of moderate size. Neck rather long and 
slender. Body full and depressed. Wings rather 
small. Feet very short, strong, placed rather 
far back, tarsus very short, considerably de- 
pressed. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended, generally glossed. 
Feathers of the middle of the head and upper 
part of the hind neck very narrow, elongated, and 
uncurved; of the rest of the head and upper part of 
the neck very short; of the back and lower parts in 
general broad and rounded, excepting on the shoul- 
ders before the wings, where they are enlarged, 
very broad, and abrupt. Wings of moderate 


length, narrow, and acute. Tail of moderate 
201 


202 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


> 


length, rather broad, much rounded, of sixteen 
rounded feathers. 

Upper mandible bright-red at the base, yellow- 
ish at the sides; the intermediate space along 
the ridge and the unguis black, as in the lower 
mandible and its membrane. Iris and edges of 
eyelids bright red. Feet dull orange. Claws 
black. Upper part of the head and _ space be- 
tween the bill and the eye deep green and 
highly glossed; below the latter space a patch 
of dark purple, and a larger one of the same 
color, but lighter, behind the eye; sides of the 
neck, its hind parts under the crest, and the mid- 
dle all‘ round very dark purple. Throat for 
more than three inches pure white, with a 
process on: each side a little beyond the 
eye, and another nearly half way down the 
throat. Sides of the neck and its lower part 
anteriorly reddish-purple ; each feather on the 
latter with a triangular white tip. Middle of 
the neck behind, back, and rump very dark red- 
dish-brown; the latter deeper and tinged with 
green. Upper tail-coverts and tail greenish-black. 
Some of the lateral tail-coverts dull reddish-pur- 
ple; a few on either side with their filaments 


light-red. Smaller wing-coverts, alula, and ~ pri- 


THE WOOD-DUCK OR SUMMER DUCK. 203 


maries dull grayish-brown. Most of the latter, 
with part of their outer web grayish-white, and 
their inner, toward the tip, darker and glossed 
with green. Secondary quills tipped with white, 
the outer webs green, with purple reflections. 
Those of the inner secondaries and_ scapulars 
velvet-black, their inner webs glossed and changing 
to green. The broad feathers anterior to the 
wings are white, terminated with black. Breast 
and abdomen grayish-white. Feathers under the 
wings yellowish-gray, minutely undulated with 
black and white bars. Lower wing-coverts and 
axillar feathers white, barred with grayish-brown. 
Lower tail-coverts dull grayish-brown. 

Length to end of tail, 204 inches; extent of 
wings, 28. 

Aputt FEMALE: The female is considerably 
smaller, and differs greatly from the male in . 
coloring. The feathers of the head are not elon- 
gated, but those of the upper part of the neck 
are slightly so. In other fespects the plumage 
presents nothing very remarkable, and is similar 
to that of the male. Bill blackish-brown. Feet 
dusky, tinged with yellow. Upper part of the 
head dusky, glossed with green. Sides of the 
head and neck, and the hind part of the latter, 


204 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


8 
light brownish-gray. Throat white, but without 


the lateral processes of the male. Fore part of 
the neck below, and sides, light yellowish-brown, 
mottled with dark grayish-brown, as are the sides 
under the wings. Breast and abdomen white, 
the former spotted with brown. Hind neck, back, 
and rump dark-brown, glossed with green and 
purple. Wings as in the male, but the specu- 
lum less, and the secondaries externally faint 
reddish-purple ; the velvet-black of the male di- 
minished to a few narrow markings. Tail dark- 
brown, glossed with green. 

Length, 194 inches. 

The wood-duck is the most beautifully —plu- 
maged of the whole family of wild fowl. They 
are common to nearly ail parts of our Union, 
excepting the sea-coast, which they rarely visit. 
“They build their nests frequently in hollow 
trees and stumps, and from this circumstance 
probably received their name.” They never dive 
for food, but live chiefly upon acorns, pond- 
moss, the seeds of the wild-oats, and insects, 
and are to be found, too, feeding on the scat- 
tered and waste kernels of wheat and other grain 
which are always left upon the fields after harvest. 


The most successful method of hunting wood- 


THE WOOD-DUCK OR SUMMER DUCK. 205 


ducks, and that most in use amongst hunters, is 
identical with that described under the head 
of blue-winged teal, 7.e., “jumping them up” along 
the creeks and rivers which they frequent. The 
best season for this sport is the latter part of 
August and the month of September. In this 
sport watch carefully about the old logs and rat- 
houses which are to be found along the edges of 
the reeds. Wood-ducks are very fond of sitting 
on such places during the middle of the day to 
preen themselves and bask in the sun. 

Their usual note (this varies considerably, how- 
ever) is a sound between a whistle and a squeal, 
commenced in a medium tone, and finished about 
three notes higher, slurring gradually, though not 
smoothly, the intermediate tones. They are not 
easily decoyed, either by stools or calls. In the 
fall, just about dusk in the evening, they fre- 
quently gather in quite large flocks in some 
sheltered bend of the river or in some favorite 
pond to roost. They fly through the woods very 
rapidly, darting about amongst the trees much 
like wild pigeons. Are not very tenacious of 
life, but when crippled are very cunning. Dive 
very well, and if near the land usually try to 


escape by hiding. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


AMERICAN WIDGEON (ANAS AMERICANA), 
Local name, ‘ Bald-pate.”’ 


Avutt MALE: Bill nearly as long as the head, 
deeper than broad at the base, depressed towards 
the end, the sides nearly parallel, the tip rounded. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. 
Neck rather long, slender. Body elongated and 
slightly depressed. Feet very short; tibia bare 
for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very 
short, compressed. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 
head and upper neck oblong, small; those along 
the crown and occiput longer; of the lower parts 
ovate, glossy, with the extremities of the fila- 
ments stiffish. Wings rather long, little curved, 
narrow, pointed. Tail short, rounded, and pointed, 
of sixteen feathers, of which the middle pair are 
more pointed, and project considerably. 

Bill light grayish-blue, with the extremity, in- 

206 


AMERIGAN WIDGEON. QO7 


cluding the unguis and a portion of the margins, 
black. Iris hazel. Feet light bluish-gray, the 
webs darker, the claws dusky. The upper part 
of the head is white, more or less mottled with 
dusky on its sides; the loral space and cheeks 
reddish-white, dotted with greenish-black ; a broad 
band from the eye to behind the occiput deep- 
green. The lower part of the hind neck, the 
seapulars, and the fore part of the back are 
minutely transversely undulated with brownish- 
black and light brownish-red; the hind part 
similarly undulated with blackish-brown and gray- 
‘sh-white. ‘Che smaller wing-coverts are brownish- 
gray; the primary quills and coverts dark gray- 
ish-brown; the secondary coverts white, tipped 
with black. The speculum is duck-green anteri- 
orly, bounded by the black tips of the second- 
ary coverts. The tail feathers are light brownish- 
gray. ‘The throat is brownish-black ; the lower 
part of the neck in front and the fore part of 
the breast light brownish-red ; the breast, belly, 
and sides of the rump white ; the sides of the 
body finely undulated with white and dusky ; the 
rump beneath and the lower tail-coverts black. 
Length to end of tail, 2034 inches ; extent of 


wings, 344; weight, 1 pound 14 ounces. 


208 "  G@AME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
- 


AvuLtt FEMALE: The female is considerably 
smaller. The bill, feet, and iris are colored as in 
the male. The head and upper part of the neck 
all round are white or reddish-white, longitudi- 
nally streaked with brownish-black, the top of the 
head transversely barred; the lower part of the 
neck in front and behind, the fore part of the 
back, and the scapulars, are blackish-brown; the 
feathers broadly margined with brownish-red and 
barred with the same; the bars on the back 
narrow; the hind part of the back dusky; the 
upper tail-coverts barred with white. The wings 
are grayish-brown; the secondary coverts tipped 
with white; the secondary quills are brownish- 
black, the inner grayish-brown, all margined with 
white. All the lower parts are white, excepting 
the feathers of the sides and under the tail, which 
are broadly barred with dusky and light reddish- 
brown. 

Length to end of tail, 18 inches; extent of 
wings, 30; weight, 1 pound. 5 ounces. 

I have found widgeon most abundant on _ the 
mossy, stagnant waters of Southern Missouri and 
Tennessee, but never in such numbers, however, 
as to warrant particular notice. There they asso- 
ciate indiscriminately with the gray duck or gad- 


AMERICAN WIDGEON. 209 


wall, the most numerous duck in those localities. 
They feed more by night than day, chiefly upon 
pond-moss, the blades, roots, and seeds of vari- 
ous water-grasses, insects, ete., and occasionally, 
though rarely, dive in shoal water to secure them. 
On the Chesapeake they are said to be particu- 
larly fond of the roots of the wild celery, but being 
poor divers, depend upon stealing their supplies 
from the canvas-back—a trick they are said to be 
very expert in. “ Watching for the moment of 
the canvas-back’s rising, and before he has _ his 
eyes well opened, they rush forward, snatch the 
delicious morsel from his mouth and make off to 
enjoy it.” 1 have never seen them in company 
with the canvas-back in the West, but have often 
found them associated with various shoal-water 
ducks. Their “call” is a soft, plaintive whistle of 
two tones and three notes of nearly equal duration, 
the first and second of the same pitch, the third 
about three tones lower; the second or middle 
is strongly accented. They stool well to almost 
any decoys, to mallard perhaps better than any 
others, and may be decoyed by imitating their 
notes or those of the mallard. Their flesh is ex- 
cellent eating, but they soon spoil in warm wea- 


ther if the entrails are not drawn. They may be 


210 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL 


distinguished from others of the duck tribe by 
their proportionally greater length of wing. A 
slight blow brings them down, and as they fly 
clustered together, several are often killed at a 
discharge. Methods of hunting them similar to 
that of mallards, as before described. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


GADWALL DUCK (ANAS STREPERA). 
Local name, ‘‘ Gray Duck.”’ 


ADULT MALE: Bill nearly as long as the head, 
deeper than broad at the base, depressed to- 
wards the end, the sides parallel, the tip rounded. 

Head of* moderate size, oblong, compressed. 
Neck rather long and slender. Body elongated, 
slightly depressed. Feet very short; tibia bare 
for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, 
compressed. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 
head short, of the occiput and nape a little 
elongated, of the lower parts glossy, with the 
extremities of the filaments stiffish, Wings 
rather long, little curved, pointed. ‘Tail short, 
rounded, of sixteen strong, pointed feathers, of 
which the middle pair project considerably. 

Bill bluish-black. Iris reddish-hazel. Feet dull 
orange-yellow. Claws brownish-black. Webs 
dusky. Head light yellowish-red; the upper part 
and nape much darker and barred with dusky ; 

21k 


319 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
> 


the rest dotted with the same. The lower part 
of the neck, the sides of the body, the fore part 
of the back, and the outer scapulars, undulated 
with dusky and yellowish-white; the bands much 
larger and semi-circular on the fore part of the 
neck and breast; the latter white. The abdo- 
men faintly and minutely undulated with brown- 
ish-gray. The elongated scapulars brownish-gray, 
broadly margined with brownish-red. The hind 
part of the back brownish-black. The rump all 
round and the upper and lower tail-coverts blu- 
ish-black. The anterior smaller wing-coverts are 
light-gray, undulated with dusky; the middle 
coverts of a deep, rich chestnut-red ; primary 
coverts brownish-gray ; outer secondary coverts 
darker and tinged with chestnut; the rest black, 
excepting the inner, which are gray. Tail brown- 
ish-gray, the feathers margined with paler. 

Length to end of tail, 213 inches; extent of 
wings, 35; weight, 1 pound 10 ounces. 

ApuLt FEMALE: The female is considerably 
smaller. Bill dusky along the ridge; dull yel- 
lowish-orange on the sides. Iris hazel. Feet of 
a fainter tint than in the male. Upper part of 
head brownish-black, the feathers edged with light 


reddish-brown. A streak over the eye, the cheeks, 


GADWALL DUCK. 21s 


the upper part of the neck all round, light yel- 
lowish-red tinged with gray, and marked with 
small, longitudinal, dusky streaks, which are faint- 
er on the throat, that part being grayish-white. 
The rest of the neck, the sides, all the upper 
parts, and the lower rump feathers, brownish- 
black, broadly margined with yellowish-red. Wing- 
coverts brownish-gray, edged with paler; the 
wing otherwise as in the male, but the specu- 
lum fainter. Tail feathers and their coverts dusky, 
laterally obliquely indented with pale brownish- 
red and margined with reddish-white. 

Length to end of tail, 191 inches; extent of 
wings, 31. 

The habits of this bird seem to have been 
rather imperfectly understood by several of our 
best authorities on sporting and natural history ; 
Forrester asserting it to be “a _ solitary bird, 
rarely congregating in large bodies,” while Wilson 
describes it as being “a very quick diver, so 
much so as to make it difficult to be shot.” Both 
these authors state their knowledge of this species to 
be very limited, so I consider their remarks to be the 
result of information received from others less care- 
ful in their observations or not sufficiently fami- 


liar with its ways. 1 can readily conceive how 


214 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
- 


such a judgment might be formed, as the habits 
of wild fowl often vary in different localities. In 
the more northern States I have seldom seen 
gray ducks assembled more than four or five to- 
gether, but consider this as being due to their 
general scarcity; for in Tennessee-and Southern 
Missouri, the former State more especially, I have 
found them associated in flocks of thousands upon 
their feeding-grounds, more numerous than all 
other ducks, and, like mallards, separated into 
smaller flocks of various numbers. when flying 
from one feeding-ground to another. As to their 
habits of diving, though having hunted them one 
season for three months steadily in preference to 
all others, on account of their greater numbers, | 
have never yet seen one dive either for the pur- 
pose of feeding or to escape being shot, unless 
having been previously wounded, when they be- 
come exceedingly cunning, and are then as expert 
as the widgeon ocr mallard in diving. It is a 
favorite trick with them to seize the roots of 
the weeds when wounded and under water, and 
cling to them, if possible, until the hunter has 
passed on. They decoy exceedingly well to mal- 
lard decoys, and come readily to the mallard call, 


which resembles their own very closely. 


GADWALL DUCK. 25 


The various methods of hunting them are very 
similar to those already described for other shoal- 
water ducks. In Tennessee, next to decoy-shoot- 
ing, my favorite way was to suddenly yet cau- 
tiously come upon them in a boat from behind 
the numerous little points along the lake-shore, 
when they would be compelled to fly by me in 
escaping, not being able to rise so nearly per- 
pendicularly above the high cypress timber which 
bordered the little coves (or pockets, as they are 
called by the natives) where they were almost 
always to be found feeding. Many opportunities, 
too, for sitting-shots at flocks were had in _ this 
sport, and quite large numbers were often bagged 
during the day. Light “dug-outs” are used by 
the natives of this locality for shooting from, but 
it is impossible to shoot broadside from them 
with a heavy gun without upsetting ; consequently 
many opportunities for flying shots are lost, and 
for this reason they are not as useful as the 
regular hunting-skiff. 

Gadwalls command a good price in market, 
and are ranked with the mallard and redhead; 
these, with the canvas-backs, are denominated “large 
ducks” by the hunters and market-men, all others 


being classified as small ones. Their notes and 


216. GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


manner of flight resemble that of mallards; thete 
food, habits of feeding, ete. (excepting diving), 
similar to those of the widgeon. They die easily 
on being struck, and are commonly tame and 
easy to approach. St. Louis “fives” are the pro- 
per sized shot. 


CHAPTER: XX, 


SHOVELLER DUCK (ANAS CLYPEATA). 


Local names: ‘‘Spoonbills,” ‘‘ Butler Ducks ” (the last a name of 
quite recent origin). 

Apu.r mate: Bill longer than the head, higher 
than broad at the base, depressed and much wi- 
dened towards the end, where its breadth is 
doubled. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed, 
rounded above; neck moderate; body rather full, 
slightly depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a lit- 
tle behind the centre of the body; legs bare a 
little above the joint; tarsus very short. Hind 
toe very small, with a narrow, free membrane. 

Plumage dense, soft, and elastic; of the head 
and neck short, blended, and splendent; of the 
occiput and nape considerably elongated ; of the 
other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings 
of moderate length, acute. Tail short, rounded, 
of fourteen acute feathers, of which the two mid- 
dle extend five-twelfths of an inch beyond the 


next. 
217 


218 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


Bill grayish-black, tinged with yellow. Iris red- 
dish-orange. Feet vermilion; claws dusky. Head 
and upper part of neck deep-green with purplish 
reflections, the top of the head of a darker tint, 
with less vivid gloss. A longitudinal band on 
the hind neck and the back, grayish-brown, the 
feathers edged with paler. The rump and upper 
tail-coverts greenish-black. Tail feathers grayish- 
brown, irregularly variegated and margined with 
grayish-white, that color enlarging on the outer 
feathers. Lower part of neck pure white; breast 
and middle part of abdomen dull purplish-chest- 
nut. A large patch of white on each side of the 
rump, with a band of the same towards the tail. 
Lower tail-coverts greenish-black, with bright green 
and blue reflections; axillaries and lower wing- 
coverts pure white. 

Length to end of tail, 204 inches; extent of 
wings, 314; weight, 1 pound 9 ounces. 

Fremate: Bill dull yellowish-green. _ Iris paler 
than in the male. Feet as in the male, but 
lighter. The upper parts are blackish-brown, the 
feathers edged with light reddish-brown; the 
throat and sides of the head are light reddish- 
brown, which is the prevailing color over the 


lower part of the neck, a portion of the breast, 


SHOVELLER DUCK. 219 


and the sides, of which, however, the feathers are 
margined with dusky; the middle of the breast 
white. Smaller wing-coverts dull brownish-gray ; 
alula and primaries as in the male; inner 
secondaries brownish-black; the speculum as in 
the male, but paler, and changing to blue; the 
secondary coverts tipped with white. Tail nearly 
as in the male. 

Length to end of tail, 17 inches; extent of 
wings, 294; weight, 1 pound 1 ounce. 

Spoonbills are seldom found in large numbers, 
but opportunities for shooting them will frequent- 
ly occur when in the pursuit of other fowl. 
They associate with mallards when feeding, and 
their notes sound much alike. They fly very 
closely and irregularly together, and when a 
small flock comes to the decoys (for they decoy 
and come to the mallard call exceedingly well), 
the experienced hunter usually counts on secur- 
ing fully half their number. A very slight 
blow brings them down. «In fact, I have  fre- 
quently seen whole flocks of five to eight indi- 
viduals killed with both barrels. They are very 
poor divers, even when wounded, and try to 
escape by hiding, if possible. It is commonly 


easy to approach them within favorable distance, 


220 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 

‘ 
when feeding along the edge of the shore, by the 
exercise of ordinary caution; and when fired at, 
those unhurt spring at once perpendicularly into 
the air some ten or fifteen feet before taking a 


direct course away. 


CHAPTER XXI. 


DUSKY DUCK (ANAS OBSCURA). 


Local name, ‘‘ Black Duck.” 


Aputr maAue: Bill about the length of the 
head, higher than broad at the base, depressed 
and widened towards the end, rounded at the tip. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed ; 
neck rather long and slender. Body full, de- 
pressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind 
the centre of the body; legs bare a little above 
the joint; tarsus short, a little compressed ;_ hind 
toe extremely small. 

Plumage dense, soft, and elastic; on the head 
and neck the feathers linear-oblong, on the other 
parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of 
moderate breadth and length, acute. Tail short, 
much rounded, of eighteen acute feathers, none of 
which are reserved. 

Bill yellowish-green ; the unguis dusky. Iris 
dark-brown. Feet orange-red ; the webs dusky. 
The upper part of the head is glossy brownish- 


black, the feathers margined with light-brown ; 
221 


222 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
| : 

the sides of the head and a band over the eye 
are light grayish-brown, with longitudinal dusky 
streaks; the middle of the neck is similar, but 
more dusky. The general color is blackish- 
brown, a little paler beneath, all the feathers 
_margined with pale reddish-brown. The wing- 
coverts are grayish-dusky, with a faint tinge of 
green; the ends of the secondary coverts velvet- 
black. Primaries and _ their coverts —blackish- 
brown, with the shafts brown; secondaries darker ; 
the speculum is green, blue, violet, or amethyst- 
purple, according to the light in which it is 
viewed, bounded by velvet-black; the feathers 
also tipped with a narrow line of white. The 
whole under surface of the wing and the axillaries 
white. 

Length to end of tail, 241 inches; extent of 
wings, 38}; weight, 3 pounds. 

ADULT FEMALE: The female, which is somewhat 
smaller, resembles the male in color, but is more 
brown, and has the speculum of the same tints, but 
without the white terminal line. 

Length to end of tail, 22 inches; extent of 
wings, 341. 

in form and proportions the dusky duck is 
very closely allied to the mallard. 


DUSKY DUCK. O25 


Though the black duck is not, strictly speaking, 
a Western fowl, yet it is quite frequently found 
there in company with mallards, and is generally 
known amongst Western  sporting-men by the 
name of the black mallard. This is a mistaken 
idea; it is a separate and distinct species. 

In certain parts of the Eastern States they are, 
in the proper season, very numerous, being, in 
fact, to that part of the country what the mallards 
are to the Western States, more numerous than 
any other shoal-water ducks, and most eagerly 
pursued by sportsmen. They are exceedingly 
wary, and take alarm at the slightest noise, spring- 
ing at once perpendicularly into the air, often to 
a height of twenty feet, when they take a direct 
course at great speed. Their habits in the West 
are almost identical with those of the mallard, 
and their food the same. 


CHAPTER XXIl. 
TRUMPETER SWAN (CYGNUS BUCCINATOR). 


Apvutt Mate: Bill longer than the head, higher 
than broad at the base, depressed, and a little 
widened towards the end, rounded at the tip. 
Upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping; the 
ridge very broad at the base, with a large de- 
pression, narrowed between the nostrils, convex 
towards the end; the sides nearly erect at the 
base, gradually becoming more horizontal and con- 
vex towards the end. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed ; 
neck extremely long and slender; body very 
large, compact, depressed. Feet short, stout, 
placed a little behind the centre of the body; 
legs bare an inch and a half above the joint; 
tarsus short, a little compressed, covered all round 
with angular scales, of which the posterior are 
extremely smali. Hind toe extremely small, with 
a very narrow membrane. 

A portion of the forehead about half an inch in 

224 


TRUMPETER SWAN. 225 


length, and the space intervening between the bill 
and the eye, are bare. Plumage dense, soft, and 
elastic; on the head and neck the feathers oblong, 
acuminate; on the other parts in general broadly 
ovate and rounded; on the back short and compact. 
Wings long and broad; the anterior protuberance 
of the first phalangeal bone very prominent; pri- 
maries curved, stiff, tapering to an obtuse point, 
the second longest, exceeding the first by half an 
inch, and the third by a quarter of an inch; 
secondaries very broad and rounded, some of the 
inher rather pointed. Tail very short, graduated, 
of twenty-four stiffish, moderately broad, pointed 
feathers, of which the middle exceeds the lateral 
by two inches and a quarter. 

Bill and feet black, the outer edges of the lower 
mandible and the inside of the mouth yellowish 
flesh-color. The plumage is pure white, excepting 
the upper part of the head, which varies from 
brownish red to white, apparently without refer- 
ence £0 age or sex, as in cygnus Americanus and 
anser hyperboreus. 

Length to end of tail, 68 inches; bill along the 
ridge, 4;%,; from the eye to the tip, 6. 

Young after the first moult: 

In winter the young has the bill black, with 


226 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


the middle portion of the ridge, to the length of 
an inch and a half, light flesh-color, and a large, 
elongated patch of light dull purple on each side; 
the edge of the lower mandible and the tongue 
dull, yellowish flesh-color. The eye is dark-brown. 
The feet dull yellowish-brown, tinged with olive; 
the claws brownish-black, the webs blackish-brown. 
The upper part of the head and the cheeks are 
light reddish-brown, each feather having towards 
its extremity a small, oblong, whitish spot, nar- 
rowly margined with dusky; the throat nearly 
white, as well as the edge of the lower eyelid. 
The general color of the other parts is grayish- 
white, slightly tinged with yellow; the upper part 
of the neck marked with spots similar to those: 
on the head. 

Length to end of tail, 524 inches; extent of 
wings, 91; weight, 19 pounds 8 ounces, the bird 
very poor. 

The swan is the largest, most spotless, and 
most elegantly formed of all, wild fowl. No other 
gives the sportsman so much pleasure to secure; 
and as their general scarcity and extreme wari- 
ness render their capture comparatively rare, espe- 
cial pride and honor are attached to the event. 


Though there are several different varieties in- 


TRUMPETER SWAN. ONT 


cluded in the fauna of our country, their habits 
are mainly alike, and I shall therefore deal only 
with that variety I am most familiar with—the 
cygnus buccinator, or trumpeter swan, the largest 
of its kind, and most common to the valley of 
the Mississippi. 

The trumpeter swan first makes its appearance 
from the north just before the first severe frosts, 
and resorts during the day to the large open 
bodies of water where it may sit far enough 
from shore to feel secure from its numerous ene- 
mies. In the early evening it either swims in 
to the shoal water along the edges to feed, or 
takes flight to some neighboring shallow pond or 
slough for the same purpose. Its food, which it 
never entirely submerges the body to obtain, con- 
sists of the roots, leaves, and seeds of different 
vegetables (particularly the roots of pond-weed), 
aquatic insects, small reptiles, and  land-snails. 
“ Often it resorts to the land, and there picks 
at the herbage, not sideways, as geese do, but 
more in the manner of ducks and_ poultry.” 
Their flight is commonly in form similar to that 
of the wild goose, though much faster and well 
elevated, particularly when over the land. When 


alarmed, they are unable to rise or turn side- 


228 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
. 

ways at all suddenly. I once knew two swans 
of separate flocks, coming from opposite directions, 
to fly against each other, when one was so badly 
hurt that he fell to the water, and was after- 
wards captured by my hunting companion, a man 
named Tyler. Tyler had seen one flock approach- 
ing, and, as they came over his head, had fired 
and killed one of their number, when almost im- 
mediately the collision occurred with a flock which 
he had hitherto unnoticed, and one fell, as before © 
stated. The confusion incident to his shooting 
was no doubt the immediate cause of this rather 
remarkable accident. 

Swans invariably rise against the wind, and if 
it be calm they are unable to lift themselves 
above the water before flapping along upon its 
surface many yards, during which the strokes of 
their wings against the water produce a rapid 
succession of loud crackling noises, which may be 
distinctly heard a long distance. Advantage is 
taken by the skilful sportsman of this habit of 
rising against the wind, and if he can find them 
sitting to leeward in some narrow river or slough, 
whose banks are bordered with high timber, 
he is almost certain to capture some of their 


number. Paddling cautiously down-wind _ to- 


TRUMPETER SWAN. 229 


wards them along the shores and behind the 
points, until as near as possible without exciting 
observation, if still too far, he strikes out boldly 
in line for them, urging his boat at its utmost 
speed, and, though working his best at the paddle, 
being careful to crouch low and avoid all un- 
necessary movements. At sight of him the swans 
do not usually rise immediately, but sit turning 
about perplexedly for a few seconds, as though 
conscious of their danger, yet at a loss how to 
escape from it; and finally, as their only expe- 
dient—desperate, though preferable to remaining 
where they are—they are compelled to fly to- 
wards him, with faint hopes, by keeping close to 
the further shore, of passing in safety by. These 
hopes, however, to their sorrow and the sports- 
man’s joy, if he thoroughly understands his busi- 
ness and follows it, are seldom fully realized. 
His course, after they start from the water, is 
simply to meet or head them, and when they 
have arrived sufficiently near to choose his birds 
and kill them. If he wishes one for food, a 
cygnet (gray one) should be selected, for the 
flesh of the young swan, though coarse, is tender 
and exceedingly rich in flavor, while that of the 


older ones is more tough and unsavory; but if 


230 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
+ 


the skin is the principal part wanted, the larger 
and older the bird the better. 

Another very common method of hunting swans 
is to take a stand where they pass and _ repass 
from one pond to another. The same route is 
nearly always taken, and during hard head-winds 
they frequently fly quite low. They are very often, 
too, driven by a strong side-wind quite near the 
various points along the shores of the lakes which 
they frequent, and many are thus killed. They 
may also be approached, by using ordinary cau- 
tion, in the sculling-float. 

Single swans of this variety may frequently be 
turned from their course by imitating their notes, 
which resemble greatly those of a trumpet; and 
because of this peculiarity of note the name 
“trumpeter” was given them. 

Never shoot at swans when the breasts are pre- 
sented. Wait until they have slightly passed you; 
and if your gun is loaded with shot smaller than 
No. 1, aim to strike them in the head or neck. 
It is useless to shoot small shot at the body, where 
the covering is so very thick. If the outside fea- 
thers be plucked off carefully, a most» beautiful 
coat of snow-white down will be found under- 


neath, fully an inch in thickness, and excelling in 


TRUMPETER SWAN. 231 


silky fineness all other fur. The skins with this 
down remaining upon them form one of the chief 
articles of export of the Hudson’s Bay Fur Com- 
pany, and are used by the wealthy chiefly for 
trimming outside winter garments. Skins av birds 
killed in spring are more valuable than those of 


fall birds, which are usually “ pin-feathery.” 


CHAPTER: XXIII. 
SRE CANADA GOOSE (ANSER CANADENSIS). 
Commonly known as ‘‘ The Wild Goose.” 


Avu.tt MALE: Bill shorter than the head, rather 
higher than broad at the base, somewhat conical, 
depressed towards the end, rounded at the tip. 

Head small, oblong, compressed. Neck long 
and slender. Body full, slightly depressed. Feet 
short, stout, placed behind the centre of the body ; 
legs bare a little above the tibio-tarsal joint; 
tarsus short, a little compressed, covered all round 
with angular, reticulated scales, which are smaller 
behind; hind toe very small, with a narrow mem- 
brane. Wings of moderate length, with an obtuse 
protuberance at the flexure. 

Plumage close, rather short, compact above, 
blended on the neck and lower parts of _ the 
body. The feathers of the head and neck very 
narrow; of the back very broad and abrupt ; 
of the breast and belly broadly rounded. Wings 
when closed extending to about an inch from 


232 


THE CANADA GOOSE. wae 


the tail, acute. Tail very short, rounded, of 
eighteen stiff, rounded, but acuminate feathers. 

Bill, feet, and claws black. Iris chestnut-brown. 
Head and two upper thirds of the neck glossy- 
black. Forehead, cheeks, and chin tinged with 
brown. Lower eyelid white; a broad band of 
the same across the throat to behind the eyes. 
Rump and tail feathers also black. The general 
color of the rest of the upper parts is grayish- 
brown; the wing-coverts shaded into ash-gray ; 
all the feathers terminally edged with very pale 
brown; the lower part of the neck passing into 
grayish-white, which is the general color of the 
lower parts, with the exception of the abdomen, 
which is pure white, the sides, which are pale 
brownish-gray, the feathers tipped with white, 
und the lower wing-coverts, which are also pale 
brownish-gray. The margins of the rump and 
the upper tail-coverts pure white. 

In very old males I have found the breast of 
a fine pale buff. 

Length to end of tail, 48 inches; extent of 
wings, 65; weight, 7 pounds. 

Aputt FEMALE: The female is somewhat smaller 
than the male, but similar in coloring, although 


the tints are duller. The white of the throat is 


234 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
. 


tinged with brown; the lower parts are always 
more gray, and the black of the head, neck, 
rump, and tail is shaded with brown. 

Length, 41 inches; weight, 53 pounds. 

No one species of the whole family of wild 
fowl is so familiar to the inhabitants of our 
country as the wild goose, for they are to be 
met with or seen upon their migrations in nearly 
every State in our Union. Their form of flight 
is generally in a_ straight line, with perhaps a 
second one branching from the main one, thus: 
c * gx », in either case led by an old gan- 
der, who, after acting as guide and breaking the 
way, as it were, through the air for a time, 
drops back, and is relieved by another, who also 
is relieved in turn. “In foggy weather or during 
severe snow-storms they frequently appear to 
get bewildered, and act as though they had lost 
their way. On such occasions they often alight 
to rest and recollect themselves.” Before alight- 
ing from a long journey in a strange place, 
they always commence cackling and honking 
loudly, as though discussing the safety or advan- 
tages of the place. They feed upon grass, grain, 
pond-lily nuts, insects, and the roots of a pecu- 


liar plant which grows in shallow, stagnant waters, 


ce, 


THE CANADA GOOSE. 235 


and which is called by the hunters goose-flag. 
When feeding, an old gander is usually placed 
on guard, who warns them by an expressive 
honk of any threatening danger. They never 
dive for food, but feed when on the water like 
the shoal-water ducks, by immersing the head 
and neck. 

On the bars or flats of the Mississippi, where 
they often resort in great numbers for sand to 
aid in digesting their food, boxes are sunk near 
the edge of the water, in which the hunter lies 
in wait for them. He seldom fires, however, 
unless they are over the land, as when they fall 
into the water the swift current carries them» so 
far that the loss of much time and labor is oc- 
casioned in recovering them. They are so heavy 
to carry, and bring so poor a price—usually 
about seventy-five cents each—besides being very 
wary, thus making a decent remuneration for 
pursuing them rather uncertain, that the market- 
hunter seldom makes it an especial business, 
unless at a time when ducks are scarce. For 
the benefit of the novice I will describe some 
of the methods employed in their capture, with 
a few rules and hints. 

One of the best plans with those who under- 


236 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL, 
> 


stand it is to use the sculling-float; the novice, 
however, will need to be pretty thoroughly trained 
before he can hope to be very fortunate, for scull- 
ing upon wild fowl successfully is almost a science 
in itself. One must thoroughly understand their 
habits, and be able to determine by their various 
actions or talk the state of their suspicions, and 
so govern his approaches accordingly. I will give 
a few of the principal rules, however, which will 
be necessary for the novice to follow. Some minor 
ones, which it is almost impossible to describe 
here, I will leave him to learn from experience. 
We will suppose him, fully equipped in his float, 
to have discovered a flock of geese sitting in a 
position favorable for his approach. His guns 
(two or three should be used in this branch of 
the sport) are properly loaded, and his float trim- 
med, according to the season and the nature of 
the locality, with flags, rice, or brush, as he may 
deem least liable to excite suspicion; or, if in 
winter, when masses of ice are floating about, by 
a cake of ice laid judiciously across the bow. 
He must now, if not already there, get to the 
windward of the geese without their observing 
him; then, taking care not to rock his boat or make 


the least noise, proceed to scull down upon them 


THE CANADA GOOSE. PE, 


almost directly with the wind. By their actions 
he must regulate his approach, whether fast or 
slow. They may often huddle together, seemingly 
to discuss the nature of the object approaching 
them and the prudence of remaining ; and_ then, 
as though considering their fears groundless, may 
spread apart again. If the hunter now uses due 
caution, he will seldom fail to get within reason- 
able gunshot; but on their huddling close’ to- 
gether, stretching their necks, and turning about 
head to wind, he may be assured they intend to 
rise, and if he is within distance, as soon as they 
turn he must be ready to fire. Turning the bow 
slightly by a quick stroke of the oar to favor his 
awkward position for shooting, and grasping his 
heaviest gun, he rises quickly, and pours in both 
barrels as rapidly as possible, yet taking time to 
select the thickest’ portion of the flock, and to 
deliver his loads with most killing effect. Then 
instantly seizing his second gun, he is to secure 
as many as possible as they fly by or turn from 
him. If he is possessed of a third gun, he will first 
kill his most active cripples; then, after securing 
the wounded, he may gather the dead. It is a 
prevailing idea amongst sportsmen that geese, 
and in fact all wild fowl, should always be ap- 


238 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


proached from the leeward to guard against their 
exquisite sense of smell. This the wild-fowler 
never need to bother himself about. Their sense 
of smell may be exceedingly acute, but I doubt 
very much their ability to recognize danger by 
such means. They possess, however, a remark- 
able sense of hearing, and often take alarm at 
the least unusual sound; for this reason one can 
approach with less caution from the leeward. 
This raises the question, Why, if we need to use 
more caution, do we approach from the wind- 
ward in our sculling-float? Simply because they 
are obliged to rise against the wind. If we were 
to approach from the leeward, they would na- 
turally swim away from us, and would give us 
little or no warning when they intended to rise, 
besides seldom allowing us to get as near as 
though we approached from the opposite side, 
being loath to fly towards the object of their sus- 
picions until they are obliged to. Another thing: 
besides our poorer chances of a family shot with 
our first gun, our opportunity for using the 
second is entirely lost. I would particularly im- 
press on the mind of the novice the importance 
of looking into the whys and wherefores and 


studying the reasons of things pertaining to wild. 


THE CANADA QUOSE., 239 


fowl shooting; he will thereby learn te avoid 
difficulties, and to take advantage of opportuni- 
ties which he might otherwise overlook. His pro- 
gress in the art will be much more rapid and his 
success more certain. 

Geese are particularly fond of young rye and 
winter wheat, and in the Western country where 
these are cultivated to any great extent good 
shooting may often be had. When the ponds begin 
to freeze over in the early winter is the best 
season. The hunter usually selects a position in 
a corner of some one of the numerous rail-fences, 
or amongst the high “ horse-weeds” bordering the 
field, and, after setting out his decoys (if he is 
fortunate enough to be possessed of any), patiently 
awaits their coming. On their approach he com- 
mences to call, and seeing his decoys they come 
down fearlessly: those he kills he props up with 
sticks to decoy others. If he chances to secure a 
wing-broken one, he ties him to a stake amongst 
his other decoys, and when*other geese come in 
sight the poor cripple never fails to call loudly. 
A box sunk near the centre of the field is better, 
if it can be fixed conveniently, than a blind near 
the edges, for the geese are inclined to avoid the 


fences as much as possible. At this time of the 


240 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 
> 

year the air-holes in the river, where they come 
to get water and to roost at night, are often better 
places than the fields for securing a good bag. 
They come to the decoys there with less fear or 
suspicion. When wounded, geese dive easily, and 
often swim long distances under water. | Oppor- 
tunities for shooting them will frequently occur 
when in the pursuit of ducks. No. 1 (Chicago) I 
consider the best-sized shot for goose shooting, 
though B or BB may with propriety be used in 
large or very close-shooting guns. 

I am astonished that Audubon has ascribed so 
little weight to the wild goose. I have seldom 
seen one weighing less than eight or nine pounds, 
and have seen many over twelve; and one which 
| killed myself, the largest [ ever saw, weighed 


eighteen pounds, 


; a | 


SHOOTING GEESE FROM SCULLING FLOAT. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (ANSER ALBIFRONS). 
The ‘‘ Brant,” amongst Western sportsmen. 


Apv.t MALE: Bill shorter than the head, much 
higher than broad at the base, somewhat conical, 
depressed towards the end, rounded at the tip. 

Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. 
Neck rather long and slender. Body full, slightly 
depressed. Feet rather short, strong, placed rather 
behind the centre of the body; legs bare a little 
above the joint; tarsus rather short, a little com- 
pressed, covered all round with angular reticulated 
scales, which are smaller behind. 

Plumage close, full, compact above, blended on 
the neck and lower part of the body, very short 
on the head. Feathers of the head and neck very 
narrow, on the latter part disposed in oblique 
series separated by grooves; of the back very 
broad and abrupt; of the breast and belly broadly 
rounded. Wings rather long and broad. Tail 
very short, rounded, of sixteen broad, roundea 


feathers. 
241 


242 GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 


' 
Bill carmine-red, the unguis of both mandibles 


white. Edges of eyelids dull orange. Iris hazel. 
Feet orange, webs lighter, claws white. Head 
and neck rich grayish-brown, the upper part of 
the former darker; a white band margined with 
blackish-brown on the anterior part of the fore- 
head along the bill. The general color of the 
back is deep-gray, the feathers of its fore part 
broadly tipped with grayish-brown, the rest with 
grayish-white; the hind part of the back pure 
deep-gray. Wings grayish-brown, but towards 
the edge ash-gray, as are the primary coverts and 
outer webs of the primaries; the rest of the pri- 
maries and the secondaries are grayish-black, the 
latter with a narrow edge of grayish-white, the 
former edged and tipped with white. Breast, ab- 
domen, lower tail-coverts, sides of the rump, and 
upper tail-coverts white, but the breast and sides 
patched with brownish-black ; on the latter inter- 
mixed with grayish-brown feathers. 

Length to end of tail, 27} inches; weight, 51 
pounds. 

ApuLt FEMALE: The female, which is some- 
what smaller, resembles the male. The white 
margins of the wing-feathers not so distinct. 


Weight, 4 pounds 4 ounces. 


THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 243 


By Audubon the white-fronted goose (anser 
albifrons) and the snow-goose (anser hyperbo- 
reus) have been classified and described (and | 
think properly so) as two entirely distinct and 
separate species; though many naturalists, seeing 
in them many striking points of resemblance, 
and being confused by their varying appearances, 
produced by age and change of season, coupled 
with their lack of familiarity with them whilst 
breeding, have adjudged them to be identical in 
character, of but one species, and differing only in 
degree of maturity. The opinion of Audubon is, 
I believe, that most generally sanctioned by Wes- 
tern sportsmen, amongst whom, however, both 
species receive the general appellation of “ brant,” 
the white-fronted being familiarly known as_ the 
harlequin variety, from the irregular, patchy col- 
oring of their breast-feathers, while the snow- 
geese are all called fish-brant, and as such are 
never pursued for the table. The younger ones 
of this latter species are further characteristically 
distinguished as bald brant or white-heads. 

To the peculiar habits of the snow-goose I have 
paid but little attention, being rather a poor 
naturalist, and led to consider them by my hunt- 


ing companions as unworthy of pursuit. I have 


NG, re a Pre ae Se 
: 


244 _GAME—SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 

. 
frequently, however, seen them feeding upon 
grain, and observing that Audubon and_ several 
others have pronounced them excellent eating, am 
inclined to think the prevailing idea amongst 
hunters in regard to the fishy flavor of their 
flesh to be poorly founded. 

The flesh of the white-fronted goose is, I think, 
acknowledged by all who have partaken of it to 
be delicate and well-flavored. They feed almost 
entirely by day, and chiefly upon grass, grain, 
and other vegetable matter, which they procure 
upon the low, wet prairies and grain-fields ; 
leaving for the purpose, early in the morning, 
the large lakes and ponds where they roost at 
night, and returning to them again in the after- 
noon about sundown. On _ these journeys, which 
are often several miles in length, they fly high 
in air, much in the manner of wild geese (whose 
wing-strokes, however, are not quite so fast), and 
seldom lower their flight until directly over their 
feeding-grounds or roosting-ponds, when all dart 
down together in a confused, zigzag, and irregu- 
lar manner, cackling loudly, and _ uttering the 
while most discordant sounds. (This habit is also 
characteristic of the snow-geese, and perhaps in 


a greater degree ; their notes, however, are widely 


THE WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE. 245 


different.) When their feeding-grounds and roost- 
ing-places are near together, they may fly quite 
low, particularly if against a strong head-wind, 
and good sport may then be had on the pass- 
ways. Single ‘ones may frequently be called 
within gun-shot, when coming in to roost (though 
never when in the fields), by imitating their call- 
notes correctly—an achievement, however, rather 
difficult to most persons, as they are pitched in so 
high a key. <A slight resemblance to the note may 
be expressed by the sounds ela, eleck, ela, ela, 
eleck. They are exceedingly acute, sharp-sighted 
birds, and can “climb” out of gun-shot (as the 
hunters term their flying upwards when frightened 
at the appearance of danger beneath them) faster 
than most wild-fowl. 

In the corn-fields they are frequently shot from 
holes in the ground or from blinds built of corn- 
stalks in a manner similar to that described in 
the foregoing chapter. No. 8 shot, Chicago size, 
is sufficiently large for brant shooting, as these 
birds are not very tenacious of life. They are 


rarely found along the Eastern coast. 


al naa i 
| 


CHAPTER XXV. 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK (FULIGULA VALISNERIA, STEPHENS , 


ANAS VALISNERIA, WILSON), 


eal 
Aputt MALE: Bill as long as the head, deeper 
than broad at the base, the margins parallel, 
slightly dilated towards the end, which is rounded, 
the frontal angles rather narrow and_ pointed. 
Head rather large, compressed, convex above. 
Eyes small. Neck of moderate length, rather 
thick. Body full, depressed. Wings small. Feet 
very short, strong, placed rather far behind;  tar- 
sus very short, compressed, anteriorly with narrow 
scutella continuous with those of the middle toe, 
and having another series commencing half-way 
down and continuous with those of the outer toe, 
the rest reticulated with angular scales. Hind 
toe small, with an inner expanded margin or web; 
middle toe nearly double the length of the _tar- 
sus, outer a little shorter. Claws small, com- 
pressed, that of the first toe very small and 


246 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 247 


curved, of the third toe larger and more ex- 
panded than the rest. | 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 
upper part of the head small and rather compact, 
of the rest of the head and neck small, blended, 
and glossy. Wings shortish, narrow, pointed; pri- 
mary quills strong, tapering, the first longest, the 
second almost as long, the rest rapidly diminish. 
ing; secondary quills broad and _ rounded, the 
inner elongated and tapering. Tail very short, 
much rounded or wedge-shaped, of fourteen feath- 
ers. 2415 (9 

Bill black, with a tinge of green. Iris bright 
earmine.- Upper part of the head and a space 
along the base of the bill dusky; a small, trans- 
verse band of white on what is called the chin; 
the rest of the head and the neck all round for 
more than half its length of a rich brownish- 
red. A broad. beit of brownish-black occupies 
the lower part of the neck and the fore part of 
the body, of which the posterior part is the same 
color, more extended on the back than under the 
tail. Back and scapulars white or grayish-white, 
very minutely traversed by undulating black lines ; 
wing-coverts similar, but darker. Alular feathers 


grayish-brown. Primary quills brownish-black, 


248 GAME—DEEP- WATER FOWL. 

. > 

tinged with gray towards the base; the shaft 
brown. Secondaries ash-gray, whitish, and undu- 
lated with dark-gray towards the end; five of 
them having also a narrow stripe of black along 
their outer margin. Tail brownish-gray, towards 
the end ash-gray. The lower parts. white, the 
sides and abdomen marked with fine undulating 
gray lines, of which there are faint traces on most 
of the other feathers. The feet are grayish-blue, 
tinged with yellow. 

Length to end of tail, 22 inches; extent of 
wings, 33; weight, 33 pounds. 

Aputt FEMALE: The female has the bill colored 
as in the male; the iris reddish-brown; the feet 
lead-gray; the upper parts grayish-brown; the 
top of the head darker, its anterior part light- 
reddish; the chin whitish; the neck grayish-brown, 
as are the sides and abdomen; the breast white; 
wing-coverts brownish-gray; primary quills gray- 
ish-brown, dusky at the end; secondary quills 
ash-gray, five of the inner with an external black 
margin, the innermost grayish-brown like the back, 
and with some of the scapulars faintly undulated 
with darker. Tail grayish-brown, paler at the 
end; axillars and smaller under wing-coverts white, 


as in the male. 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 249 


Length to end of tail, 201 inches; extent of 


. =» 3 = 
wings, 302 


; weight, 2? pounds. 


No one species of the whole duck tribe so 
sorely puzzles the uninitiated to secure as_ the 
wary, gamey, and highly-prized canvas-back. The 
mallard and the various other shoal-water ducks 
he frequently finds opportunities for ‘ bush-whack- 
ing” along the shallow edges of the ponds and 
sloughs where there may be sufficient cover; or 
he may catch them flying low down over the 
narrow creeks or bushy points, where, if he is 
sufficiently skilful, he may also manage to secure 
a brace or two. With the deep-water varieties, and 
the canvas-back most especially, the case is decidedly 
different. They are too well contented to sit tan- 
talizingly out of reach near the middle of the 
open waters, and rarely venture into the smaller 
ponds, where they would be obliged to sit in too 
close proximity to the shores, knowing far too 
well the danger to be apprehended from such a 
proceeding. The art here, then, is not simply 
to aim straight and pull the trigger at the proper 
moment, but it is also to know how to approach 
them, or induce them to approach you within 
gunshot, with least loss of time and labor. 


From the circumstance of the lake-shores being 


250 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. | 
: 


almost invariably inundated in the spring or cov- 
ered with high weeds and brush, thus leaving no 
bare ground upon which to operate the system 
of toling canvas-backs, as practised upon the 
Chesapeake Bay, is never made use of in the 
West. As it may, however, prove of interest to 
my readers to know how the sport is conducted, 
I will quote Dr. Sharpless’s vivid description, 
never myself having had the pleasure of witness- 
ing it: 

“A spot is usually selected where the birds have 
not been much disturbed, and where they feed at 
three or four hundred yards from, and can approach 
to within forty or fifty yards of, the shore, as 
they will never come nearer than they can swim 
freely. The higher the tides and the calmer the 
day the better, for they feed closer to the shores ; 
and see more distinctly. Most persons on_ these 
waters have a race of small, white or liver-colored 
dogs, which they familiarly call the toler breed, 
but which appear to be the ordinary poodle. These 
dogs are extremely playful, and are taught to run 
up oad down the shore, in sight of the ducks, 
either by the motion of the hand or by throwing 
chips from side to side. They soon become per- 


fectly acquainted with their business, and, as they 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 251 


discover the ducks approaching them, make their 
jumps less high, till they almost crawl on the 
ground to prevent the birds discovering what the 
object of their curiosity may be. This disposition 
to examine rarieties has been taken advantage of 
by using a red or black handkerchief by day and 
a white one by night in toling, or even by gently 
plashing the water on the shore. The nearest 
ducks soon notice the strange appearance, raise 
their heads, gaze intently for a moment, and then 
start for the shore, followed by the rest. On 
many occasions [ have seen thousands of them 
swimming in a solid mass direct to the object; 
and by removing the dog further into the grass 
they have been brought within fifteen feet of the 
bank. When they have approached to about 
thirty or forty yards, their curiosity is generally 
satisfied, and, after swimming up and down for a 
few seconds, they retrograde to their former sta- 
tion. The moment to shoot is while they present 
their sides, and forty or fifty ducks have often 
been killed by a small gun. The black-heads tole 
the most readily, then the red-heads, next the can- 
vas-backs, and the bald-pates rarely. To prevent 
the dogs, whilst toling, from running in, they 


are not allowed to go into the water to bring out 


252 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL, 
. 


the ducks, but another breed of large dogs, of the 
Newfoundland and water-spaniel mixture, are em- 
ployed.” 

The usual method of taking canvas-back in the 
West is by the aid of decoys, shooting either 
from a sink-box—a battery built of brush, ete., 
on a paddle-boat—or from a blind built in some 
favorable position along the edges of the willows. 
The first named is but little used, however, on 
account of the frequent difficulty of conveying it 
from one lake to another, part of the distance per- 
haps being through thick brush or willows or 
across dry ridges. Then, as it necessitates the ser- 
vices of two men to work it, but few more ducks 
ean be killed from it than by other methods 
where each man may hunt separately. 

When ducks get bedded (¢.e., in the habit of 
sitting in large bodies in the same place for pur- 
poses of feeding or otherwise) in the large, open 
waters, and act shy of decoys placed near the 
shore, a common paddle-boat covered with brush 
and weeds answers nearly as well as the sink-box, 
and costs much less labor to prepare; and, when 
done with, the brush may be thrown off, and the 
labor of towing about the “sink” avoided. Some 


of my readers may wish to try the sink, however, 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 253 


so I will give a brief description of its build 
and the manner of using it. 

The box in which the shooter lies should be of 
pine, sides and bottom one inch and ends two 
inches thick, and of proportions adapted to the 
size of the person to occupy it; six feet long, 
two feet wide, and thirteen inches deep being 
proper for an ordinary-sized man. Along each 
side and across the ends, one inch below the top 
edge of the box, two-by-four-inch pine timbers 
are fastened, framed together to equal height, and 
extending on all sides two and a half feet from the 
box. This frame should be slanted off on top 
fully an inch towards the ends to give a_ pitch 
to the deck, and on the under side should also be 
reduced in the same manner to make it as light 
as possible for handling. The frame is next 
covered with a pine platform a_ half-inch thick, 
which is further strengthened by the addition of 
a brace reaching from the centre of the box on 
each side. This platform is bounded on the three 
sides by hinged wings of cotton-cloth, which are 
two feet wide, fastened to a pine frame-work, and 
so constructed as to admit of being folded back 
upon the platform when not in use. At the fourth 


side or head of the sink the wing, instead of 


254 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 


being made entirely of cloth, is partly composed 
of two half-inch pine boards, eight inches 
wide, hinged together, and extending the width 
of the platform, to which the inner board is 
fastened by strong hinges; the rest of the wing, 
which is equal in width to the others, is of 
cloth, and all the wings are joined together by 
angle-pieces of the same material. A border of 
sheet-lead, three inches in height, is to be tacked 
completely around the outside edge of the box, 
and inclined outwards, as the flare of a boat, to 
throw off any little ripple that might otherwise 
wash into the box, Across the head, and about 
half-way round the sides, where the tendency of 
the waves to wash in is always greatest, a 
second circular rim of lead four inches high, as 
a double precaution, should also be fastened and 
flared like the other. This outside rim should be 
placed about fifteen inches from the end of the 
box. A short rope, about six feet. in length, is 
fastened at each end about three feet apart, to 
the cross-timber at the head of the box, to the 
middle of which rope the anchor-line is attached. 
A second anchor is also sometimes used, which 
should be fastened to the foot of the platform. 


This, however, except in very shallow water, is 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 955 


needless. To finish, the whole thing is now to be 
painted as near the color of the water as _ pos- 
sible, and when dry is ready for use. 

A bed of hay or straw is prepared in the 
bottom, on which the shooter is to lie, a pillow 
placed at the end for his head, and the sink is next 
towed out and anchored in the desired position. 
The decoys are next set out, the guns and am- 
munition transferred from the paddle-boat, and 
after adding sufficient ballast with the weight of 
the shooter to sink the edge of the platform to 
the surface of the water, the shooter takes his 
place, and his companion leaves him. The com- 
panion’s duty now is to rout up the ducks oe- 
easionally when they get settled; to secure the 
cripples, if possible; to pick up the dead; and 
to release the shooter when necessary. 

From the position of the shooter it is evident 
he can only shoot in very limited directions ; 
the decoys must therefore be so arranged that 
ducks coming to them will approach in such a 
manner as shall be most favorable to his con- 
dition for shooting. The arrangement fulfilling 
this requirement most perfectly is as _ follows: 
not less than one hundred decoys should be 


used, placed square to the right fifteen yards, to 


256 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
> 


the left twenty-five yards, from this line narrow- 
ing gradually to a point about ten yards to the 
left of a direct line to leeward, and at a distance 
of thirty-five yards from the sink; from this 
point, three or four tolers, ten to fifteen yards 
apart, to leeward, and inclined towards the direction 
the ducks mainly approach from or pass by. Near 
the centre of this triangle, which is the figure 
the flock now represents, the decoys should be 
scattered a trifle more than at other places, and 
the ducks will endeavor to alight there. <A 
few decoys should be fastened to the platform 
of the sink. 

This arrangement of decoys is the one most suit- 
able for sink-box shooting. No matter on which 
side ducks may be, when they observe the decoys 
they almost invariably approach to alight, against 
the wind, if it be blowing at all; and as the de- 
coys are now placed, they will come in over or 
very close to the leeward point of the triangle, 
because in so approaching that point is nearest to 
them, and they seldom take a roundabout course 
without a reason for it. More decoys Are set to 
the left of the sink, because it is much easier for 
the shooter to swing his gun on that side than 


towards the right, as he might be obliged to do 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. Q57 


if there were equal numbers on each side, when 
the ducks would be as likely to turn one way 
as the other. If during the day the wind should 
change, it will be necessary to alter the position 
of the battery. This may be done without taking 
up the decoys, if they are arranged as directed ; 
all that is necessary being to shift the box to 
windward. 

When ducks are flying by, especially on. very 
calm days, a good way to attract their attention to 
the decoys is to raise your hands above the edges 
of the box and wave them quickly to and fro, imi- 
tating as near as may be the action of ducks when 
flapping their wings or when alighting on the water. 
This turning involuntarily the eyes of the passing 
ducks towards the decoys, they come in readily. 

The shooter should be careful not to rise up too 
soon when ducks are approaching. Wait until they 
are over the “tail” decoys, and if there is a 
large flock, and they choose to alight, let them do 
so; and when you catch a sufficient number to- 
gether, rise and fire quickly. A second gun 
often adds considerably to the score, if the shooter 
can handle it rapidly. A strap fastened across 
the top of one or both feet will help him in rising. 

The method of shooting canvas-back from the 


258° GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
> 


paddle-boat covered with brush is so similar to 
sink-box shooting, that it would simply be a waste 
of space to describe it; and the covering of the 
boat is so simple a matter that I will trust to 
the ingenuity of my readers without boring them 
with tedious explanations. I will just remark the 
position of shooting from the paddle-boat had 
better be from the knees than from a sitting 
position; bending forward when ducks may be 
approaching, instead of lying at length. 
Canvas-back generally feed quite near the edges 
of the willows, as their food, which consists 
mainly of the bulbous roots of a certain water- 
grass, does not grow in the deeper waters, but 
rather in those portions of the lakes that are 
left bare during the summer and early fall 
months, when the water is generally low. During 
the fall, unless the water is unusually high, they 
are rarely seen; but in spring, when the melt- 
ing of the winter’s snow and ice, and_ the 
-heavy rains, have raised the river and inun- 
dated these grassy plats, they may be often seen 
in flocks of thousands. When much disturbed, 
they feed mostly by night or early morning and 
evening, and sit during the middle of the day 


near the middle of the open waters opposite to 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 259 


their feeding-grounds. Before they become too 
wary, at intervals during the day small parties, 
as though unable to withstand the temptation 
any longer, get up and fly into these  feeding- 
grounds, when, if the sportsman is prepared for 
them with plenty of decoys, he may have excel- 
lent sport and secure a goodly number; but as 
it grows later in the season, they learn. better, 
and come in less frequently, content to wait 
until evening, when, instead of taking to wing 
and flying in, the whole body swim in cautiously 
together. The blind for shooting in during the 
day should be selected with care where they 
wish to feed—not to one side or the other, or, 
instead of coming in to the decoys, many may 
pass by, and drop down out of range where 
they have found by experience their food grows 
in greater profusion. 

As to the building of the blind and the ar- 
rangement of the decoys, both have been fully 
explained in the chapters especially devoted to 
those subjects, so f will not repeat them here. 
I shall, however, add a few hints as to the pe- 
culiar habits of the ducks when approaching de- 
coys and at various other times, and will en- 


deavor to explain how to best apply a know- 


260 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
e 


ledge of these habits to practical and profitable 
use. 

Canvas-backs never set their wings and drop 
back from a height nearly perpendicular, as mal- 
lards and some other shoal-water ducks often 
do; but, when intending to alight, always lower 
as they approach, and if not sufficiently low 
when first over the decoys, sheer off and circle 
back again. They also frequently pass over or 
by the decoys low déwn, seemingly to a novice as 
though not seeing them, when, after going perhaps 
a hundred yards or more, if everything appears 
correct to them, they will turn about suddenly, 
and come in as though intending to stay. The ex- 
perienced hunter, who understands this habit, also 
knows from their actions whether they will pro- 
bably turn back again, or go on because of having 
seen something to alarm them, and so he either 
reserves his fire until they come the second time, 
or else improves his poorer, though only, chance 
as they first pass by. Through ignorance of this, 
many wild shots are coaxed from the novice which, 
if held back for a moment, might be turned to 
much better account. | 

Just before they get ready to alight, raise your 
head and shoulders slowly above the blind, and 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 261 


with the butt of the gun to the shoulder, and the 
muzzle just under the flock, be prepared to take 
advantage on the instant of their bunching or 
crossing. They will take no notice of you what- 
ever, if you rise slowly and do not attract their 
attention by the suddenness of your movements, 
their eyes at the time being entirely occupied with 
the decoys or seleeting a particular spot in which 
to light. If the flock is large, it may be advisable 
to allow them to do this, and when a sufficient 
number swim together, fire away. Frequently at 
the report of the gun, if they do not see the shoot- 
er, those unhurt may jump up and immediately 
drop down again, as though thinking there was 
no need of leaving while their companions, the 
decoys, appeared so quiet and contented; and if 
you are quick-motioned, you may often reload 
your breech-loader and secure more before they 
discover their mistake. This I have done repeat- 
edly. 

On rainy days~they appear very uneasy, fly- 
ing about continually, and dart to the decoys 
readily. It is on these days the big counts are 
usually made. 

Cripples should be “shot over again” as soon 


as possible, and be careful not to let them see 


262 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
> 


you before firing, if you can help it. When 
first wounded, they usually sit with head erect, 
looking for the cause of their misfortune, and 
are then easily killed ; but as soon as they dis- 
cover the shooter, they dive, and, if only winged, 
it is useless to follow them, unless, however, the 
water is perfectly calm, when the ripple occasion- 
ed by their coming to the surface can be readily 
seen. Even then it takes hard work and a long 
chase to secure them, and if ducks are flying 
well it is better to let them go. If struck in 
the body, they may be more easily tired, and 
then captured. They are exceedingly expert divers, 
and can swim under water to much longer dis- 
tances than any others of the vegetable-eating 
ducks. 

When chasing cripples, do not allow them to 
remain long enough at the surface of the water 
to regain their breath, if you can by shouting 
prevent it, unless you are ready to shoot them 
over again, which, by the way, you should always 
be prepared to do, if desirous, before leaving 
your blind. Their course under water ycu may 
frequently follow by the minute air-bubbles  es- 
caping from them and coming to the surface 


when they begin to get exhausted. If you are 


CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 263 


prepared for their rising, and they come up suf- 
ficiently nigh, you may kill them by striking 
them across the head or neck with the edge of 
the paddle. 

Frequently birds start off with the flock as 
though unhurt, and, after flying a few hundred 
yards, fall unnoticed dead or mortally wounded. 
It is advisable, therefore, to watch for some dis- 
tance any you may think are struck, to see whether 
they may be recovered or not. They are ex- 
ceedingly tenacious of life, and require hard hit- 
ting to secure them. No. 3 or 4 Chicagos are 
about the proper-sized shot to use for them. 

Dogs are never used for retrieving canvas- 
backs in the West; the shooting is always done 
from a boat, when it would be inconvenient and 
unpleasant to have the dog continually getting im 
and out while wet and dripping with water; and 
as for their catching a crippled canvas-back, it 
is out of the question. 

Canvas-backs are never known to breed along 
the Mississippi River or its tributaries, but be- 
take themselves to some unknown regions of the 
far north where the white man never molests 
them. About the first of November, with their 


young, which are now almost fully grown, they 


264 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
. 


take a direct course to the waters of the Chesa- 
peake Bay and its confluent streams, rarely stop- 
ping upon the way, and here remain feeding 
upon their favorite food, the roots of the wild 
celery, until driven further south by the increas- 
ing cold weather. About Galveston Bay and the 
mouth of the Mississippi they are very plenti- 
ful, particularly if the weather on the Eastern 
coast has been very severe. In spring, instead 
of taking their roundabout course back north by 
the way of the Chesapeake, many choose the more 
direct route up the Mississippi, stopping here and 
there along the back waters of this river and _ its 
tributaries, where food may be found most abun- 
dant ; and in proportion to the severity of the 
previous winter at the East will they be found 


here in greater or less profusion. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 
RED-HEADED DUCK (ANAS FERINA). 


Aputr mate: Bill as long as the head, deeper 
than broad at the base; the margins parallel, 
slightly dilated towards the end, which is rounded ; 
the frontal angles rather narrow and pointed. 

Head rather large, compressed, convex above. 
Eyes small.. Neck of moderate length, rather 
thick. Body full, depressed. Wings small. Feet 
very short, strong, placed rather far behind; tar- 
sus very short, compressed anteriorly with narrow 
scutella, continuous with those of the middle toe, and 
having another series commencing half-way down, 
and continuous with those of the outer toe, the rest 
reticulated with angular scales ; hind toe small, 
with an inner expanded margin or web; middle 
toe nearly double the length of the tarsus; outer, 
a little shorter. Claws small, compressed, that of 
the first toe very small and curved, of the third 
toe larger and more expanded than the rest. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 

265 


266 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
a 


upper part of the head small and rather compact, 
of the rest of the head and neck small, blended, and 
glossy. Wings shortish, narrow, pointed; primary 
quills strong, tapering, the first longest, the second 
almost as long, the rest rapidly diminishing ; 
secondary quills broad and rounded, the inner 
elongated and tapering. Tail very short, much 
rounded or wedge-shaped, of fourteen feathers. 
Bill light grayish-blue, with a broad band of 
black at the end, and a dusky patch anterior to 
the nostrils. Iris orange-yellow. Head and neck 
all around, for more than half its length, of a 
rich brownish-red, glossed with carmine above. A 
broad belt of brownish-black occupies the lower 
part of the neck and the fore part of the body, 
of which the posterior part is of the same color, 
more extended on the back than under the tail. 
Back and scapulars pale grayish-white, very mi- 
nutely traversed by dark brownish-gray lines; the 
sides and abdomen similar, the undulations ora- 
dually fading away into the grayish-white of the 
middle of the breast ; upper wing-coverts brown 
ish-gray, the feathers faintly undulated with whitish 
towards the end. Primary quills brownish-gray, 
dusky along the outer web and at the end; 


secondaries ash-gray, narrowly tipped with white, the 


RED-HEADED DUCK. 267 


outer faintly tinged with yellow, and almost im- 
perceptibly dotted with whitish; four or five of 
the inner of a poorer tint, tinged with blue, and 
having a narrow brownish-black line along the 
margin; the innermost like the scapulars, but 
more dusky. Tail brownish-gray, towards the end 
lighter. Axillar feathers and lower wing-coverts 
white. Feet dull grayish-blue, the webs dusky, 
the claws black. 

Length to end of tail, 20 inches; extent of 
wings, 33; weight, 2} pounds. 

Apuit FemaLE: The female has the bill of a 
dusky bluish-gray, with a broad band of black at 
the end, and a narrow, transverse blue line, nar- 
rower than in the male. Iris yellow. Feet as in 
the male. The head and upper part of the neck 
dull reddish-brown, darker above and lighter on 
the fore part of the cheeks and along a streak be- 
hind the eye. The rest of the neck all round, and 
the upper parts in general, are dull grayish-brown, 
the feathers paler at their extremity ; the flanks 
and fore part of the neck dull reddish-brown, the 
feathers broadly tipped with pale grayish-brown. 
The wings are as in the male, but of a darker 
tint and without undulations. The tail as in the 


male. Lower wing-coverts light-gray ; those in the 


_e 
268 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 4 


middle white, middle of breast grayish-white, hind 
part of abdomen light brownish-gray. 

Length to end of tail, 21 inches; extent of wings, 
324; weight, 2 pounds 7 ounces. 

Like those of the canvas-back, the habits of the 
red-head during the breeding-season. are very 
poorly understood ; in fact, the same may be said 
of all the deep-water. ducks herein described, from 
the fact that none of them ever remain to breed 
in their winter quarters, but all take their de- 
parture in the spring to some secluded regions 
of the north, and in the fall return with their 
numerous progeny fully grown and well able to 
take care of themselves. Like the canvas-back, 
too, they are not very plenty in the West dur- 
ing the fall, unless the water is unusually high, 
but make their appearance in large numbers shortly 
after the opening of the rivers and lakes in spring. 

Their food consists chiefly of the grass roots so 
much sought for by the canvas-backs, and also of 
corn, wild oats, and the seeds and blades of vari- 
ous water-grasses which grow along the shore in 
the fall, and which in spring are inundated. The 
botanical name of this grass, whose roots form its 
favorite food, I am unacquainted with. In shape 


the plant resembles the witch-grass, so common 


RED-HEADED DUOK.. 269 


to old ploughed fields—blades long, thin, and rather 
narrower than the witch-grass, and its bulbs round, 
about the size. of a pea, of a bright reddish-brown 
color on the outside, and on the inside a flaky 
white. 

They assemble in large flocks on their feeding- 
grounds, and associate indiscriminately with both 
deep and shoal water ducks, but are rarely seen in 
flight with other than their own kind. They fly 
bunched closely together, but at regular rates of 
speed and in good order, and seldom pitch or 
dart about, as is the general habit of those shoal- 
water ducks that fly clustered together. They 
come in splendidly to decoys set out on thei» 
feeding-grounds, but very many flocks will pass 
them by closely without noticing them if on a 
passway. When they are coming to your decoys 
down-wind or with a side wind, rise just before 
they get to you, and as they double back to 
alight, “turn it loose” at the middle of the cluster. 
They are not very tenacious of life, and_ fre- 
quently six or eight may be killed at a shot in 
this way. At times they appear uncommonly 
foolish, returning to the decoys and lighting down 
immediately after being shot at. An imitation 


of their note, which much resembles the mewing 


270 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 4 


of a cat, will often help to attract their atten- 
tion to decoys; but without decoys they will not 
turn in for hearing it. They swim very fast 
and are good divers, though not quite as expert 
as the canvas-back; the methods of hunting 
them are similar. In market they sell readily, 
bringing, with the exception of canvas-backs, 
a higher price than any other duck. They rise 
from the water almost invariably against the 
wind, and usually. huddle before taking wing. St. 
Louis fours or fives are the most killing shot 


to use in shooting them. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


SCAUP-DUCK (FULIGULA MARILA). 


Local names, ‘Blue bill,’ ‘‘ Broad-bill,” ‘‘ Black-head,”’ and 
‘* Black-Jack.” 


Aputr mate: Bill as long as the head, deeper 
than broad at the base, enlarged and flattened 
towards the end, which is rounded; the frontal 
angles narrow and pointed. 

Head of moderate size. Eyes small. Neck of 
moderate length, rather ‘thick. Body compara- 
tively short, compact, and depressed. Wings 
small. Feet very short, strong, placed rather far 
behind; tarsus very short, compressed. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 
head and neck short and velvety, those of the hind 
head a little elongated. Wings shortish, narrow, 
pointed; primary quills curved, strong, tapering, 
the first longest, the second very little shorter, 
the rest rapidly graduated ; secondary broad and 
rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail 
very short, much rounded, of fourteen feathers. 


271 


272 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 4 


Bill light grayish-blue, the unguis blackish. — Iris 
yellow. Feet grayish-blue, the webs and claws 
black. The head, the whole neck, and the fore 
part of the back and breast black; the head and 
neck glossed with purple and green, the rest 
tinged with brown. Hind part of the back, rump, 
abdomen, and upper and lower tail-coverts brown- 
ish-black. Middle of the back, scapulars, inner 
secondaries, anterior part of abdomen, and _ sides 
grayish-white, beautifully marked with undulating 
black lines. Middle of the breast white, wings 
light brownish-gray. Alula, primaries at the base 
and end, and the greater part of secondaries 
brownish-black; the speculum on the latter, White. 

Length to end of tail, 164 inches; extent of 
wings, 29; weight, 1 pound 6 ounces. 

Aputt FEMALE: The female agrees with the male 
in the characters of the plumage and in the colors 
of the bare parts, but those of the former differ con- 
siderably. The head, neck, and fore part of the 
back and breast are umber-brown; and there is 
a broad patch of white along the fore part of the 
forehead. The upper parts in general are brown- 
ish-black, the middle of the back and scapulars 
undulated with whitish dots and bars. The pri- 
mary quills are grayish in the middle, and the 


SCAUP-DUCK. Paes: 


speculum is white, but of less extent than in the 
male. The greater part of the breast and abdo- 
men is white; the sides and parts under the tail 
umber-brown. 

Length, 164 inches; extent of wings, 28; weight, 
1 pound 6 ounces. 

The males vary greatly in size, but in adult 
specimens there is little difference in coloring. 

Blue-bill shooting, when they are to be found 
in abundance, as is frequently the case in spring, 
is ono of the prettiest of sports; they come in to 
the decoys so readily, so often, and are off again 
with such amazing velocity, unless well held on, 
that the sportsman cannot fail of being pleased. 
Their flight, though rapid, is very steady, seldom 
high in air, excepting in long journeys over land, 
which they avoid as much as possible, and when 
in flocks frequently packed closely together, much 
in the manner of red-heads, thus affording excel- 
lent opportunities for killing several at a dis- 
charge. They die hard, and struggle to escape 
to the last, frequently, when shot in the air, diving 
the instant they strike the water, and coming up 
to its surface dead. When wing-broken, they 
swim under water to long distances, coming to 


the surface only for an instant to regain their 


274 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 


breath, and diving again so quickly as to seldom 
allow time for shooting them over. 

For food they depend chiefly upon wild rice 
and the bulbous grass-roots described as_ being 
also the favorite food of the canvas-backs and red- 
heads, and on their feeding-grounds all associate 
indiscriminately together. Blue-bills are also very 
partial to overflowed prairies and corn-fields, and 
are frequently to be found there in quite large 
numbers. They cannot spring at once into the 
air like many other ducks, but rise gradually as 
they go on, and get under good headway exceed- 
ingly quick. Unless the wind blows quite fresh, 
they may alight either with or against it, seldom 
turning back to alight if coming to the decoys 
down-wind. Though their flesh is well flavored, 
and generally in good order, they sell at very low 
prices, frequently at seventy-five cents per dozen 
in Chicago markets. 

They are less cautious about approaching the 
shore than canvas-backs or red-heads, and large 
numbers are frequently killed over decoys from 
blinds built in the willows bordering some favor- 
ite feeding-ground. Almost any kind of a blind 
will do when shooting over decoys; only be care- 


ful not to attract their attention by any sudden 


SCAUP-DUCK. Q75 


or needless motions. Their note is a guttural, 
rolling sound, which may be slightly represented 
by the letters Arrr, krrr; it is useless, nowever, 
to imitate it, excepting to turn their attention to 
decoys. They are usually abundant the entire 
spring. Chicago sixes are the proper-sized shot. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 
RING-NECKED DUCK (FULIGULA RUFITORGUES). 


Local names, ‘‘ Ring-billed Duck,” ‘‘ Tufted Duck,” and ‘‘ wolden- 
eyes” (last very common, but erroneous). 


Aputt MALE: Bill about the same length as 
the head, rather deeper than broad at the base, 
depressed and enlarged towards the end, the frontal 
angles acute. 

Head of moderate size. Neck rather long and 
slender. Body full and depressed. Wings rather 
small. Feet very short, strong, placed rather far 
behind; tarsus very short. 

Plumage dense, soft, blended, rather glossy. 
Feathers of the middle of the head and upper 
part of hind neck very narrow and a little elon- 
‘gated; the rest of the head and upper part 
of the neck very short; of the back and lower 
parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of 
moderate length, narrow, acute. Tail very short, 
rather broad, much rounded, of sixteen rounded 


feathers. 
276 


RING-NECKED DUCK. apt 


Bill black; with a basal band, the edges of 
oth mandibles and a band across the upper to- 
wards the end, pale blue. Iris yellow. Legs 
grayish-biue; the webs brownish-black. ‘The head 
and upper part of the neck greenish-black, with pur- 
ple reflections. A brownish-red collar or ring. broad- 
er before, on the middle of the neck. Its lower part 
all round, as well as the back, scapulars, smaller 
wing-coverts, and posterior part of the abdomen, 
brownish-black. Inner secondaries of the same 
color; outer bluish-gray on the outer web, light- 
brown on the inner, as are the primaries, of 
which the outer webs and tips are dark-brown. 
Tail brownish-gray. Chin white. Breast grayish- 
white. Sides and fore part of the abdomen gray- 
ish-white, minutely undulated with grayish-brown. 

Length to end of tail, 18 inches; extent of 
wings, 28. 

ApvuLT. FEMALE: The female has the neck umber- 
brown; the upper part of the head darker; the 
back blackish-brown; the speculum darkish-gray, 
as in the male; the breast brownish-white ; the 
loral spaces and chin pale-brown; the abdomen 
umber-brown. 

Length, 16 inches. 

The female of the ring-necked and _ scaup 


278 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
a 


ducks, which are alike in general color, differ in 
the speculum and in the peculiar form of the 
bill. 

Ring-necked ducks, which are very similar in 
appearance and habits to blue-bills, are seldom 
found in very large numbers, though occasion- 
ally fair sport may be had with them. Where 
the water has flowed back amongst the thin, low 
willows which border the numerous lakes and 
sloughs, are their favorite resorts; though they 
may also be found quite frequently upon the 
overflowed prairies and corn-fields, associated with 
the blue-bills. The methods of hunting them are 
nearly identical, though decoys are of less advan- 
tage in their pursuit than in that of other deep- 
water ducks. They fly faster than most wild 
fowl; and, when in flocks, closely together, some- 
what like red-heads and blue-bills, though rather 
more inclined to dart about irregularly. When 
wounded, they are exceedingly difficult to capture, 
_being very expert divers and possessing extra- 
ordinary vitality. Their flesh is tender and well 
flavored. They remain with us quite late in the 
spring. No. 6 Chicago shot is about the proper: 
sized shot to use for killing them. 


CHAPTER XXIX. 


BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK (FULIGULA ALVEOLA—BONEP). 
Local name, ‘‘ Butter-ball.”’ 


Aputt MALE: Bill much shorter than the head, 
comparatively narrow, deeper than broad at the 
base, gradually depressed toward the end, which 
is rounded. 

Head rather large, compressed. Eyes of mode- 
rate size. Neck short and thick. Body com- 
pact, depressed. Feet very short, placed far 
back ; tarsus very short, compressed. 

Plumage dense, soft, and blended. Feathers on 
the fore part of the head very small and round-. 
ed; on the upper and hind parts linear and 
elongated, as they also are on the lateral and 
hind parts of the upper neck, so that, when 
raised, they give the head an extremely tumid 
appearance, which is the more marked that the 
feathers of the neck immediately beneath are 
shert. Wings very small, decurved, pointed. 
Tail short, graduated, of sixteen feathers. 

279 


230 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 


Bill light grayish-blue. Iris hazel. Feet very 
pale flesh-color. Claws brownish-black. Fore part — 
of the head of a deep rich green; upper part 
rich bluish-purple, of which color also are the 
elongated feathers on the fore part and sides of 
the neck ; the hind part of the latter deep green; a 
broad band of pure white from one cheek to the 
other over the occiput. The colored parts of the 
head and neck are splendent and _ changeable. 
The rest of the neck, the lower parts, the outer 
scapulars, and a large patch on the wing, in- 
cluding the greater part of the smaller coverts 
and some of the secondary coverts and quills, 
pure white, the scapulars narrowly margined with 
black, as are the inner lateral feathers. The feath- 
ers on the anterior edge of the wing are black, nar- 
rowly edged with white. Alula, primary coverts, 
and primary quills deep black. The feathers on 
the rump gradually fade into grayish-white, and 
those of the tail are brownish-gray, with the edges 
paler and the shafts dusky. 

Length to end of tail, 144 inches; extent of 
wings, 23; weight, 1 pound. 

ADULT FEMALE: The female is much smaller. 
The plumage of the head is not elongated, as in 
the male, but there is a ridge of longish  fea- 


BUFFLE-HEADED DUCK. 281 


thers down the occiput and nape. Bill darker 
than that of the male. Feet grayish-blue, with 
the webs dusky. Head, upper part of neck, hind 
neck, back, and wings grayish-brown. A short 
transverse white band from beneath the eye, and 
a slight speck of the same on the lower eyelid. 
Six of the secondary quills white, on the outer 
web. Lower parts white, shaded into light grayish- 
brown on the sides. Tail dull grayish-brown. 

Length to end of tail, 13 inches; extent of 
wings, 221; weight, 8 ounces. 

individuals of both sexes differ much in size 
and in the tints of their plumage. 

This pretty little species is common to nearly 
every quarter of the United States, and frequents 
both salt and fresh water. Local names: butter- 
box, butter-ball, and little whistler. Their principal 
food is fish, snails, etc. ; consequently, their flesh is 
never so well flavored as that of the vegetable-eating 
ducks. They are rarely found in poor condition. 
Buffle-heads are exceedingly quick-motioned in all 
their actions, very expert in diving, which they 
practise constantly when on the water, and fly 
very swiftly, the action of their wings often mak- 
ing a whistling noise as they pass through the air. 


They do not set their wings back and stop their 


282 GAME—DEEP-WATER FOWL. 
+ 


headway before alighting, as do most wild-fowl, 
but plump down, splashing the water on all sides, 
and, when the water is smooth, often slide along 
on its surface a considerable distance. They usu- 
ally fly close to the water, and avoid crossing the 
land as much as possible. Being so little hunted, 
they are seldom very wary, and are not often 
found in very large numbers. Their note is a 
short, guttural quack. They are exceedingly reten- 
tive of life, and require hard hitting to secure 
them. The Western market-hunter seldom shoots 
at them, even when they come into his decoys, 
holding them in a sort of contempt, and consid- 
ering them as rather insignificant game, though 


they find ready sale in market. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


CAVE coRVUM! 


Ix concluding these remarks on duck-shooting 
I must impress upon the reader’s mind one final 
caution, without heeding which all his _painstak- 
ing and skill in killing his game may prove use- 
less. It is this: Beware the crow! 

Crows are objects of inveterate enmity amongst 
all duck-shooters, and few ever venture within the 
circumscribed, and to them well-known, limits of 
shot-gun range without being forcibly reminded of 
the fact. The truth is, crows have a decided 
liking to the flavor of raw duck-flesh, and never 
hesitate to gratify their tastes whenever a favor- 
able chance is offered. Being perhaps rather epi- 
curean in their habits, they are so particularly 
partial to the heart and other tidbits that when 
they can get enough of these, all other portions 
are discarded as not worth eating. As a con- 
sequence, so many ducks are required to  fur- 
nish even a small party of these fastidious yet 


thankless gluttons with a satisfactory repast, that 
283 


Pg tae an ee 


284 CAVE coRvuUM! 


hunters very naturally feel disinclined to cater for 
them when by any means it can be avoided. 

On one occasion they destroyed for myself 
and companion over forty mallard ducks which we 
had killed one evening and left to be gathered the 
next morning, when the ice should be stronger, 
it being at the time we stopped shooting too weak 
to bear.our weight, and yet too strong to be easily 
broken by our boat. We remained until dark, 
and, though we were back next morning but a few 
minutes after sunrise, the crows had arrived before 
us, and were then at their feast. Out of sixty 
odd ducks which we counted upon gathering, only 
fifteen were left us fit to be taken away; the rest 
were utterly spoiled. Two or three had been 
eaten by the minks and owls, as we had expected, 
and could see by their tracks upon the light snow 
which covered the ice; but to the crows we were 
chiefly indebted for our disappointment, and since 
that time opportunities for cancelling the debt have 
rarely been neglected. Though I have at various 
times, before and since, had from one to eight 
ducks destroyed by crows, such wholesale destruc- 
tion as the above I have seen but once; and, learn- 
ing caution from the experience, | mean never to 


see it again. 


CAVE corvuM! 285 


When you can collect your game in a pile, 
you may keep it safe from their approaches by 
leaving upon it your coat, vest, hat, or other object 
which will produce in their minds suspicions of 
a trap or other danger. At all events, if after a 
hard day’s work you cannot at the close of shoot- 
ing conveniently carry away your game, remember 
my parting word—Beware the Crow! and, either 
py hiding the booty or scaring off the thief, se- 
cure the results of your labor. 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


CHOKE-BORES—THEIR TRUE HISTORY, FORM, AND 


MANNER OF CONSTRUCTION. 


Since the invention of percussion-locks, no. im- 
provement in the construction of shot-guns or fowl- 
ing-pieces, as they were then called, has ever ap- 
peared so truly valuable to sportsmen as that pecu- 
liar formation of bore known as the ‘‘ choke,’’ by 
which the divergence of the pellets of a charge of 
shot in their flight is greatly modified and controlled. 
I do not except even the invention of the system of 
loading at the breech, or rather the perfection of that 
invention, which, in fact, dates back to the days of the 
flint and pan; for, outside of its superior safety, 
cleanliness, and greater rapidity of fire (the latter not 

so extremely desirable as at first might appear, unless 
to those persons, not sportsmen, whose only pleasure 
is the killing of the largest number), it has few real 
advantages not counterbalanced, as I have before en- 
deavored to explain, by those of the much-misprized 


muzzle-loader, while for choke-boring, equally appli- 


a Ne oe 


CHOKE-BORES, 287 


cable to either system, I need only mention the fact 
that by its use the effective range of any gun may be 
greatly increased, in many cases fully doubled, and 
its claim to pre-eminence is fully established, for who 
among sportsmen does not experience a greater 
pleasure and satisfaction upon the occasion of one 
long, clean, successful shot than at the killing of a 
dozen close ones ? 

Just when choke-boring was first practised, or who 
is rightfully entitled to the honor of its invention, will 
probably never be known. There have been scores of 
claimants, however, and one, Mr. Pape, of Newcastle, 
England, so far made good his claim as to receive 
recognition as the inventor, and a testimonial in the 
shape of an elegant silver goblet from the proprietors 
of the London Seld, who appointed a committee of 
sportsmen to investigate, and if possible determine the 
matter. Mr. Pape, however, is not the original in- 
ventor, for he dates his discovery back only to the 
year 1866 ; and though he may have found out its 
peculiarities by personal effort and without knowing it 
to have been previously practised, yet he put his reve- 
lation to little use, and, it would seem, hardly appreci- 
ated its value. 

Choke-boring is, without a reasonable doubt, an 


American invention. I have most positive and relia- 


288 CHOKE-BORES. 
_ 


ble proof of its having been practised in this country, 
according to the most approved manner of the present 
day, over fifty years ago; the earliest person I have 
been able to trace a knowledge of it to being Jere- 
miah Smith, a gunsmith of Smirurisitp, Rhode Island, 
who discovered its merits in 1827. I have the evi- 
dence of several disinterested parties to the effect that 
Mr. Smith so bored guns at that time, and one Mr. 
Nathaniel Whitmore, of Mansfield, Mass. (in his day a 
noted rifle-maker), worked for Mr. Smith, learned this 
method of boring from him, and afterward practised 
it while doing business for himself, as numbers can 
testify. That it must have been unknown in England 
until very recent years, there is abundant cause for 
believing, for among so many gunmakers the chances 
for its having been very long kept a secret are slim in- 
deed, and if understood by any of the larger manufac- 
turers, the benefits to be derived from its practice 
were far too great and many for them ever to have 
considered it policy to conceal it, and otherwise the 
-knowledge, if it ever existed, must have very soon be- 
come general. 

With the American gunsmith, in the rural districts 
especially, doing a comparatively small business, the 
case was widely different. It was an especial advan- 


tage to him to keep all such processes a secret ; in time 


CHOKE-BORES. 289 


he would gain the reputation of superiority in some 
branch of his business ; sportsmen then knew far less 
of guns than now, and when his rival in trade by any 
means came into the possession of any of these secrets, 
instead of advertising them to the world, his course 
was simply to ‘‘ keep mum?’ and apply the knowledge 
gained to his own practice. Thus was the knowledge 
of the system so long kept hidden, and the true his- 
tory of its general dissemination, never before pub- 
lished, is as follows : 

During the season of 1869 and 70, I was hunting 
ducks in the State of Illinois, with my friend and 
comrade Fred Kimble. We were shooting muzzle- 
loaders of 11 gauge and about 9 lbs. weight, bored on 
the old plan, and though both were good shooting- 
guns as guns were then rated, we often felt the need 
of something that would ‘‘ reach out’’ further after 
the ducks, As a consequence we determined to have 
made for the next season’s shooting two heavier guns, 
bored to shoot as close as possible. Fred gave his 
order to Mr. O. P. Secor, of Peoria, Il]., one of the 
very best gunmakers in the State, and wanted me to 
do likewise ; but I, residing then in Boston, Mass., 
made choice of Mr. Joseph Tonks, of that city. It 
was a matter of considerable rivalry between us as to 


who would get the best shooting-gun, and before part- 


290 CHOKE-BORES. 
: 


ing with Fred to return home, it was arranged that on 
the receipt of our guns we should try them witha 
charge of four drachms of powder and one ounce of 
-No. 4 shot, at targets one foot square, distance forty 
yards, and exchange reports and targets by mail. I 
intended to have a muzzle-loader, as Fred had 
ordered ; but to my surprise Mr. Tonks absolutely 
refused to make me one, and would have it that I 
didn’t want a muzzle-loader, but a breech-loader. On 
my insisting that I thought Z best knew what I 
wanted, he asked what my objections were to a 
breech-loader. My answer was, ‘‘I don’t think they 
will shoot equal to a muzzle-loader.’’ ‘‘ Well,’’ said 
he, ‘‘ if that is all, I'll first make you a breech-loader, 
and if it doesn’t shoot as well as any muzzle-loader 
you can bring against it, I’ll make you a present of 
it, and then build a muzzle-loader for you after- 
ward.’’ ‘‘ Go ahead on the breech-loader,’’ said I— 
thinking to myself, ‘‘ Mr. Tonks, you’ll beat Secor, or 
be one breech-loader out.”’ 

_ Fred’s gun was first to be finished ; and accom- 
. panied by several shooting friends with their guns, he 
went out to try it. The result was very satisfactory 
to him ; he succeeded in beating them all badly, and 
sent to me his account of the trial and targets, wind- 


ing up his letter exultingly with the slang expression, 


CHOKE-BORES. 291 


‘‘ How are these for high ?’’ The different targets 
had been struck by his gun with from 35 to 42 pel- 
lets, while those made by the other guns ranged all 
the way from 15 to 30. I began to almost pity 
Tonks. 

My gun was to have been done by July 4th, and on 
that day I expected to make a trial of it. I called for it 
on the 3d, but found it ‘‘ in browning,’’ and not quite 
ready to take out ; so, as I intended to go home into 
the country a few miles to spend the holiday, Tonks 
said to me, pointing at the same time to a gun that 
was standing in a rack close by, ‘‘ Take that gun 
home with you and try it; I bored it especially for 
Jack Heywood to shoot in a pigeon match with 
Bloodgood of Providence, Rhode Island, the shot be- 
ing limited to one half ounce. If it don’t shoot close 
enough to suit you let me know.”’ 

The gun was a single-barrelled muzzle-loader, built 
by Tonks for pigeon-match shooting, scant 10 gauge, 
32 inches in length of barrel, and weighed a little over 
9 pounds. Itook it with me, and next day gave it a trial. 
At the first shot, using the charge above mentioned, I 
struck the target, 1 ft. square, at 40 yards, with sixty- 
eight pellets ; at the second shot seventy-three, and at 
the third seventy-six. There were but 151 pellets to 
the load by actual count. I next tried a load of B’s, 


292 CHOKE-BORES. 
- 


counting out just fifty to the charge, same target and 
distance, and twenty-nine struck the foot square. 

Tonks was safe ; I was satisfied ; sent Fred the tar- 
gets and their history ; back came his answer by re- 
turn of mail, ‘‘ Buy that gun, and send it to me 
sure.’’ I did so, and that same act was a means of 
causing choke-bores to spread, as they never had 
spread before, even throughout the civilized world. 

My own gun I tried on the 6th of the same month, 
and found it to average from 55 to 60 pellets of No. 
4 in the target—the highest 66. At 50 yards, 40 
pellets of similar charge struck same sized target. I 
no longer insisted on the muzzle-loader. 

In the fall of that year I went West again, and with 
my friend Fred and a man named Doty, of Henry, 
Illinois, started on another duck-shooting expedition 
down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to the sunk 
lands of South-eastern Missouri. I found it quite 
difficult at first to do good shooting with my gun, as 
did also Fred with the pigeon-gun, and for many days 
on the Illinois both guns were left untouched on the 
boat in which we travelled, Fred making use of his 
‘* Secor’’ and I using one of a pair that belonged to 
Doty. Sometimes Doty had use for both his guns, and 
began to poke fun at me because I couldn’t shoot my 


own ; so one evening I persuaded him to try it for 


CHOKE-BORES. 293 


himself, and though a very much better shot than the 
average of duck-shooters, he actually fired the gun ten 
times without killing a bird—crippled one mallard 
and returned to the boat disgusted. The chief cause 
of his numerous misses lay in the fact that the gun 
shot about six inches high at forty yards, and he was 
unaware of it. The ducks were very plenty on the 
same evening, and with his gun I killed seventy-five 
between half an hour before sundown and dark, 
hardly ever getting time to load both barrels, and had 
Thad my own gun with plenty of ammunition, and 
been able to shoot it right, could very likely have 
nearly doubled the number. From that time I re- 
solved to learn to use my own gun, and after a short 
time ‘‘ got the hang of it,’’ the chief difficulty at first 
being to remember to aim low. Fred changed to the 
single gun too, and before we got to New Madrid, 
Mo., our southern destination, we could kill close 
shots as well as with any gun, and long ones where the 
other guns were out of the sport entirely. In the 
swamps back of New Madrid we spent the winter, 
making havoc among the ducks and geese returning 
North in the spring, and at the close of the season I 
returned to my home in the East. 

During the ensuing summer and fall I purchased 


from Messrs. Tonks and W. R. Schaefer, another 


294. CHOKE-BORES. . 


Boston gunsmith, several guns, all of which were 
strongly choked, and sent them to Fred and others, 
shooting friends in the West. Their shooting quali- 
ties were very similar to the first one sent. Two were 
single-barrelled muzzle-loaders, pigeon guns—one of 
them made by Tonks and known among Eastern 
match-shooters as ‘‘ the old referee.’’ With this gun 
I also put 76 pellets of No. 4 in usual target 40 yards, 
and 27 B's, using 50 to the charge. The other gun 
was made and bored by Schaefer, and with it I tried 
No. 3 shot of Tatham’s manufacture, charge 14 
ounces, powder 4 drachms, and at 40 yards recorded 45, 
52, and 59 pellets in the square. I fired my own gun 
once at the time, target, powder, and distance the 
same, and with 11 ounces of No. 8 Tatham” shot put 
182 pellets in the mark. I give these records of 
actual targets simply to show that these guns were 
fully equal to any bored at the present day. 

The next season I did not hunt ; Fred had removed 
to Young America, now known as Monmouth, IIL, 
and there carried on the lumber business: In the 
latter part of the shooting season, the spring of 772, 
he took a short pleasure trip with a party of five oth- 
ers to the Sangamon River, and there made the score 
I have mentioned on page 180 of this book ; and to 


show the superiority of the choke at long ranges 


CHOKE-BORES. 295 


(for nearly all the shooting was at ‘‘travellers’*), when 
handled by a erack shot such as he, I will just add 
that the score of the entire party, Fred included, was 
2760. The five other guns, used by good shots too, 
were all double-barrelled, and four of them breech- 
loaders. Comment is unnecessary. 

All this time we had kept secret, as far as possible, 
partly out of a sense of regard for Tonks and Schaefer, 
and in greater part perhaps through selfishness the plan 
upon which our guns were bored ; confiding only ina 
few particular friends. On Fred’s return from the 
Sangamon, however, the fame of his shooting soon 
spread, and his gun became the wonder of sportsmen 
in that neighborhood. A man by the name of John- 
son carried on the gunsmithing business in town at 
that time, and Fred, as a friend, wishing to see him 
prosper, explained to him the method by which his 
gun was bored, and allowed him to take measure- 
ments of its inside diameter ; so Johnson made some 
tools, and began experimenting on some old musket- 
barrels with the most favorable results, soon being able 
to obtain close shooting from almost any thing in the 
shape of a gun. He then issued circulars stating 
what he could do to all parts of that section of the 


country, which read as follows, and may be considered 


296 CHOKE-BORES. 
7 


as the first public advertisements of choke-boring. 
More honors for Young America / 

Arrention Sportsmen !—Having discovered the 
principle by which guns can be made to shoot close, I 
wish to call the attention of the sporting community 
to the fact that I am now prepared to bore shot-guns, 
and will guarantee them to put the whole charge in a 
30-inch circle, or from 45 to 60 pellets, No. 4 shot, 
into a foot-square at 40 yards. As from 12 to 20 is 
about the average shot for an ordinary gun, the range 
is increased from 20 to 380 yards. My price is $10, or 
$5 per barrel. Satisfaction given, or no charge. 

‘¢ J. L. Jounson, 
‘¢ Young America, Warren Co., IIl. 

‘* References. —We, the undersigned, certify that Mr. 
Johnson can do all that he claims in the above, hay- 
ing bored our guns. We find the range increased 
fully 25 yards, adding five times the cost of boring to 
their value. N. Carr, Monmouth, Ill., Parker Breech- 
loader; Geo. Nye, Monmouth, Lancaster Breech- 
loader; T. W. Beers, Young America, Greener 
Breech-loader ; E. B. Allen, Young America, Muz- 
zle-loader ; Fred Kimble, Young America, two Muz- 
zle-loaders ; J. Hovermale, Peoria, Muzzle-loader ; 
J. C. Kimble, Peoria, Muzzle-loader ; F. Carr, 


Young America, Breech-loader ; C. B. Cooke, Peo- 


CHOKE-BORES. 297 


ria, Muzzle Loader. Other parties can be referred to 
if necessary. Be sure not to forget the place. 
“* J. L. Jonnson.’’ 

When these circulars came to the notice of the 
gunmakers in Chicago and St. Louis, they ridiculed 
the idea that a gunsmith in the little burgh of Young 
America could do what the oldest and best gunmakers 
of the world had been unable to accomplish ; but 
sportsmen took a different view of the matter, and 
very many sent their guns to Johnson to- have them 
rebored. AJ] these guns were tried before as well as 
after boring, and with the same charge, and as 
received were found to average about 15 pellets to the 
foot, while after boring as high as 55 and 60 was 
often reached ; and no gun was considered finished or 
returned to its owner until it would target 40 or more. 

While Johnson was carrying on his experiments a 
man named Robert M. Faburn was about the shop, a 
great deal, taking items ; and learning, as he supposed, 
all about the process, contrived an expanding bit or 
reamer with which to do the boring and secured a pat- 
ent for it. (The patent is dated June 25th, 1872, and 
numbered 128,379.) As it happened, however, Fa- 
burn did not get a correct conception of the process. 
He had not been allowed to examine the barrel with 
the breech-pin out, but from an observation of the 


298 CHOKE-BORES. 
. 


muzzle of Fred's gun (which was a true cylinder from 
the breech to where the constriction commenced), evi- 
dently concluded that a short recess had been cut out 
just back of the muzzle, leaving the breech un- 
touched, for this was the method he afterward 
adopted, and hence his contrivance of the expanding 
bit. For the true choke no expanding bit is required. 

By this recess-boring, or jug-boring, as we used to 
term it, though the results of different charges varied 
greatly, the shooting of a cylindrical or relief-bored 
gun could be improved in a large measure, though not 
by any means to the extent of the true choke, suffi- 
ciently, however, to suit Mr. Faburn’s ideas and pur- 
poses, who, after having prepared a good supply of 
bits, started out on his own account to make a business 
of selling them with shop-rights through the various 
Western States. Taking agun with him bored on this 
principle, he made targets for the different gun-men, 
and very easily convinced them his method had some 
merit. He succeeded in selling these bits, with the 
right to use them (ostensibly the right to choke-bore) 
to some person in nearly every town and city he vis- 
ited, until the system became known to about all the 
gun trade in the West. Then from dozens of gun- 
shops circulars similar to Johnson’s were quickly is- 


sued, and the very men who laughed at his were 


CHOKE-BORES. 299 


among the first to extol the new method, and their 
own shops were placarded all over with ‘‘ wonderful 
announcements to sportsmen.’’ 

Faburn termed his jug-bore plan choke-boring, 
thinking it to be the same as that practised by Tonks 
and Schaefer, which was so called, and so the jug- 
bores became known as chokes, and the knowledge 
and use of them extended. 

In September of the next year, 1873, the interest so 
aroused culminated in a trial of guns held under the 
auspices of the Turf, Field, and Farm Association, 
publishers of a sporting journal of that name in New 
York City, and this was followed in June, 1874, by a 
second, managed by the Illinois State Sportsmen's As- 
sociation at Chicago. In neither were the true chokes 
represented; and the jug-bores, miscalled chokes, had 
matters all their own way, though showing some ter- 
ribly bad breaks. In the first trial, guns of W. and 
©. Scott and Son’s manufacture were pronounced win- 
ners, though it was charged, with how much of truth 
I cannot say, that they had been rebored in this coun- 
try after leaving the maker’s hands. The second trial 
amounted to very little, being made up mainly of 
guns entered by private owners, many of which had 
been rebored, and could in no wise be considered as 


fair representations of their makers’ ability. 


300 CHOKE-BORES, 
> 


To Mr. W. W. Greener, a noted gun manufacturer 
of Birmingham, England, is due the credit of being 
the first to introduce the merits of the new system to 
the shooting public of Great Britain. In the spring 
of 1874 he first began his experiments, and in his sub- 
sequent interesting work on ‘‘ Choke-bores and How 
to Load Them,’’ recognizing the system to be an 
American invention, and with the general mistaken 
impression caused by Faburn’s teachings, he says, un- 
der the caption, ‘‘ The American Plans of Choke-bor- 
ing.’? ‘* The original plan adopted by the Americans 
was to enlarge the barrel immediately behind the muz- 
zle, commencing from half to one inch from the end 
and extending three or four inches toward the breech. 
This enlargement is somewhat egg-shaped and is ac- 
complished by inserting an expanding boring tool. 
Another plan is to make a kind of double choke by 
enlarging the barrel from the first choke in a more 
elongated form. The third plan is to bore the bar- 
rel’s cylinder for nearly the whole length, contracting 
it at the muzzle.’’ Further on he says he considers 
this last-mentioned plan the best, and he is most cer- 
tainly right in his opinion. 

Keenly alive to the importance of its effect on the 
future of the gun trade, Mr. Greener set himself assid- 


uously to work to develop the capabilities of the (to 


CHOKE-BORES. 301 


him) new plan, and in December of that year was 
‘able to announce to the shooting public, through the 
columns of the London Field, his ability to make guns 
that would average 210 to 240 pellets of No. 6 shot 
in a 30-inch circle, at 40 yards, and, moreover, to 
back up his assertions, as he was very soon called 
upon to do. This announcement of Mr. Greener’s 
called forth a lively correspondence and discussion in 
the columns of the Field, some makers declaring such 
shooting to be impossible, and others claiming to 
know all about how to acquire it, but pronouncing it 
undesirable, until the proprietors of the paper deter- 
mined to institute a trial to settle the matter and de- 
eide which of the numerous makers really did best 
understand the new system, and what its merits ac- 
tually were. 

In this trial, which took place during the latter part 
of April and first of May, 1875, Mr. Greener won a 
signal victory over all competitors, coming out first in 
the classes for 12 and 20 bores, and first, second, and 
third with the 8 and 10 gauges. Of the various guns 
competing, he gives it as his opinion in the work 
above referred to, that-most of them were bored upon 
the recess or jug-bore plan, and it is a matter of fact 


that all the first shipments of guns sent to this country 


302 CHOKE-BORES, 
+ 


from England as choke-bores were in reality not 
chokes, but bored on Faburn’s plan. 

The subsequent history of the process is sufficiently 
well known. Some gunmakers have discovered by 
experimenting or otherwise the advantages of the true 
choke, while not a few still ‘‘ stick to the jug,’’ and 
not wishing to admit their previous ignorance of a 
subject so important to their business, the majority, I 
am sorry to say, will strenuously assert that they un- 
derstood the whole matter years and years ago. 
While one is telling you the story, cast your eye care- 
fully about the shop and see if you don’t discover a 
Faburn expanding bit. 

The method of boring the true choke I will now 
endeavor to explain. The best and cheapest bit, and 
that most commonly used, is simply a short bar of 2 
to 4 inch square steel, about six inches in length, 
shaped like the annexed figures, the corners 
ground true and sharp, and welded to a handle of 
$ inch round iron the length of the barrel. To one 
side of this bit a thin flat piece of pine or other 
soft wood, rounded on its outer side in conformation 
with the bore of the gun, is fitted ; and between this 
wood and the bit are placed a sufficient number of 
strips of thin paper to cause the whole to fit the bore 
rather tightly. Thus fitted, the bit is inserted in the 


CHOKE-BORES. 303 


breech end of the barrel and revolved rapidly, moving 
it gradually toward the muzzle as it cuts its way. 
The boring may be performed in a lathe with the bar- 
rels fixed firmly in an automatic carrying-block, the 
best plan for smooth, nice work, or, the barrels being 
held tightly in a vice, an ordinary carpenter’s brace 
turned by hand may be employed. 

At the first insertion, the bit is usually allowed to 
pass through the muzzle, then withdrawn, slowly turn- 
ing it meanwhile, and an adjustable stop is then fas- 
tened to the handle to arrest further cutting beyond 
the desired point near the muzzle, $ to } inch from 
that end. Another sheet of paper is then added to 
the packing, and the boring is continued ; more paper 
being added from time to time, particular care being 
taken to adjust it evenly so as not to change the bear- 
ing-points of the bit. When it is thought sufficient 
cutting has been done, the gun may be tried at a tar- 
get and its effect determined. If the gun still scat- 
ters too much, more boring is needed, or perhaps the 
taper of the constriction is too long or too short ; the 
former is more often the case, and its alteration may 
produce the desired results. It may be necessary to 
add as many as 25 strips of paper (I have known 35 
strips of ordinary newspaper to be used) or perhaps 
six or eight will be sufficient, according to the shoot- 


304 CHOKE-BORES. 
> 


ing qualities required, and if the boring is properly 
done no emery polishing is necessary. 

Where a large amount of boring is done, a faster 
cutting bit with serrated edges is sometimes used in 
the first part of the work. 

Now it sometimes happens that the gun will be 
found to shoot to one side, too high, or too low, 
especially after poor boring. Don’t be alarmed and 
think that the barrels must be taken apart and read- 
justed, as you are very likely to be told; all that is 
necessary is to scrape out a very little from the proper 
side of the choke near the muzzle, and the fault is 
corrected. 

You will perceive too, a great difference in the ex- 
tent of the spread of various sized shot; so, either 
bore your gun to shoot right with the size you wish to 
use, or use the size that is found by actual test to best 
suit the gun. I refer of course to the larger sizes of 
shot, for with small ones any full choke will shoot 
close enough. 

To obtain the very closest shooting, the muzzle of 
the gun should be cleaned after each discharge, 
and this must always be done at the boring trials — 
when such a gun is desired. For duck shooting, 


where the muzzle may be dipped into the water at any 


CHOKE-BORES. 305 


time, such a requirement is not objectionable ; but in 
field work this cannot well be done, and due regard 
should be paid to the fact in targeting. The exces- 
sive strain at the muzzles of full chokes, occasioned by 
the sudden resistance met with in the passage of the 
charge at the constriction, necessitates, to ensure dura- 
bility, the employment of extra thickness of barrels at 
that point ; and for this reason, too, itis impossible to 
obtain very close shooting from barrels which there 
are thin and weak. This difficulty, however, in such 
cases is sometimes partially obviated by slightly coun- 
tersinking the muzzles and bushing them with rings 
of iron or steel fastened with hard solder, and after- 
ward boring these rings to the desired form. An- 
other plan is simply to line the muzzles with hard sol- 
der to the required thickness ; but it is a poor make- 
shift at best, and does not work well for any length of 
time. 

In the year 1868, a man named Roper invented a 
close-shooting attachment for guns, which was simply 
a short tapered cylinder of steel, the larger end of 
which was fitted to screw on over the muzzle, the 
smaller being somewhat less in internal diameter than 
the barrel, and when attached the true choke formation 


of bore was the result. These attachments were sold 


306 CHOKE-BORES, : 


only to a limited extent in connection with the ‘‘ Four- 
shot Repeater’? invented by the same party, and 
though the few were quite widely distributed, and 
gave very close patterns, the application of the princi- 


ple to other guns seems to have been but little in- 
creased thereby. | 


i 
all 


tl e 


; 


SIDE AND END VIEW OF BIT FOR CHOKE-BORING, 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


CHOKE-BORES—THE THEORY OF THEIR ACTION ON 


THE CHARGE ; WITH TARGET PATTERNS. 


Vartous explanations have been attempted of the 
laws which govern the action of choke-bores, or the 
manner in which they act upon a charge of shot to so 
concentrate the pellets in their flight, and while some 
possess a slight degree of plausibility, many others are 
without the slightest foundation in fact. I will not 
weary my readers, however, with trying to ventilate 
their special fallacies, though perhaps incurring an 
equal risk of so doing in what I am about to write ; 
but be that as it may, I shall endeavor to explain my 
idea of the matter, differing as it does from any I have 
seen heretofore advanced, and, simply giving the the- 
ory and reasons for my belief, will leave it to such of 
my readers as have the patience to see me through to 
judge of its correctness. 

When a charge of shot, in its passage through the 
barrel of a choke-bore, meets with the sudden resist- 


ance caused by the constriction at the muzzle, the 


308 CHOKE-BORES. : 


effect of this resistance is exerted chiefly upon the 
outer circles of pellets, and that too upon that portion 
of their surfaces farthest from the centre of the 
charge. One result is that their progress is somewhat 
arrested, and the inner pellets crowd by in advance, 
those in the very centre of each layer of the charge 
and farthest from the resistance being the first to pass 
through the muzzle, carrying the wad before them. 
A further result of so encountering this constriction 
is the communication of a rotary motion to those 
pellets coming in direct contact with it, and these in 
turn retard and communicate, though in less amount, a 
similar motion to those pellets nearer the centre. 

So, as each outer circle acts upon its contiguous 
inner one, rotary motions are established in the dif- 
ferent, pellets, varying in velocity with the amount and 
direction of the resistance each encounters ; the front 
of each pellet moving toward the pont of its greatest 
resistance and consequently away from the centre of the 
charge. 

A clearer understanding of my meaning may per- 
haps be obtained by reference to the accompanying 
enlarged figures, in Fig. 1 of which A, B, C, D is 
meant to represent a longitudinal section of the muzzle 
of the gun; E, F, G, H, and I, a section of a layer of 
pellets showing their relative positions before the con- 


CHOKE-BORES. 309 


striction is reached, and e, f, g, h, and i, the same 
B after meeting it; J and j 
the wad in the different 
| parts of the barrel. The 


arrows in both figures de- 
note the directions of rota- 
tion ; g, being resisted on all 
_ sides equally, does not rotate. 
As will be seen by Fig. 2, 
the fact of the pellets of 
each circle being in close 
side contact interferes but 
slightly with their rotary 


motion, as the points of 


Fie. 1. | 


touch are in line with the 
axes of rotation. 

In their course through the air after their exit from 
the muzzle, and the deflec- 
tion of the wad, for the 
first few yards the flight of 
certain pellets has its inilu- 
ence on that of others in 
this manner: being then 
close together, the air 


through which they pass 


tends, as it were, to wedge 
them apart, being, on account of their displacement, 


310 CHOKE-BORES. 
' 
more dense between the several pellets than outside 


the charge. This force is exerted but a very short 
time, however, and the further flight of each pellet 


is independent of its fellows. 


F 


Fig. 3. 


Let us now suppose the circle A, B, C, D to rep- 
resent one of the outer pellets of a charge of shot 
moving in line of flight E, F, and having a motion of 


rotation in the direction of the curved arrow. To 


CHOKE-BORES. pat 


this motion of rotation is opposed the friction of the 
atmosphere, which on the hemisphere D, A, B may 
all be represented by the line a A tangentional to 
the surface, and in like manner the line bC may be 
taken to represent the total friction on the hem1- 
sphere D, C, B. The total friction on both hemi- 
spheres then will be equal to a A+bC. Now, it 
is evident that the pressure of the atmosphere from 
its resistance to the forward motion of the pellet 
must be far greater on the hemisphere D, A, B than 
on the hemisphere D, C, B; therefore the force aA 
must be greater than the force b C, and in accordance 
with the laws of motion, this gives rise to another 
force equal to a A—b C, and tending to give to the 
pellet @ motion of translation in the direction of the 
line a A and toward the centre of the charge. 

To each of the rotating pellets this law applies, the 
intensity of the force we have represented by a A— 
b C varying with the inequalities of their surfaces and 
the velocities of their rotation, and this it is that 
chiefly determines the character and extent of their 
divergence from the line of fire. This force will vary 
also in accordance with the amount of the constric- 
tion, the size of the shot, and the velocity with which 
they are propelled ; and it may at times be sufficient 
to carry certain pellets across the centre of the charge 


312 CHOKE-BORES. 
. 


even to the outermost edge opposite where they start- 
ed, or it may simply counteract in a greater or less 
. degree some other force tending to divert certain pel- 
lets outward. But let us see how our theory agrees 
with practice. 

It has been proven by experiment that the constric- 
tion of the bore must be near the muzzle, to produce 
the best results ; and why? Because after the rotary 
motion has been once imparted to the pellets, further 

contact with the barrel only tends to impair and de- 
7 stroy it. 

Recess-bores or jug-bores cannot equal true chokes 
in regularity and close shooting qualities ; because the 
charge expands when the enlargement is reached and 
the pellets in consequence meet the constriction at the 
muzzle with uneven motion and in irregular order. 
Another cause, less likely, may be that the wads, when 
loose in the recess, become canted. 

From choke-bores hard shot make closer and more 
even patterns than soft ones ; because in mecting with 
the resistance at the muzzle their superior tenacity en- 
‘ ables them to better withstand it, and thus the rotary 
motion is more surely and readily imparted to them, 
while the material of the softer shot gives way, their 
spherical shape is thus destroyed, and the rotary mo- 


tion is established with more difficulty. 


CHOKE-BORES. oe 


Large shot, as a rule, diverge less than smaller ones 
from choke-bores, measuring from outside to outside 
of pattern, because their motion of rotation is more 
certain, lasting, and uniform throughout the charge. 

Now let us try a few special experiments. If a shot 
be fired from a choke-bore at a target, say 40 yards 
distance, with a cartridge loaded with two different 
sizes of shot, say sixes and nines, one occupying the 
central portion or interior circles of the charge, and 
the other the exterior or outer (which may be done by 
inserting an open tube of tin or cardboard about % 
inch in diameter in the centre of the shell before put- 
ting in the shot, and afterward withdrawing it), those 
shot which occupied the outer circles in the cartridge 
will be found equally distributed over the centre of 
the pattern with the others. 

Next, we will try a shot with a cartridge that 
contains large shot on one side, and small on the 
other, kept separate in loading by a cardboard parti- 
tion, which is withdrawn before putting on the top 
wad. The result will be similar’to the first, and both 
sizes will appear on either side of the centre of the 
target in nearly equal numbers. 

Again, we will load ; this time, two cartridges like 
the last, but leaving the cardboard partitions in ; one 


we will shoot at the 40 yards target, and for the 


314 CHOKE-BORES. 
e 


second shot we will go nearer—to within, say, 12 yards. 
The 40 yard pattern will present a similar appearance 
to the preceding ; in that made at 12 yards the shot 
will be found divided as when in the shell, the line of 
division being wonderfully exact. 

Can we explain any of the results of these special ex- 
periments by the ‘‘ increased cohesion of the peilets’’ 
theory ? I answer no! most decidedly. Or will the 
rather more indefinite hypothesis that ‘‘ the constric- 
tion at the muzzle forces the outside pellets to the 
centre’’ any better account for these last two targets ? 
(And here, please note, my readers, the difference be- 
tween the pellets being forced inward by the constric- 
tion and its producing in them a motion which causes 
another totally different force to so act upon them.) 
But we will investigate a little further. 

In neither of these last two experiments are the 
cardboard partitions destroyed ; you may find them 
again almost uninjured by proper search : and this fact 
proves to us the fallacy of that last-mentioned ** con- 
striction forcing’’ theory. The pellets on the 40 yard 
target could not have been so mixed, or the cardboard 
would have been destroyed ; and the 12 yard pattern 
further proves this, for both cartridges were loaded 
similarly. It is evident then, from these experiments, 


that some force tending to mix these pellets, the outer 


CHOKE-BORES. 315 


with the inner, those on one side with those of the 
other, had acted upon them after they had left the 
gun, and, in the case of the latter two, between the 
distances of 12 and 40 yards. Was IT NOT RESISTANCE 
TO ROTATION ? 

That the reader may have a means of comparing his 
gun for shooting qualities with some of the best true 
chokes, I append the following record of actual pat- 


terns : 


CHOKE-BORES, 


516 


Sg ee eae ee Cae eS 


‘09 
‘09 


‘OPIAL 
‘UL GZ eouds B aprIsqzno + GG 
JONAS Jo] Tod a2o AjUO 
‘8g 


‘OP 


‘00S 
"TLE 
"S86 


‘09 pus cc 
‘S108 G JO odvI0Av ‘G), 


‘MOMULS SLETIAG 


9 
9 


” 


‘spf OF 


‘spf 09 


‘spf cg 


3? 


‘spf Op 


*HONVILSICL 


” 


”» 


‘bs yoo} [ 


"bs 4Oof T 


bP 


‘Ds JOO} T 


*LONUV.L 


| 


” ” 39 G 
” ” 29 V 
3 ” 9 sa 
2 ‘ON ‘70 gy ‘sp c 
7 ‘ON ‘ZO $y ‘Sap c 
6 ‘ON 9 ai ” 
8 ‘ON ” tI ” 
‘SON FL F; 
'e ‘ON "20 ET ‘SIP 9 
“LOHS ‘uTaMOg 


| 
| 


‘rajavqog Aq apvur‘1opvo] 
-Y99eI1q poa[[e1ieq-9[qnop 


esnes-Q[ ‘ans umo A 


( ‘a[quiry, Aq peroqg 
‘elloog joyouy Aq ape 

‘LOPBOT - B[ZZNU =o] BUTS 

esnues-g ‘8,Ao][oy “Lf 


—S 


‘afquiryy Aq paroq 
‘I9yVU “SYUOT, "fF “SAL ST. 
{O19 a ‘O UOT ‘UL QE ‘1apBOT 
-9|ZZNUL pol [alieq -o[DUIs 
asuVo-9 Se|quUly ‘WF 


‘Nay 


er A ls AN lak a ee 


CHAPTER XXXIiI. 


ON MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT, WITH 


HINTS IN REGARD TO LOADING, ETC. 


A CONSIDERABLE portion of the following chapter 
has twice before been published, in the columns of the 
Rod and Gun and the Chicago Field, having been 
written in the year 1873. My views upon the subject 
as then expressed have not since been materially 
altered, and as the language seems sufficiently clear 
and intelligible, I have deemed it better to reproduce 
it as it then was, than to be at what appears to me a 
needless task, of clothing the same ideas in newer 
though possibly poorer phrases. With this explanation 
I proceed. 

How to best determine and compare the relative 
shooting powers of shot-guns has been a long-dis- 
cussed problem ; hardly a single late issue of those 
papers devoted to the interests of shooting can be 
looked over without finding something concerning it, 
and yet the number of persons who have interested 


themselves sufficiently in the question to make experi- 


318 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 
. 


ments upon it is very limited ; and though various 
methods have been tried, some condemned and others 
adopted nothing that I am aware of has yet been 
made public which may be relied upon as correct. <A 
principal reason for the numerous errors and irregu- 
larities is an insufficient inquiry into the relations of 
cause and effect, for in scarcely any investigation is a 
knowledge of causes more essential than in conducting 
experiments ingunnery. The author of ‘* Gunnery in 
1858”’ asserted what he thought had been proved by 
experiments to be a fact—though contrary to his own 
preconceived opinion, and out of his power to give 
the reasons for—that the velocity of a rifle ball in- 
creases after it leaves the muzzle of the rifle up to 
about 190 yards or thereabouts, when it gradually de- 
creases. This assertion has been copied and indorsed 
by several authors, who believe it simply because an 
authority said so. No one of them offers a reason 
therefor ; but all say it is undeniably a fact, because 
in a certain experiment the depth of penetration of the 
projectile was found to increase up to that distance, 
when it gradually became less as the distance was far- 
ther increased. The effect I admit; but what an 
absurd deduction is made therefrom ! 

It is a law in this material world that no moving 


body can of itself-increase its motion. It may impart 


. 


/ 


MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 319 


to other bodies a part or the whole of its motion ; but 
just the amount it imparts it loses; it cannot give to 
others and still retain all of its own. When a projec- 
tile leaves the muzzle of a gun it has a certain variable 
amount of force imparted to it by the explosion of the 
gunpowder ; now if this projectile met with no resist- 
ance, it would travel forever, it being another law of 
nature that no body in motion has in itself the power 
to reduce or stop that motion. But as soon as the 
power increasing the velocity of a projectile is taken 
from it, it begins to lose its motion from the direct 
resistance and friction of the atmosphere, to each par- 
ticle of which with which it comes in contact it im- 
parts some of its own motion, and this alone would be 
sufficient in a short time to bring it to a state of com- 
plete rest. For these reasons, if there is no extrane- 
ous force applied (which is too absurd to be supposa- 
ble), the ‘velocity of a projectile must be less at 190 
yards from the muzzle than at any preceding point in 
its flight. The simple reason for its increased pene- 
tration is the stability of another law of motion that 
time is required to impart motion, or, in other words, 
to overcome inertia. At.distances less than 190 yards 
the velocity was so great that sufficient time was not 
given to communicate the motion of the projectile to 


the particles of wood resisting, and; as a consequence, 


320 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 
a 


the force reacted upon its vehicle, the projectile, so 
suddenly as to destroy the position of its particles, 
and thus cause it to assume a larger surface to be 
resisted upon in its further passage, and the larger 
the surface the greater the resistance, and consequently 
the less the penetration. Had the savans who con- 
ducted these experiments gone further, they would 
have found the point for greatest penetration depend- 
ent upon the tenacity and form of the projectile and 
the nature of the object resisting, as well as upon the 
velocity. From the above it is obvious, the simple 
depth of penetration in a target where the reactionary 
force is sufficient to destroy the original shape of the 
projectile, can never be taken as a reliable index of its 
force. 

Let us apply this law to the system of measurement 
employed at the late gun-trials. If in those trials the 
pellets of shot which have struck the Pettit pad, as 
the targets in use are called, are examined, they will 
be found much flattened and mis-shapen, and those 
least so will have penetrated farthest. In actual ex- 
periment, with a charge of 3 drams of powder and 14 
ounces of shot, 37 sheets of such a pad were pene- 
trated ; with 6 drams of powder, other conditions the 
same, only 23 sheets were penetrated; but the pellets 


of shot in the latter case were flattened to almost 


MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 821 


double the diameter of those which made the deeper 
penetration ; and whether the reasons I would ascribe 
for these effects may or may not be correct, the broad 
facts are in no wise altered, and no greater proof of 
the inaccuracy of the system can be required. 

The efficiency of a force is estimated by the amount 
of resistance it can overcome or the work it can do, 
and in order to compare different forces we must have 
uniform units of work. Now the targets used in the 
gun-trials referred to are of a compound nature, paper 
with an iron backing. ‘‘ But no,’’ some may say, 
the paper is the target, and upon the paper alone is the 
penetration made and recorded.’? Ah yes! this is 
where the penetration is recorded certainly ; but the 
vast amount of force which is checked from further 
penetration by the superior resistance of the iron ¢s 
not recorded, and here another error lies. By the trial 
reports we are told the whole number of sheets op- 
posed (40) were sometimes penetrated by one or two 
pellets ; now, unless the iron backing is also indented 
(which we are not informed of) this is impossible, 
provided the paper pad is placed solidly and smoothly 
against it, as we are assured it was intended to be ; and 
so we must infer that the nature of the resistance 
sometimes varied too, through neglect or inability to 


comply with this regulation. These conclusions are 


322 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 

: 
strengthened by an observation of the striking differ- 
ence in penetration displayed by the same gun at 
different discharges. Let us take for instance the gun 
entered by Mr. Hast, of Colchester, in the ‘‘ Field’’ 
trial of 1866. At the first shot with the right barrel, 
32 sheets were penetrated, the second 23, the third 
only 15, while at the fourth 23 was again scored. In 
the ‘‘ Field’’ trial of 1875, differences of 10 to 15 
sheets were made at different discharges with the 
same gun, 

For measuring the strength of shooting in the 
‘* Field’? gun trials of this year, 1879, a new target 
has been employed, consisting of a steel plate or disk 
backed by a spring, and connected with a graduated 
scale upon which is indicated and registered automat- 
ically the distance to which the disk is driven back by 
the force of the pellets. The points upon this scale 
are supposed to represent certain numbers of force- 
ounces, as the units of measure have been termed, and 
their positions were determined by striking the disk 
with ash hammers of various known weights and 
moving with definite velocities. Thus the eight force- 
ounce mark represents the effect of the blow of a 
hammer weighing one ounce, and moving at the rate 
of eight feet per second ; the sixteen mark-that of a 


two-ounce hammer with eight feet velocity ; the 24 


MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 323 


mark a three-ounce hammer with eight feet velocity, 
and so on; from which it is calculated that if similar 
results are produced by lighter bodies (the pellets) 
they simply indicate proportionally increased veloci- 
ties. 

After each discharge the total number of force- 
ounces was taken as registered on the scale, and 
divided by the number of pellets which struck the 
disk. This quotient was then taken as the average 
force per pellet exhibited, and from the average of 
these AVERAGES for twenty-five consecutive discharges, 
comparisons with other guns were made. 

The results, which were pronounced highly satesfac- 
tory, varied very considerably at different discharges 
from the same gun, especially at the sixty-yards trial, 
and as examples I give the highest and lowest aver- 
ages per pellet recorded by each barrel of the first 


four sixteen gauges on the list at both distances. 


AT Forty YARDS. 


1st Gun, Left Barrel............Highest 2-52, Lowest 1-92 
eine MOE eee nds Wee eats OG OU se a Roe 
DML ee ETB Gath ac diets 655 -hais «(5 rai Pee Oay | wish teen eee 
fe SMA MARigeMebY post's MO Stsseh Ward. Ae OTe ee O ys: LS LSE 
SR eR ee ei teh aust Neo OSE g re, ay soa le 
a’. Pepe Me OMG rath cd ate cire weer! ae ee Ly. 8 eo cee 
Bh. PS LaeRG oe eet arn ae xd oe * 2-89, ‘“ 2-02 
ir 4/02 CHRP Ps wohl cee eT 2688 Av incieel 


324 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 


> 
At Sixty YARDs. 
tstGun, S9eft areal: ei... Ss Highest 1-36, Lowest -50 
0: St PERG Guia Gok foie 2 reek ol ade EY pi 1-69, -“ foeee 
i a TOE Wo) 3 OMA Ee AO CD red ss 1147, > eG 
CIS Ramm 11: N Meee yur ewe he CR Do \ 0521 RAM Ape 
pa. Ms Mies ig eet CN a a ene zs Ny AN deem yt 
Mra 8 0G i ee age cee Sed 5 * (Bee earn I 
Ath 467-7 wen “Pee ried ae es cea. 1-21, OSS eae 
bray Rate 5511 23 ed Sara gy SOM ag og Et a. Mas we 


It was not at all uncommon in the sixty-yard test 
for four or five times the registered average force per 
pellet of one discharge to be exhibited at another, 
perhaps the very next, with the same gun; but the 
general average business equalized matters wonder- 
fully, and more credit, I fancy, is really due 7¢ than 


?? and 


any thing else for bringing ‘‘ order out of chaos, 
the trial to a successful (?) conclusion. 

No attempt was made by the managers of the trial 
to explain these little irregularities, though the editor 
in his comments says, ‘‘ at forty yards this tell-tale 
(the indicator on the target) is perfectly reliable, but 
at, sixty it occasionally errs; but still even then i 
gives far better results than brown paper.’’? ‘The 
italics are mine, and I insert them merely to cal] the 
reader’s particular attention to a long-delayed ac- 
knowledgment of the inaccuracy of the paper-pad sys- 
tem. But I cannot agree with the editor as to the re- 


MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 325 


liability of the substitute. The results do not seem to 
me to bear out such a conclusion. In the first place, 
the principle of the thing is at fault. The stroke of 
the hammer and that of the pellets of shot bear 
scarcely any analogy to each other. The one is the 
effect of a highly elastic, comparatively heavy body 
moving at a slow rate of speed, and its character is 
akin to pressure succeeding impact ; the other that of 
a number of very light, almost znedastic bodies travel- 
ling with exceedingly rapid and varying velocities, 
and the blow an irregular succession of short impulses. 
No regard is paid to the laws of resistance to com- 
pression ; the amount of distortion suffered by the 
hammer (?) or shot ; the duration of the impact or 
pressure, or the pliabelity of the target. Can all these 
be utterly ignored? Does not the rapidity of the 
transmission of the force from one particle to another 
have its influence? Is no importance to be attached 
to the position of the strokes on the plate? In other 
words, is it reasonable to suppose that a pellet ora 
number of them, striking near the edge of the disk, 
will have an equal effect in moving it back with a sim- 
ilar force acting nearer the centre? Does it not make 
some difference too in result as to whether the pellets 
strike together, all at one instant, or in succession? [| 


leave these questions for the reader to answer, and 


326 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF $HOT. 


draw his own inferences. It is not my purpose here 
to deal minutely and at length with a subject which 
involves so many considerations. All I have attempt- 
ed is to show that the present systems of measuring 
the relative shooting powers of shot-guns afford no 
means of arriving at any satisfactory conclusion. It 
only remains for me to suggest a method which I be- 
lieve will be found to meet all requirements with lit- 
tle complication and expense, and at the same time 
give results which may be depended upon as suffi- 
ciently exact for all practical purposes, and in accord- 
ance with the immutable laws of forces. 

Our first desideratum is to provide a resistance 
which shall never at any time be sufficiently powerful 
to destroy the original shape of the pellet resisted ; 
second, one which shall be uniform and of the same 
character at all times ; and third, one which will re- 
cord in computable shape the whole amount of force 
expended. <A target which will answer these require- 
ments with necessary exactness may be constructed of 
thin sheets of pasteboard placed singly in a rack im- 
mediately behind each other, and at a distance of two 
or three inches apart. Each sheet is thus acted upon 
separately ; the resistance opposed by each is practi- 
cally the same, and from an observation of the number 


of sheets perforated by each pellet, a comparison of 


MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 32% 


their striking powers can be made. The delicacy of 
the test may be extended to almost any required de- 
gree by the employment of thinner sheets of paste- 
board or even paper; and with such targets correct 
comparisons of striking force may be made between 
breech and muzzle loaders, coarse and fine powders, 
powders of different makes, brands and charges, large » 
and small shot at different ranges, and many other 
circumstances of greater or less importance, which 
have hitherto been mere matters of conjecture, can 
now be definitely ascertained, and the knowledge 
thus acquired applied to practical and profitable 
use. 

To prove to a doubting friend the superiority of the 
method above advocated for measuring strength of 
shooting, I fired a small rifle loaded with about 2 
diam of powder, first at eighty sheets of medium 
thick pasteboard, placed separately in a rack. Every 
sheet was perforated, and the bullet, which also in- 
dented a pine board at the end of the rack to the 
depth of about an eighth of an inch, showed no signs 
beyond the marks of the lands in the rifle of ever hav- 
ing been fired. A second shot, loaded in precisely 
the same way was then fired at an equal number of 
sheets of similar pasteboard packed closely together, 
and only twelve sheets were broken ; the bullet was 


328 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF sHor. 


flattened to almost twice its original diameter and was 
found sticking tightly in the sath sheet. 

In the spring of ’75 Mr. W. R. Schaefer, the Bos- 
ton gunmaker, whose name I have before mentioned, 
became dissatisfied with the powder he had long been 
in the habit of selling to his customers, and inquired 
of me what kind, in my opinion, was the best. I an- 
swered : ‘‘ The Oriental.’’ ‘‘ That is clean,’’ said he, 
‘* but I think rather weak ;’’ and he then showed me 
some powder that had been sent him for trial by the 
Warren Powder Co., of Maine. I insisted that the 
Oriental was strong as well as clean ; and so next day 
we made a comparative test of the two brands, using a 
rack and pasteboard target. With one gun, using 
‘¢ Oriental,’’ eleven sheets were perforated repeat- 
edly ; at no discharge a single sheet more or less ; 
while with the ‘‘ Warren’’ the same gun gave records 
of ten sheets with equal regularity. From a second 
gun the ‘‘ Oriental’’ scored twelve sheets, the ** War- 
ren’? eleven. Schaefer was very much pleased with 
the target, then seen by him for the first time, and 
since has used it exclusively for testing the hard 
shooting qualities of his guns. But the result of the 
trial was not so satisfactory to him, he having had his 
mind made up that the ‘‘ Oriental’’ was to be beaten ; 


and so another day was fixed upon for a test of all the 


MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT. 329 


different brands of powder procurable. Before it 
took place, I laid a small wager, even, on the ‘* Ori- 
ental’’ against the ‘‘ field,’’ six other brands, and had 
the satisfaction of seeing my judgment confirmed, and 
Schaefer convinced of the superiority of my choice. 
The correctness and uniformity of the test, too, was 
proven by the fact that between the best and poorest 
records of the entire trial there was a difference of 
only four sheets. The Dittmar scoring ten, lowest, 
and the Oriental fourteen, the others eleven to thir- 
teen; and with any one brand there was never a 
greater difference than one sheet at different dis- 


charges. 
A FEW HINTS ON LOADING. 


In the loading of cartridges, especially for choke- 
bores, a principal care should be to provide thick, 
tight-fitting and well-lubricated wads for the powder, 
and see that they are placed level and evenly in post- 
tion. For the shot, thinner wads are better, but they 
should also be firm and fit tightly. If wads poorly 
lubricated are used, they become torn on the edges in 
passing out, irregular shooting is the result and the 
gun soon becomes dirty and caked with powder, par- 
ticularly if the weather is clear and dry. 


More than five and a half, or, at the very most, six 


330 MEASURING THE STRIKING FORCE OF SHOT, 
. 


drams of powder in a ten-gauge gun, is worse than 
useless, for it increases the recoil and fouling of the 
gun without in the least adding to the killing range. 

Of shot, use the most spherical and uniform you can 
possibly get ; and of the larger sizes the ‘‘ chilled”’ 
will be found the most desirable ; they keep their 
shape better in the barrel than soft ones, and there- 
fore make better and more regular patterns, a matter 
of special importance at the longer ranges. 

Buck-shot for choke-bores should be of such size 
that they will ‘‘ chamber’’ or fit in perfect even Jayers 
at the muzzle. Twelve or sixteen of four to a layer I 
like best ; and after placing them evenly in the shell, 
I fill the interstices level full with bone dust before 
putting on the top wad. Loaded in this way my gun 
will put all inside a twenty to twenty-four inch circle 
at forty yards, which is much closer shvoting then I 
can obtain in any other way. 

Chips, concentrators, wire or cloth cartridges, tallow 
filling, and kindred devices, are of no account what- 
ever in choke-bores, and possess no advantages over 


the ordinary method of loading with loose shot. 


MITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIE 


INTIMA 


9088 00051 49 


s 
3 


S 
19