Wild Fowi, Shooting 27 



WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 



THE LATE SIR RALPH PAYNE-GALLWEY GAVE 

 THE FOLLOWING INTERESTING ACCOUNT. 



SHOT over the tidal flats for ten years, usually for 

 six weeks after Christmas, with the assistance of one 

 of the best puntsmen in England, with every 

 appliance for obtaining sport, and at all hours by day and 

 by night. 



The Brent geese are seldom present in any number 

 before Chiistmas, but after Christmas, and till the end of 

 February, they are often very numerous. In a hard winter, 

 especially if the weather is severe in North Holland and 

 in Denmark, from 1,500 to 2,000 geese frequent the mud- 

 flats. In mild winters their numbers vary trom 600 to 

 800. 



These birds are very difficult to obtain for the reason 

 that they pass most of the day in security at sea, and only 

 fly to the flats to feed on the sea grass (Zostera Marina) 

 when the tide is low. They are then, as a rule, unap- 

 proachable, as they are careful to alight at a long distance 

 from the water, and when a boat or punt can push up 

 within a couple of hundred yards of them, on the flowing 

 tide, they fly out to sea or to other parts of the flats where 

 they are secure from the gunner. 



At the same time, by the exercise of much patience, hard 

 work night and day, and a good deal of luck, a shot at the 

 Brent with a punt gun can now and then be achieved, 

 especially in very windy weathei, when they fly low and 

 are not so apt to leave for a lough sea. But this only 

 occurs when the wind is strong and, of course, on shore. 

 In such favourable weather, and with plenty of frost, a 

 bag of from 60 to 80 geese may be made during the month 

 of January. I have obtained as many as 200 aftei Christ- 

 mas, but with every exertion, as well as with good luck, 

 the average number would seldom exceed eighty of these 



