76 DUCKING DAYS 



My first shot of the morning secured me the prize 

 honker. As soon as the guns of nearly 750 hunters 

 rang out at 6 :29-30 a. m., a large flock of ducks and geese 

 arose out of the south end of my pond and headed my 

 way. I pulled on the nearest bird and crumpled him 

 up with the first shot. He came so near to falling in 

 my pit that I lost the second shot at that flock and then 

 scrambled out and placed him in position for a decoy. 



From that time on the birds flew in large numbers, 

 the teal especially showing "speed" in passing over me. 

 I enjoyed myself immensely that day and was sorry 

 when I laid the last bird (a sprig) with, the other twenty- 

 four and then signaled for the keeper to come up with 

 the machine for a three-mile ride ' ' de luxe ' ' to the club- 

 house and real goose dinner. ' 



Coming home in the train, I counted thirty-three 

 limits (twenty-five birds each) of ducks in the smoker, 

 banging on the sides of the car, a sight, indeed, good to 

 look at. 



I shot with a friend at San Pablo last Tuesday and 

 Wednesday. The first day netted up twenty-three birds, 

 one widgeon and twenty-two bluebill. Wednesday we 

 went out and in the teeth of a strong northeaster and 

 a biting and stinging wind, were rewarded with a bag of 

 forty birds by 1 p. m. and then came home. These were 

 all very enjoyable outings to me. 



