CANADA GOOSE-SHOOTING. 989 
The geese, fifteen in number, stand silently on the 
ice-covered bar, some asleep, with heads under theix 
wings, some standing like statues in the clear light, 
others moving slowly to and fro, while the old gander 
occasionally gives a reassuring honk, as if to tell them 
that “all’s well.” Suddenly and quickly he turns and 
looks inquiringly and intently at the-ice covered boat. 
No quicker was he than the sculler, for instantaneously 
the sculler’s hand is still, and two cool eyes look stead- 
ily through the thick blind at the flock. The gander 
gives a low honk of warning ; at once heads are drawn 
from beneath their wings; the walking is stopped ; and 
they all turn toward the approaching object and look at 
it with suspicion. How the sculler reads their thoughts! 
He knows that there is no danger of flight, until some 
greater uneasiness than this is shown, until they have 
chattered in consultation, or have walked inquiringly 
around fora closer examination. They seem reassured 
and relapse into their former state of inactivity. The boat 
is now near enough for the hunters to shoot. The 
seuller softly but sharply whistles. Quick as lightning 
fifteen black necks are stretched in air ; they begin to 
honk, to gather themselves for flight. A swift move- 
ment of the sculling oar veers the boat, and from bow to 
stern the guns roar, followed by the honking of the 
frightened and escaping birds. The boat is forced up 
on the bar, cripples secured, dead picked up, and we 
count seven Canada geese in the boat. 
Shooting geese on sand-bars is done with or without 
decoys ; the latter being the most successful way. 
Many old hunters go on year after year not profiting 
by the experience of their fellow craft, and shoot these 
birds on sand-bars as they come in at night, depending 
19 
