76 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
A few more remarks about distance judging, and the 
apparent nearness of fowl when they are really out of range, 
will, I think, be of utility to the novice. Perhaps the greatest 
difficulty the beginner has to surmount in wildfowl-shoot- 
ing is calculating distance. I will take the curlew for 
example. This bird, winging past at sixty paces from the 
shooter, appears to the inexperienced well within range, yet 
really it is not more than once in five times that an expert 
shot can bring down a curlew with a 12-bore at such a range. 
Wildfowl appear near when they are well out of shot. Nothing 
but practice and experience teach the shooter the golden 
secrets of accurately judging distance. 
There is yet another point to be observed with regard to 
distance in wildfowl-shooting. The fair killing range of your 
gun, if a heavy 12-bore, is on an average not more than thirty- 
five yards. Tough fowl like geese cannot be killed with any 
degree of certainty over this distance with a 12-bore, and for 
preference have them nearer if they willcome. Do not hesitate 
to take shots as close as twenty-five yards. A good maxim 
is to remember that within thirty yards your gun is certain 
of killing, provided you hold straight; yet over thirty yards 
there is a doubt about its always doing so. Do not become 
over-eager to shoot before the fowl are within range; keep 
steady and cool; do not flurry in any movement; steal the 
gun steadily yet smartly to the shoulder; take pains and 
time in aligning the gun, and err rather in being too much 
ahead than behind. Master these points thoroughly, and 
you have gained as a learner the most important functions 
in the art of shooting wildfowl. 
Much depends on colour of clothing when shore-shooting. 
For the generality of quarters a light sandy-brown suit is most 
suitable. At some quarters modifications of tint will be 
necessary to meet the requirements of the local colour of 
the surroundings. Whatever may be the prevailing tone, 
