CHAPTER IX 
SHORE-SHOOTING 
Day-Flighting, Calling, and Decoys 
Tuis class of flight-shooting is distinguished from that practised 
at twilight, night, and dawn by the birds being compelled for 
some reason to seek fresh quarters. It is usually not a regular 
habit except under special conditions of weather, and in many 
cases is due to migration, either local or otherwise. The daily 
movement of shore-birds as influenced by the tides is perhaps 
a minor instance of what occurs with wildfowl under circum- 
stances which have the same effect ; but the flighting of shore- 
birds to and from their feeding and high-tide resting grounds 
is so regular that it is not classed as day-flighting, because 
the shore-shooter meets ordinarily with these flights. Day- 
flighting is really the shooting of birds moving from one 
quarter to another for special reasons. Weeks may go over 
without any day-flighting taking place; then for days a flight 
of birds may occur. Shooting of this kind may sometimes be 
enjoyed on a coast where at ordinary times no sport is to be 
had. With ducks and geese, day flights are chiefly caused by 
storms. At such times these birds will fly for days, passing 
the same spot on the coast in flocks at varying intervals, rang- 
ing from five minutes to an hour, between each. The sea being 
rough, ducks cannot rest in comfort. Dreading to shelter in 
the bays, lest they be shot at, they will fly the coast-line and 
keep on wing all day, perhaps making long circuitous flights 
to sea. They invariably head the wind alongshore. After a 
couple of rough days they become tired, and will then seek 
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