5IO The IVater-fowl Family 



ing is not always the easy work it once was 

 in spring in the Middle West. In fact, the man 

 who would wait for the bird to alight, or even 

 wheel to return, as in old-fashioned decoy shoot- 

 ing, is quite apt to be left gazing at an empty sky. 

 The ducks are now so suspicious of thick reeds 

 and commanding points that without decoys they 

 will too often fly high out of shot. But a liberal 

 sprinkling of good decoys riding the water, which 

 in some cases are left there the whole season, 

 brings many a one on a lower course. 



The only approach to the old-time shooting 

 from a wagon is now along the irrigating canals, 

 and even here it is generally necessary to get 

 permission. The duck has also kept fair pace 

 with improvements in guns and powders, so that 

 he too must be consulted. Although in many 

 cases, such as on the Calloway Canal, you can 

 drive on the bank and see the game from a dis- 

 tance that will enable you to make a detour under 

 cover of the bank, the ducks can see you quite 

 as far. And they are fully aware of the mean- 

 ing of a wagon on that same bank. They 

 know that no innocent farmer is travelling on 

 that line. So that about the time you stop the 

 wagon they may take wing a long way off. Or 

 they may toy with your intentions by letting you 

 start on that detour and then paddling away as 

 soon as you are out of sight. By the time you 



