MANAGEMENT OF THE PUNT-GUN. 133 



Firing the Punt-Gun. 



" Come, come ! my brave boys ! — 

 Though rarely well done — 

 Show them the way 

 You fire the great gun !" 



Suffolk ditty. 



The slioulder of tlie punter should always he placed firmly against 

 the stock of the punt-g-un on firing; hut the sportsman must he cautious 

 that his feet do not press horizontally against any part of the punt, or 

 any unyielding suhstance, offering resistance to his feet ; hecause the 

 gun, though carefully hreeched, will not admit of being too 

 closely confined, hut must be allowed a little space for recoil, and 

 though it be secured with rope breechings, there is generally 

 sufficient back-force to push away the prostrate punter ; who, with no 

 resistance against his feet, glides harmlessly back ; whilst if his 

 feet were pressing against the stretcher, or any other fixture, the kick 

 of the gun would inevitably break his collar-bone, and this, notwith- 

 standing the gun was secured with stout rope breechings.* 



Tipping the Punt- Gun. 



By tipping the punt-gun is meant pressing upon the stock or but- 

 end ; and thus elevating the muzzle for the purpose of firing at 

 wild-fowl on the wing. This proceeding becomes necessary when the 

 birds are wild, and rise before the punter has succeeded in getting- 

 fairly within range for a sitting shot, but not too far for a flying- 

 shot. Birds may be killed at a greater distance when on the wing 

 than when sitting on the water with their wings closed. Now, from 

 the peculiar position of the punter (lying flat on his stomach), it is 

 obvious that tipping the gun and taking a flying shot is no very 

 simple task, but one that requires tact and skill. Young hands 

 frequently miss these shots, because they do not aim high enough, 

 or shoot soon enough; and thus the whole charge passes harmlessly 

 beneath the birds. 



* A small gun, loaded with only two drachms of powder, will break a man's 

 collar-bone if fired straight up in the air from his shoulder — the man standing upon 

 hard ground. Accidents of this kind frequently occur at rook-shooting parties, 

 through firing from positions directly beneath the birds. 



