254 DUCK SHOOTING. 



ON THE SAND-BARS. 



Sand-bar shooting, which was formerly practiced 

 with great success on some of the larger rivers of the 

 West, especially on the Platte, is somewhat similar in 

 character to the shooting on the feeding grounds, ex- 

 cept that it takes place early in the morning and late in 

 the afternoon, when the birds come to the river to drink, 

 as well as to provide themselves with the sand and 

 gravel which are as necessary to them as food. The 

 blind may be a hole dug in the sand-bar, or perhaps a 

 pile of drift-wood and trash, in which the gunner con- 

 ceals himself. The decoys are similar to those used in 

 stubble shooting, and are placed between the water and 

 the blind. The birds usually come in each day at about 

 the same hour, and so regular are their habits that one 

 familiar with a locality could almost set his watch by 

 their arrival. In this shooting the birds are much more 

 disposed to come to the decoys than in stubble shooting, 

 and often appear to wish to alight with them. 



The birds commonly killed in this form of shooting 

 are the Canada goose, Hutchins's goose, the white- 

 fronted goose, or prairie brant, the blue goose and the 

 snow goose. 



If the geese are no longer killed on the Platte River 

 in their old numbers, they have not altogether deserted 

 that stream in their southern journey. They still resort 

 to it, but overshooting has taught them caution, and 

 the methods by which they are killed have wholly 



