376 'DUCK SHOOTING. 



When the ducks began to fly, it was seen that they were 

 all teal and that they were flying pretty low. While the 

 shooting lasted it was active, and he gathered fifty 

 birds. Besides these, there were, no doubt, many that 

 were pulled down by the turtles, which during the 

 shooting season make a fat living in that region by 

 pulling down dead birds and cripples that are not re- 

 covered. 



In some degree this fly-way shooting resembles pass 

 shooting, but differs from it in that the birds commonly 

 do not pass immediately overhead, but usually fly a 

 little to one side and not very high. 



Many of these small western rivers are crooked 

 streams, and while as a rule the ducks follow the water, 

 yet very often they cut across points ; and where they 

 do this very excellent shooting is to be had. The 

 ''whistlers" usually follow the stream. This is a local 

 name for the "black jack," or tufted duck, said to be 

 abundant there. Besides mallards, the more common 

 birds were the widgeon, teal, butter-balls, and rarely 

 the canvas-back. 



Sometimes in that section geese and brant are hunted 

 with horses; a horse is trained to feed gradually up 

 near to the flocks, and the gunner walks behind him 

 until within range. Sometimes, too, in shooting geese 

 and brant, it is possible to creep down wind to within 

 a hundred yards of the birds. Where this can be done 

 and the birds can be approached near enough, the gun- 

 ner, as soon as he sees that the birds are becoming un- 

 easy, springs to his feet and runs toward them as fast 



