GUNS AND fBEIR PfcOPKR CHARGES. 51 



of eight pounds weight. It is true that until men 

 have worked themselves into some condition they 

 will get tired in tramping over the prairies and 

 fields and through the coverts carrying such a 

 gun, but so they would if they carried nothing 

 but a cane. 



In loading a gun of ten gauge for grouse I put 

 into my cartridges four and a half or five drams 

 of powder and an ounce of No. 9 shot, in the 

 early part of the season. Later on I use No. 8 

 shot, and still later No. 7. In November and 

 December, for the shooting of grouse and duck, 

 1 charge with No. 6. Some use larger shot for 

 ducks, but a charge Of No. 6 from a good gun, 

 well held, will stop a duck as far off as seventy 

 yards sometimes. With a strong charge of pow- 

 der and shot of moderate size there is greater 

 penetration, and a better chance of hitting besides. 

 When I go out expressly for brant and geese, I 

 load my cartridges with No. 2$ but when out for 

 general shooting, I have killed many brant and 

 some geese with No* 6. For quail-shooting I use 

 No. 8 or No. 9; for plover, No. 8; for snipe, 

 No. 10. For wild turkeys I once preferred shoot- 

 ing with a rifle, but 1 now Use the breech-loading 

 shot-gun with No. 1 shot in the cartridges. 



