338 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



All right. You know how to keep down, that's cer- 

 tain. Both those flocks have gone where the first one 

 went. Wish we were over there, but it's too late to make 

 a change now. Get down! 



This is interesting, isn't it, to sit in these pits and 

 watch flock after flock pass within a quarter of a mile, 

 and go to another field? That is a regular feeding-ground 

 where they have gone. You will notice that each flock 

 turns neither to the right or left, but flies straight to that 

 one field, and that, too, without having seen any other 

 flock go there. That is a sure sign of a regular feeding- 

 ground. Such a place is absolutely sure of affording 

 good shooting for several consecutive mornings or even- 

 ings, depending somewhat upon whether they visit the 

 field once or twice a day, and when. To-morrow after- 

 noon I want you to come out to this field. I may not be 

 able to get away and go with you, and it is not necessary 

 that I should. After what you have seen to-day, and 

 the few hints I have given you, you can scarcely fail to 

 bring in a dozen geese to-morrow night. Where are the 

 geese that were in this field this morning? You mean the 

 ones we frightened away, I suppose? You tell I don't 

 know; possibly we might have seen some of them in the 

 flock going over to that other field. They probably 

 dropped in here by chance this morning. Some flock 

 happened to stop here, and others saw them and followed 

 suit. You don' t understand why they should go a mile 

 or two farther on for no better food. Bless your soul! 

 neither does anyone else. There is just as good feeding- 

 grounds within a mile of the river as there is out here 

 ten miles away, and possibly better. Why they fly 

 across ten or fifteen miles of good feeding-grounds for 

 something no better, no man can find out, but do it they 

 do, and elsewhere as well as in Dakota. Perhaps they 

 like to work up an appetite. 



