76 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



A few more remarks about distance judging, and the 

 apparent nearness of fowl when they are really out of range, 

 will, I think, be of utility to the novice. Perhaps the greatest 

 difficulty the beginner has to surmount in wildfowl-shoot- 

 ing is calculating distance. I will take the curlew for 

 example. This bird, winging past at sixty paces from the 

 shooter, appears to the inexperienced well within range, yet 

 really it is not more than once in five times that an expert 

 shot can bring down a curlew with a 12-bore at such a range. 

 Wildfowl appear near when they are well out of shot. Nothing 

 but practice and experience teach the shooter the golden 

 secrets of accurately judging distance. 



There is yet another point to be observed with regard to 

 distance in wildfowl-shooting. The fair killing range of your 

 gun, if a heavy 12-bore, is on an average not more than thirty- 

 five yards. Tough fowl like geese cannot be killed with any 

 degree of certainty over this distance with a 12-bore, and for 

 preference have them nearer if they will come. Do not hesitate 

 to take shots as close as twenty-five yards. A good maxim 

 is to remember that within thirty yards your gun is certain 

 of killing, provided you hold straight ; yet over thirty yards 

 there is a doubt about its always doing so. Do not become 

 over-eager to shoot before the fowl are within range ; keep 

 steady and cool ; do not flurry in any movement ; steal the 

 gun steadily yet smartly to the shoulder ; take pains and 

 time in aligning the gun, and err rather in being too much 

 ahead than behind. Master these points thoroughly, and 

 you have gained as a learner the most important functions 

 in the art of shooting wildfowl. 



Much depends on colour of clothing when shore-shooting. 

 For the generality of quarters a light sandy-brown suit is most 

 suitable. At some quarters modifications of tint will be 

 necessary to meet the requirements of the local colour of 

 the surroundings. Whatever may be the prevailing tone, 



