134 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



purpose. Nor would we have everyone believe that, because 

 we refer to driven game shooting as a less real sport than 

 wildfowUng, we are running down this kind of shooting ; 

 neither do we consider it in any way inferior, i.e. viewed from 

 a general standpoint. Our main object is to impress or show 

 the importance of the many details or bye-subjects brought 

 into play by the wildfowler in a relative manner to driven 

 game shooting. We leave the sportsman himself to choose 

 which demands most thought and skill to carry out a successful 

 day's sport at either of these classes of shooting. In addi- 

 tion, it might be stated that so varied are the shots taken by 

 the wildfowler with shoulder guns that, provided he is a good 

 marksman, he is one who can hold his own anywhere with the 

 shot-gun, be it in the butts on the moors, the covert-side, or 

 the open stubble. The game-shot pure and simple, however, 

 as a general rule, makes poor work at wildfowl, when introduced 

 to the sport, and in nine cases out of ten cannot hit a "flighting " 

 duck for the very life of him. There may be exceptions in 

 both cases, but we do not insist on them. A gunning sports- 

 man is ever naturally inclined to speak most favourably of his 

 special liking, whichever branch of shooting it may be. Per- 

 sonally, we are fond of all kinds of common shooting carried 

 out on sportsmanlike lines, whether it be at clay or live birds 

 from traps, driven or walked-up game, rabbiting, shore-shoot- 

 ing, wildfowling, or practice with the rifle. Of course, we 

 have our preference ; yet, because this is so, we hope no one 

 will think we imagine our preference should bias the general 

 opinion that ours is the finest form of shooting (even if it 

 is) simply because we think so. 



