THE DANGERS OF PUNT-SHOOTING 137 



lessness in wildfowling is to be compared with nothing else 

 than madness. The careless puntsman is always a dangerous 

 being, and one upon whom an eye should be kept ; for as 

 sure as guns are made to fire, he will sooner or later run 

 himself (if not others) into some terrible fix. Too much 

 daring is unwise. There is nothing brave in drowning one- 

 self. 



It should be almost needless to mention the care one 

 should take with all guns. Every gunner should make it 

 a rule never to point a gun at anything he does not intend to 

 shoot. Be careful where a loaded gun points. Never load 

 "cripple-stoppers" until required to shoot. It is unsafe to 

 keep them loaded aboard a punt. A hammer may be easily 

 caught accidentally and the gun exploded. The charge will 

 blow a hole in the punt, to say nothing of anything else it may 

 hit. There is no great advantage derived from keeping the 

 shoulder guns loaded. 



* In working a punt along-shore in shallow, rough water 

 (it need not be very rough for a punt), with the big gun 

 mounted, keep her head on to the seas. In deep water the 

 gun must be brought in, or the punt may dive if kept head to 

 the weather. If only a short distance is to be rowed, the gun 

 may remain mounted, and the punt kept side on to the "Upper." 

 A little water will come inboard, but there will be no danger 

 of the punt diving. Of course, side on for a long time would 

 mean swamping the punt. 



When sailing a punt at a good speed, never neglect to 

 draw in the punt-gun, for, unless this is done, she may take 

 a "header." It is not really wise to take long trips out on 

 deep water without a following-boat a reasonable distance off 

 in your wake. One can never say for certain how suddenly 

 a squall may come on. Although we are all apt to venture 

 out when the weather is fine — and, personally, we have gone 

 as far as eight miles out and eight back on deep water in 



