HINTS ON PUNTING TO FOWL 247 



over one side with a single spoon paddle about six feet long. 

 It must not be supposed that in a double punt the work is 

 lighter because it is allotted to two men. A double punt 

 is much larger than a single, and requires more strength to 

 move and guide it along, especially where sets of the tide and 

 beam winds are to be encountered. 



We wish to make no further reference to the comparison 

 between double and single punts as regards their adaptability 

 for wildfowling, than to remark that with well-designed and 

 worked crafts of either types, under favourable conditions, the 

 results are similar, always allowing for the size of artillery 

 employed. Perhaps the double punts may hold an advantage 

 over single in being able to stand more weather and live out in 

 more open waters. It is misleading to say that double punts 

 draw less water than singles, simply because it is generally 

 found that they do so in the existing types of punts. We have 

 used and seen single punts that did not draw quite as much 

 water as most double punts. But we wish to add that these 

 were such large and unwieldy crafts that they could not be 

 worked satisfactorily by a single hand, and no doubt they 

 would have been more manageable if made smaller, with deeper 

 draught. 



Before a wildfowler can hope to approach wildfowl success- 

 fully in a punt, he must be proficient in the manipulation 

 of his craft to a certain degree at least. This, of course, 

 requires considerable practice in sculling, setting, paddling, 

 etc. Few really valuable hints can be given on paper. Per- 

 sonal instructions from a learned practitioner are better than 

 volumes of written matter. Failing these', practice, of course, 

 must then of necessity be the only road to success. We shall 

 be glad if our few hints here may be of assistance to those 

 who are unable to receive personal tuition. Most people can 

 be easily taught to row a gunning-punt. This, however, 

 cannot be applied to sculling, setting, and paddling of punts, 



