274 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



Under certain conditions, a punt not at all built for open 

 waters will, in a calm, sometimes steal out to sea, and do 

 well, even where one built for open sea and "lipper" would 

 on such days not do so well. This is, of course, an exceptional 

 instance in punt-shooting, and should not be calculated of any 

 consequence to base a working upon. It is, no doubt, as I 

 have previously hinted, a very difficult task to design a punt 

 that will have success at even one place under every state or 

 condition likely to occur during what may legitimately be 

 called fowling or punting weather. Therefore it is essential, 

 practically speaking, that the fowler himself should make his 

 own choice of a punt most suitable, after investigating and 

 summing up the features of the locality he intends to work. 

 We all know that, before one can become a good wildfowler, a 

 long, practical apprenticeship must be served, and even then it 

 does not always follow that success is sure to arrive finally. 

 At some places, punters seldom, if ever, secure a shot on 

 mud-banks or sand-bars, all their fowl being met with at certain 

 times of the tide on the water ; whereas at other quarters the 

 reverse takes place. Some spots afford both land and water 

 shots, and so on. Of course, at all places, some times are 

 better than others for negotiating wildfowl. 



In our sketch accompanying this chapter I give a punt for 

 rough-water shooting — the open sea. When I make the state- 

 ment "rough water" I mean such as any reasonable person 

 might expect a punt to live in. The drawing is to scale, and 

 the chief dimensions are hinted upon ; thus it will not be neces- 

 sary to repeat them. The punt in question is designed for 

 deep-water shooting, and has a draught of about 7 in. aft when 

 loaded with 4 cwt. Although her beam is wide and draught deep, 

 she will appear low on the water. This punt is to substitute 

 open boats for wildfowl shooting with swivel-guns. An open 

 boat with swivel-gun in the bows will seldom get near fowl 

 sufficiently close to come to terms with them. The usual run 



