SEA DUCKS. 219 



that when the shooter is seated his eyes will be just above the 

 cedar, and he can have a full view in every direction. It is best 

 to leave the rear end of the blind open, so that it will be easy to 

 get in and out of it from a boat. Having your blind made, and 

 wishing to shoot, your next step is to put out your decoys — a very 

 simple thing when you understand it, but unless one has seen it 

 done or had it explained to him, not so easy as it appears. It is 

 true that no matter how you put them out, you may coax up a stray 

 duck now and then, but you will soon perceive that there is some 

 defect, for it will be noticed after a little, that almost all the ducks 

 when they get within two or three hundred yards of your blmd, 

 either turn aside or keep on the course, and pay no attention to 

 your decoys. Let us suppose that the wind is blowing from your 

 right ; in this case all the ducks will come up on your left or to the 

 leeward, as all ducks when they alight come up against the wind. 

 To your right, and at a distance of about thirty-five yards, and on 

 a line parallel to the front of your blind, and at a distance of 

 thirty-five yards from it, place a leader (decoy,) and from this point 

 string your decoys on this parallel line, one each side of it towards 

 your blind so as to form a V ; when directly opposite your blind 

 taper off your decoys, so that the space occupied by them will nearly 

 resemble a diamond. It is best to have a good show directly 

 opposite your blind, and it is well to leave several spaces, so that 

 the ducks will select these points to alight in. If the decoys have 

 been placed properly, your blind properly constructed, you will get 

 a dart from every bunch of ducks that may pass up or down the 

 river in a reasonable distance from you. Never allow the ducks 

 to alight, but shoot them when they are hovering to alight, as at 

 this time you have the best opportunity and your fire is the most 

 destructive. If the flock is very large, they may be permitted to 

 alight ; but it is the safer rule never to allow them to do so, for as 

 soon as they are in water they separate and commence to feed im- 

 mediately, and shooting under these circumstances you will shoot 

 some of your decoys, which indicates a bad sportsman. Nothing 

 looks so badly to our mind as to see a person with his decoys filled 

 with shot ; and you can rely upon it that he seldom gets one-fourth 

 of the game that he should. Very often when we place our decoys 

 out it is a dead calm. In this case the water is as smooth as a 



