76 SHOOTING THE DUCK 



the incoming birds are much more likely to pass than 

 over any other part of the mile ; if the gunner takes 

 steps to discover these spots he will have far better 

 luck than if he acted at haphazard. When the flight- 

 shooter is preparing to wait for birds on their feeding- 

 ground, let him bear in mind that whatever may be 

 the point of the compass from which they have reached 

 the locality, duck will always come into the feeding- 

 ground up-wind, and that to take the fullest advantage 

 of his situation he must have the wind at his back 

 while watching for them. When flighting for widgeon 

 on the shore the same rule should be observed if there 

 is anything more than a gentle breeze blowing ; if the 

 air be still it is better to face the tide. Let the flight- 

 shooter also remember that in wild weather duck 

 move earlier sometimes much earlier than when 

 the weather is still. 



Opinions differ widely as to the kind of gun and 

 the size of shot which should be used for flight- 

 shooting. One of the most successful flight-shooters 

 I have ever known, a man who made his winter 

 living by wild-fowling, invariably arms himself with a 

 i2-bore double cylinder and i^ oz. of No. 6 shot. 

 Myself, I have done the best work with a full-choke 

 i2-bore, using either i^ oz. of No. 5, or \\ oz. of 

 No. 4, according to the light. A good deal depends 



