158 SHOOTING THE GOOSE 



smallest uncanny-looking object will otherwise cer- 

 tainly attract their notice. 



Of all the plans which have been tried for shooting 

 these wary birds, fowlers generally agree that it is 

 best either to hide yourself behind some natural 

 shelter and waylay them as they fly voluntarily to and 

 fro between their different haunts, or to have them 

 driven by beaters over the shooters as they wait con- 

 cealed behind natural or artificially-made shelters 

 lying in their lines of flight. Probably, if you are 

 alone or accompanied by a companion, the former of 

 these methods may commend itself to your judgment. 

 Success then much depends upon your knowledge of 

 their habits and fly-lines in the particular locality, and 

 also, if near the coast, to some extent on the state 

 of the tides. Moreover, the rougher and coarser the 

 weather, and the stronger the wind blows, provided 

 that it comes from a favourable quarter, the better 

 will be the sport. In taking up your position you 

 must endeavour at all times to choose a station where 

 the wind blows directly from you towards the geese 

 as they rise and fly up to your lair at a low elevation. 

 On calm, clear days they frequently fly too high for 

 a shot, but in a thick fog they will sometimes skim 

 close over the ground and offer splendid opportunities 

 for the gunner. Inasmuch as geese do not always 



