DUCKS 285 



to bring them down. In order to waylay the fowl 

 with a proper amount of success, it is of course necessary 

 for the flight-shooter to be suitably armed. Not very 

 many years ago the lo-bore was looked upon as the 

 smallest size of gun of any practical value for wild- 

 fowl shooting ; now, however, the long-chambered 12- 

 bores are much more frequently used. The charge of 

 ij oz. to i|- oz. of shot carried by 12-bores of 8 Ib. 

 weight is a quite different dose to use on a single duck, 

 and shot numbered 5, 4, or 3 will answer most purposes 

 of the duck-flighter. For geese larger sizes should be 

 used, as recommended in the preceding chapter. 



On the cultivated land in many marshland districts 

 along our coasts a considerable acreage of beans is 

 grown. This grain is a favourite food of the wild-duck, 

 and numbers of these birds resort to the bean-stubbles 

 to pick up the scattered grain after harvest. This is 

 the wild-fowler's opportunity, for at such times the best 

 of flight-shooting may be obtained. From certain quiet 

 spots scores of ducks may be observed each evening 

 flighting in the vicinity of these bean-stubbles, and 

 having once accurately located their position, the lucky 

 sportsman should not fail to make the best of his 

 chances. 



One October, not so very long ago, information 

 reached me that ducks were using a certain bean- 

 stubble. That same evening saw a keen wild-fowling 

 friend and myself hidden away in the ditch on the 

 leeward side of this field ; and in the space of little 

 more than half-an-hour, one gun had bagged five and 

 the other seven and a half couples of fine fowl. The 

 next night and the next found us at the same place, 

 and although on each occasion the bag was somewhat 



