152 WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 



in sight, and if the stream is narrow, say seventy-five 

 yards, set your decoys well away from you, that the 

 birds may light between you and them. Make your- 

 self a blind. Be sure it is not so high as to interfere 

 with your shooting. Of course this suggestion applies 

 only where one is shooting among brush or trees. It 

 is not necessary to build a dense blind, impenetrable, 

 but just make one that will protect you fairly well, and 

 then refrain from moving. That is the secret in get- 

 ting them to come. If one stands still, a very small 

 blind will do, as their eyes are wholly occupied in look- 

 ing at the decoys, and they are bent in getting there as 

 quickly as possible. But if you move, your lack of 

 caution is very apt to deprive you of a shot. No non- 

 sense with them ; life is too short to be spent in sail- 

 ing around, investigating and inquiring whether or 

 not all things are right ; so they come for the decoys 

 low over the water, like a flash, steadily and quickly, 

 and almost before you know what is up, and often be- 

 fore you can catch aim on one, their feet are extended 

 like open palms of the hand and they slide into the 

 water, plowing it ahead of them in tiny waves, almost 

 at your feet. Watch sharp ! For they are apt to leave 

 you without ceremony, and as quickly as they came, 

 for those keen eyes you see through your blind have a 

 suspicious sparkle in them. Aha ! Away they go ! 

 Look at them, every fellow for himself. That's the 

 way they start out ; and see how soon they get under 

 full speed. They are about as quick as any bird that 

 flies ; besides, they are hard to hit, and hate awfully to 

 die when they are hit. They are expert divers, and 

 when one is crippled, it should be shot at once. I 

 candidly believe they will stand more punishment than 



