Field Sports in Minnesota. 



723 



GOOSE-SHOOTING FROM STUBBLE. 



ally, in the sand-hill crane, which often feeds in their midst, 

 thus adding to the difficulty of approach within effective range. The 

 difficult problem of their successful capture was at last solved for us 

 1>\ Colonel Sam Doughty, of Lake City, Minn., who introduced 

 shooting over decoys from pits dug in the stubble or new breaking, 

 where it has been ascertained geese are in the habit of feeding. The 

 decoys are of the simplest construction and greatest portability, being 

 merely flat forms in good outline painted in imitation of the wild 

 goose ; these, when seen at right angles to their flat surfaces, at 

 ordinary shot-gun range and beyond, are well calculated to deceive 

 not alone his gooseship but even amateur sportsmen.* 



flights a day are made by the geese from the large lakes in 

 ch of food ; one taking place at daybreak in the morning and 

 lasting perhaps an hour, and the other at four o'clock in the after- 

 noon. Occupying about the same length of time ( >n these flights 

 they are often accompanied by the snow-goose (Anscr hyperbon 

 and the white-fronted goos< tmbclii ), which are here called 



respectively white and black brant, though they do not much 



mor \ will never forget li<«w natural was the look of Maj..r C 's 



decoys on that memorable da\ nett Kirkhoven, when, after 1 rawling .1 long distant e, 

 he emptied his gun in riddling them. They had beOB left alter the early morning flight 

 by their owneT, who witnessed the incident from 



