SHOOTING IN NEW FOREST 269 



I don't remember any days of shooting that 

 I have enjoyed more than these quiet walks 

 after teal along the winding stream that ran 

 through the young woods, here widening into 

 pools, there giving a vista down a reach, but 

 always leading one to the unexpected. Then the 

 sudden flush of the teal, almost always through 

 thick covert, exactly like shooting woodcocks, was 

 most exciting. Immediately after a shot, one had 

 to stand to arms for five minutes, as it was im- 

 possible to know whether or no there was a 

 big flock of teal just a little farther on which 

 was flushed. Often enough there was, and they 

 would come swishing over, sometimes very high, 

 and again quite low, as they failed to realise the 

 danger. In either case they afforded the most 

 beautiful shots to anyone who was quick in the 

 use of his gun. Sometimes, after securing a right 

 and left at the rise of a couple of teal, one could 

 secure two or three more without moving from 

 the place as they came rocketing over from some 

 unsuspected hiding place. 



Weather and water had to be carefully con- 

 sidered. A certain amount of wind was essen- 

 tial, or else the wary fowl would quickly detect 

 the approach of the shooter pushing his way 

 through the dense covert ; and the water had to 

 be watched with the keenness of a salmon-fisher. 



