INLAND DUCK-SHOOTING. 125 



some of the last birds of the flock fall. Select one, and 

 shoot the second barrel as quickly as you can, or the 

 birds will be out of range. 



Mallards and teal will seldom leave a rice-marsh so 

 long as there is feed. Once, in company with my brother 

 and two gentlemen from New York, I shot mallard-ducks 

 and teal in the rice-marshes at the foot of Bancroft Lake, 

 in Northern Iowa, three days, and the birds were just as 

 plentiful when we left as when we arrived. They were 

 there by thousands, and it was impossible to drive them 

 away. I believe I could have killed 1,000 ducks in ten 

 days. 



If the hunter likes to walk, he can have quite a good 

 deal of sport jumping ducks from the small sloughs and 

 ponds. In the month of September, before the grass is 

 dead, the hunter can get close to the ducks, and, when 

 they jump, he must shoot directly at them. They are 

 very easy to kill at that time, as they are almost a stand- 

 ing mark. 



Oftentimes, in the month of October, splendid mal- 

 lard-duck shooting may be had in the buckwheat-fields. 

 Mallard-ducks are very fond of buckwheat, and will fly 

 long distances, morning and evening, to feed on the new- 

 grown grain. If you know where there is a buckwheat- 

 field, and the mallards have begun to feed there, you will 

 have to be on hand at the field before day-break, for 

 mallards are early birds. I have often known them to 

 come to a buckwheat-field when it was so dark that I 

 could not see them more than fifteen yards away. You 

 will most likely be able to find cover near the edge of the 

 field; but if you can not find cover, you will have to 

 bring a spade along and dig a hole, which will take you 

 but a few moments. Spread the soil around, and cover 

 it over with some old straw, so that the ducks will not 

 notice the fresh earth. It is a good thing to be ready 



