292 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



AMBUSH ON THE FLATS. 



We noticed last season a very simple but at the same time 

 rather ingenious contrivance erected on the flats in Elk River, 

 from which to shoot ducks. We have never seen any thing of the 

 kind before, but presume something similar may have been adopted 

 elsewhere by others. 



This ambush or blind, as all such contrivances are termed in 

 this particular section, was constructed in this wise : 



Some shooters, taking advantage of low tide, had driven into 

 the soft mud, in the very centre of the widest expanse of feeding- 

 ground, and in the very path of the ducks as they flew up and 

 down the river, four strong posts, forming a square. 



These posts or piles were perforated on their upper portion, 

 which extended far above low-water mark, with large holes of 

 sufficient capacity to permit the introduction of long hickory pins, 

 which passed entirely through and projected several inches from 

 the inside. Upon these pins thus secured was placed a light 

 frame, sufficiently strong, however, to bear the weight of the 

 shooter, who lay there completely concealed from observation by 

 a profusion of cedar brush and eel-grass piled around him. 



The numerous holes in the posts were necessary for the purpose 

 of raising up and letting down the framework to suit the state 

 of the tide, which was very easily accomplished before the sports- 

 man took his position. 



This particular kind of blind was especially adapted for this 

 river, as the narrow steamboat-channel is marked out in its whole 

 course by long poles thrust into the mud on either border, each 

 one of which was surmounted by a heavy piece of cedar-brush, 

 with which the ducks soon become familiar while feeding, and 

 therefore take no precaution to avoid while flying, which also was 

 the case with the blind; and most excellent shooting at times 

 was thus obtained from this cunningly-devised ambuscade. 



The flats or feeding-grounds on Elk River are quite extensive, 

 and occasionally attract enormous hosts of wild fowl, more espe- 



