Wild-Geese on the Sand-hills 1 27 



(dug in uaked sand) must obviously be visible enough to the 

 keen sight of incoming greylags. One such hole (when backed 

 up by well-placed decoys) the geese may almost ignore ; two they 

 distrust ; while three inspire something approaching panic. 

 Consequently a single craftsman who knows his business and 

 bides his time will shoot, under the most favourable circum- 

 stances, at almost every successive band of geese that means 

 alighting. Two guns, in full sympathy with each other, may 

 effectually combine by occupying holes dug at some fifty yards 

 apart and with a single set of decoys set midway between for 

 mutual use. Thus there can be secured fair, frequent, and almost 

 simultaneous shots. 



It is essential to bear in mind the fact that the geese have 

 come with the intention (unless prematurely alarmed) of alir/ht- 

 ing. Hence, as they often circle two or three times around 

 before finally deciding, a judicious refusal of all uncertain chances 

 has a concrete reward when, a few seconds later, the pack sweep 

 overhead at half gunshot. The first element of success lies in 

 concealment ; the second in ever allowing the geese to come 

 in to such close quarters as renders the shot a certainty. 



Greylag geese are, of course, huge birds, very strong, 

 and impenetrable as ironclads. But to tyros (and many others) 

 in the early light they are apt to appear much larger, and 

 consequently much nearer, than is actually the case. All this 

 has, the night before, been impressed upon our friend, the tyro, in 

 solemn, even tragic tones. The urgency of the thing seems to 

 have been graven deep on the very tissues of his brain, and he 

 promises with earnest humility to bear the lesson in mind when 

 the vital moment shall arrive ; to deny himself all but point- 

 blank shots well within thirty yards, whereby he will not only 

 himself assist to swell the score, but enable his companion to do 

 likewise. 



Words fail to describe that companion's frame of mind at the 

 dawn, when, despite over-night exhortations and assurances, he 

 sees to his horror pack after pack of incoming geese (some of 

 which he has himself let pass within forty yards) " blazed at " at 

 mad and reckless ranges by that wretched scarecrow who never 

 ruffles a feather and afterwards tries to excuse his failure by 

 enlarij-inor on " the extreme lieioht the o^eese came in at ! " 



These goose-hills, it may here appropriately be stated, lie 



