I 12 WILDFOWL SHOOTING IN THE WESTERN STATES. 



obtainable with the shot gun in either America, South 

 Africa, or Great Britain. I read the other day a 

 description of a day's cover shooting in an English 

 demesne. The author handled his subject graphically 

 and attractively. The nut-brown decaying foliage, 

 the green ride, the rocketing pheasant, bouncing hares, 

 and impetuous rabbits, all received due and fitting 

 attention. Then the cheery voices of beaters and the 

 sharp calls of warning to " Look out ! " " Mark ! " 

 etc., were not forgotten, nor were the fascinations of a 

 well-served lunch passed over without notice. The 

 whole picture rose before me, and stood in front of me 

 as I had seen it last year. It was truly dazzlingly at- 

 tractive, but I asked myself the question : " Is such 

 sport as is enjoyed by an English cover side equal to 

 that obtained in the wild Western country ? Docs the 

 first call out and put into practice the same true sport- 

 ing proclivities as does the second ? Does the former 

 demand the same exercise of skill and patience as does 

 the latter .'' " And I answer myself, " Certainly not." 



In spite of the torture of burrs, the discomfort of wet, 

 exposure to cold, and other serious inconveniences, 

 I would give a day by an old country cover a second 

 place to a day on one of our prairie creeks, in pursuit 

 of water-fowl, and I think the reason — I may almost 

 assert that it is the reason — that I make this 

 decision is that in one instance the game you use your 

 skill upon is partially domesticated, in the other a 

 shot is never fired but at the free wild birds, whose 

 range knows no boundary, and so may be hundreds 

 of miles distant upon the morrow. 



With those who have not enjoyed fall shooting on 

 the western prairies and waters, under the conditions 

 that I have attempted to sketch, it would be impos- 

 sible to argue the matter. Therefore, I say to all, 

 Go over and try your hand at it. The demesne is 

 wide and broad enough for all, and when you have 

 paid it a visit, if you be robust, and fit, and keen, 



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