128 UPLA>^D SHOOTING. 



among tlie corn-stalks, and it is almost impossible to find 

 tliem without the aid of a dog. Xearly every winged 

 bird will get away. 



AVhen you find that the mallard-ducks are feeding in 

 the corn-fields, go out before daylight in the morning. 

 You will not need a blind, as you can get among the 

 corn-stalks. Your shooting will be about the same as at 

 the buckwheat-fields. Should the day be a cold and 

 rough one, and should there be plenty of mallards in the 

 country, your shooting may last all day. Be sure to 

 have j)lenty of shells and a luncheon with you, as I know 

 of nothing so provoking as to be where there are plenty 

 of ducks, and get out of shells. 



I had some experience of that kind three years ago — 

 the day after Thanksgiving. My brother and I went to 

 a pond early in the morning, when the ducks had gone 

 out to the corn-fields to feed. All the ponds in the coun- 

 try except this one were frozen over, and the ducks 

 came there for water. We put out half a dozen mallard 

 decoys, and sat down on the edge of our light duck-boat. 

 Soon the ducks began to return — two, four, five, or six at 

 a time. I never saw such mallard- shooting before or 

 since. In two hours we killed over 100 splendid mallard- 

 ducks, and all shot on the %ving at single shots. "We got 

 out of shells, were ten miles from home, and the ducks 

 were coming just as plentifully as ever. At that time I 

 woald have given 810 for another 100 shells. We had 

 expected to have thirty or forty shots, and had taken 

 only a few more than 100 shells with us. 



Good duck-shooting may be had in streams and small 

 lakes; but here the hunter will need a good duck-boat. 

 He must, in order to be successful, have a boat that sets 

 very low in the water, or one large enough to be trimmed 

 with brush and dry grass. I have a boat that I like very 

 much to use in shallow water, or where the grass and 



