130 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



reeds are plentiful. I have crossed some quite large lakes 

 in it when the wind was high; but none save an expert 

 boatman should be out in a large lake when the waves 

 are running high, on account of the danger of running 

 the boat under. The boat is all decked over, except the 

 place Avhere I sit. It is made pointed at both ends; is 

 thirteen feet long and thirty-two inches wide. The sides 

 are five inches high. The weight of this boat is thirty- 

 five pounds, and it vnll run well in four inches of water. 

 I paddle it most of the time with two short paddles, but 

 carry a long one with me, so that I can have a change if 

 I have a long distance to go. When I am in this boat, 

 and in a good duck neighborhood, I have a strong line 

 attached to each paddle, so that if a duck starts up I can 

 drop the paddles in the water, and not be in danger of 

 losing them. 



On the large lakes and rivers the sportsman will need 

 a larger boat. It should be large enough to carry two 

 men and a dog, and forty or fifty decoys, with comfort. 

 It should be made so that the hunter can shoot. in any 

 direction from the boat, and run no risk of upsetting it. 

 It should be made with a scull-hole, so that when the 

 hunter is bearing down on a flock of ducks in open water 

 the ducks can not see the motion of the oar. Such a 

 boat is very handy when the hunter discovers the ducks 

 dropping down in some bay where he can get good cover 

 and put out his decoys. 



I have had a good deal of sport by taking a team, 

 loading on my large duck-boat, and going up our river 

 ten or twelve miles, putting the boat on the river, trim- 

 ming it with a little dry grass, and floating down. The 

 ducks do not notice one until within range. 



By many duck-shooters, shooting over decoys is con- 

 sidered the best of all duck-shooting; and I am one of 

 those who think it is fine sport. 



