132 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



imitate a blue-bill, do so just a little when they are just 

 out of gunshot, passing by. Now they see the decoys, 

 and turn back. Wait till they bunch over the decoys, 

 and then shoot. Now be quick ! Shoot all ihe winged 

 birds before they dive. I never like to have wounded 

 birds get away. 



As soon as you have killed the wounded birds, look 

 out for more ducks. It is time for them to fly thick 

 and fast. 



Here comes a nice pair of red-heads. Let them come 

 close, as you will wish, to make a nice double. They are 

 over the decoys; shoot the first one, and then take a good 

 aim at the other before you shoot. You must get a red- 

 head in the center of your charge if you wish to kill 

 him. A wounded red-head is soon under the water, and 

 the chances are that you will not see him again. 



While you are waiting, along comes a small bunch of 

 canvas-backs. They have seen the decoys. Let them 

 come close. If you shoot too soon, you will be likely to 

 see them fly away, with perhaps a wounded bird leaving 

 the bunch. Then you will be provoked to think you shot 

 too far. Canvas-backs are very easy to decoy, and the 

 shooter should let them come close. 



While you mourn over the loss of the canvas-backs, 

 you will probably see two or three ducks high up in the 

 air. They have seen the decoys, but they hardly know 

 whether to come to them or not ; but at last they de- 

 cide to come a little closer, and you will notice that they 

 are American widgeons. If you get them within forty 

 yards of you, you had better shoot, as the chances are 

 that they will come no nearer. They may fly around 

 fifteen or twenty minutes before they come within that 

 distance. ' 



If it be a cloudy day when you are out, you may 

 have good shooting most of the day; but if the day be 



