XXV 



SEA-DUCK SHOOTING 



THE sea-ducks and the geese and brant, which are 

 shot often from the same blind, are well pro- 

 tected by heavy plumage. The sportsman who has 

 several guns may use the lo-gauge to advantage on 

 these birds, but when the birds come to the decoys 

 they are within the range of a i2-gauge, and when 

 they do not come to the decoys they are more often 

 out of range of any gun. At some of the clubs on the 

 Chesapeake the 8-gauge is used to shoot at high-flying 

 birds, but the use of guns larger than the lo-gauge is 

 prohibited now in many States, and many others have 

 laws prohibiting the use of all guns " excepting those 

 fired from the shoulder in the ordinary manner." The 

 laws prohibiting the use of guns larger than the lo are 

 more accurate, since the strength of men varies and an 

 athletic sportsman might swing a much larger gun 

 than the 8, provided it be a single barrel. A uniform 

 law prohibiting the use of all guns larger than lo 

 would be satisfactory. I would be willing to see all 

 guns larger than 12 prohibited, since a strong-shooting 

 12 will kill enough ducks in a'day to exceed the bag 

 limit allowed on many preserves and provided by law 

 in many States. 



It was formerly the fashion to shoot very large shot 



161 



