360 The Cranes 



most natural-looking " hide " and remain motion- 

 less and watchful. " Get down and keep still " is 

 the very best advice I can give to crane or goose 

 shooter. Be the " hide " a hogshead or a pit in 

 the ground, or a small screen of grass or weeds, 

 natural or artificial, the only way to get the best 

 results is to keep covered and wait till the sound of 

 wings or the clatter of cries tells that the game 

 is almost directly overhead. It cannot be too 

 near, for the nearer it is allowed to approach the 

 more time will there be for the gun to get into 

 deadly action. 



The crane-shooter should remember that such 

 large birds appear to be much nearer than they 

 really are, and also that they have wonderfully 

 sharp eyes. The slightest movement is apt to 

 be at once noticed, whereupon the birds immedi- 

 ately sheer off, and what should have been a 

 golden opportunity is promptly and permanently 

 ruined. The novice, and not unfrequently the 

 veteran, finds it a hard task to keep still, es- 

 pecially when a large flock is bearing down upon 

 the ambush and calling as only cranes can. The 

 ringing kor-r-r-r-r-root, pouring from their throats, 

 thrills like the blare of many trumpets. It is 

 a veritable call to arms, yet the wise man listens 

 and grins, and waits with his nose almost driven 

 into the ground, until the clamor falls from 

 directly above and he can distinctly hear the 



