170 GAME SHOAL WATER FOWL. 



land, which causes them to fly high until ready 

 to alight, when they circle about and lower 

 gradually near the centre of the field, approaching 

 within gunshot of the fences as rarely as possible ; 

 and this, from the large size of the Western corn- 

 fields, they can easily do. 



During a heavy snow-storm is the best time for 

 making a large bag, as the snow covers up the 

 corn,* which being harder for the ducks to find, 

 they fly lower and more continually. At this 

 time the shooter's dress cannot be too white, and 

 he will need but a small blind (the smaller the 

 better in a corn-field, as the ducks will notice 

 any unusual appearance and avoid it). In build- 

 ing it (of corn-stalks, of course) the stalks should 

 be stood on end, leaning against each other, and 

 a heavy, solid look avoided as much as possible. 

 After the shooter has secured a few ducks it will 

 be a good plan to set them up for decoys on split 

 corn-stalks, taking care to select as clear a space 

 as possible, where the stalks are low and thinly 

 dispersed. As they get covered with snow they 

 should be shaken clean again, or they will be of 



* The ducks usually feed on the scattered grains lost in husking, or 

 the Bmall ears thrown away, rather than tear the husks off them- 

 selves. 



