SHORE-SHOOTING 8a 
the situation. Several of the accomplishments of the hut- 
shooter are also required of the ‘longshoreman, such as 
“calling” and readiness to hide, keeping perfectly still, and 
taking shots in awkward and cramped positions. 
One diversity affects ‘longshore work, and that is stalking. 
Here alone is it of importance to the wildfowler. A clever 
stalker may be favourably compared with a good hut-shooter, 
though seldom are the two faculties prominent in one man. 
It invariably happens that good shots are bad shore-stalkers, 
and bad shots are good stalkers; strange though this may 
seem, it is nevertheless true. But what is lost in one part of 
the pleasure may be gained in another, and thus it may be 
said that with some a long, exciting stalk would be better 
enjoyed than a few really skilful kills. Shore-shooting admits 
of both, for if a wary bird is stalked to a long, yet probable 
killing range, it is considered legitimate fowling to shoot at it 
sitting, since the chances of killing when the bird rises would 
be out of the question. Under these circumstances we can 
imagine the poor shot who is a good stalker to have some 
enjoyment, for surely everyone can shoot a bird sitting if the 
gun will kill! The pleasure here, it must be distinctly under- 
stood, does not lie in the shooting at all, but in the skill 
displayed in stalking and outwitting the wily creatures. This 
state of affairs opens up a new branch of the game—stalking 
and securing, by means of devices which assist the gunner, 
the various fowl and shore-birds to be met with on and 
adjacent to shore and marsh. 
The stalking-horse is perhaps one of the oldest principles of 
stalking machines. It may be a live animal trained for the 
purpose or an artificial ‘‘gee-gee”’ specially constructed. The 
latter, as far as my experience goes, is undoubtedly the better, 
for, unless a very highly trained animal, a horse will become 
uneasy when nearing worthy fowl like geese, and spoil the 
shot. Besides, an artificial stalking-horse can be made a 
