134 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
purpose. Nor would we have everyone believe that, because 
we refer to driven game shooting as a less real sport than 
wildfowling, we are running down this kind of shooting ; 
neither do we consider it in any way inferior, i.e. viewed from 
a general standpoint. Our main object is to impress or show 
the importance of the many details or bye-subjects brought 
into play by the wildfowler in a relative manner to driven 
game shooting. We leave the sportsman himself to choose 
which demands most thought and skill to carry out a successful 
day’s sport at either of these classes of shooting. In addi- 
tion, it might be stated that so varied are the shots taken by 
the wildfowler with shoulder guns that, provided he is a good 
marksman, he is one who can hold his own anywhere with the 
shot-gun, be it in the butts on the moors, the covert-side, or 
the open stubble. The game-shot pure and simple, however, 
as a general rule, makes poor work at wildfowl, when introduced 
to the sport, and in nine cases out of ten cannot hit a “ flighting ” 
duck for the very life of him. There may be exceptions in 
both cases, but we do not insist on them. A gunning sports- 
man is ever naturally inclined to speak most favourably of his 
special liking, whichever branch of shooting it may be. Per- 
sonally, we are fond of all kinds of common shooting carried 
out on sportsmanlike lines, whether it be at clay or live birds 
from traps, driven or walked-up game, rabbiting, shore-shoot- 
ing, wildfowling, or practice with the rifle. Of course, we 
have our preference; yet, because this is so, we hope no one 
will think we imagine our preference should bias the general 
opinion that ours is the finest form of shooting (even if it 
is) simply because we think so. 
