274 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
Under certain conditions, a punt not at all built for open 
waters will, in a calm, sometimes steal out to sea, and do 
well, even where one built for open sea and ‘‘lipper” would 
on such days not do so well. This is, of course, an exceptional 
instance in punt-shooting, and should not be calculated of any 
consequence to base a working upon. It is, no doubt, as I 
have previously hinted, a very difficult task to design a punt 
that will have success at even one place under every state or 
condition likely to occur during what may legitimately be 
called fowling or punting weather. Therefore it is essential, 
practically speaking, that the fowler himself should make his 
own choice of a punt most suitable, after investigating and 
summing up the features of the locality he intends to work. 
We all know that, before one can become a good wildfowler, a 
long, practical apprenticeship must be served, and even then it 
does not always follow that success is sure to arrive finally. 
At some places, punters seldom, if ever, secure a shot on 
mud-banks or sand-bars, all their fowl being met with at certain 
times of the tide on the water; whereas at other quarters the 
reverse takes place. Some spots afford both land and water 
shots, and so on. Of course, at all places, some times are 
better than others for negotiating wildfowl. 
In our sketch accompanying this chapter I give a punt for 
rough-water shooting—the open sea. When I make the state- 
ment ‘‘rough water” I mean such as any reasonable person 
might expect a punt to live in. The drawing is to scale, and 
the chief dimensions are hinted upon ; thus it will not be neces- 
sary to repeat them. The punt in question is designed for 
deep-water shooting, and has a draught of about 7 in. aft when 
loaded with 4cwt. Although her beam is wide and draught deep, 
she will appear low on the water. This punt is to substitute 
open boats for wildfowl shooting with swivel-guns. An open 
boat with swivel-gun in the bows will seldom get near fowl 
sufficiently close to come to terms with them. The usual run 
