DUCK-SHOOTING IN THE CORN 
moving, but the heavy fog prevented us 
from discerning them. The sun was 
about half an hour high before a flock 
from the creek suddenly loomed in sight 
close overhead. A double report rang out 
and two ducks fell, one, the last, some 
distance away. I marked and quickly fol- 
lowed it, not taking my eyes off the stalk 
it fell by; picked it up and returned to my 
blind; took bearings, and soon found 
the first one. | 
If you are in error in finding a duck you 
have marked down, directly tie your hand- 
kerchief to the stalk you marked by and 
beat on a line with it; it may be farther over 
on a line. Should you fail, owing to the 
duck being only winged, beat and kick the 
stalks, for a wounded duck hides quickly 
and its color harmonizes with the weeds 
and grass. Don’t hang up your cap; you 
may lose it, owing to its color harmonizing 
with the corn. I did so once and went 
home bare-headed. Avoid any motion in. 
walking or running which might attract 
the notice of a distant flock, and when they 
come in, shoot slowly, making every shot 
count. Above all, learn to lead your 
birds, so as to be able to make a successful 
crossing shot, and watch the effect of every 
shot at incomers—you will undershoot 
them till you catch the hang of it. 
We could see farther by this time, for 
the fog was slowly lifting. Little flocks 
would swing by and circle to the call; the 
fowl called frequently, circling round to my 
companion, offering him a good shot, while 
flocks wheeling to his call would often: 
swing close in to me. We began to get 
them in pairs and singles, when the fog 
lifted, the wind blew from the southwest 
and we discovered ducks circling over the 
adjacent fields, where their fortunate com- 
panions had already settled down. A 
flock circling and alighting in a field in- 
variably attracts all others within view. 
We remained a short time longer, then 
went over to the field they were dropping 
into, divided and went to “‘picking up,” 
each for himself, yet giving a flight or 
circling flock to each other. 
A favorite way of corn-stalk shooting is 
this picking up. The shooter wanders over 
the field, drops down behind a few stalks 
when a flock approaches, shoots if they 
oot 
come within range, picks up his kill, and 
goeson. He will call flocks he sees circling 
or even passing over, moving on as he 
wishes, jumping a flock or a single occasion- 
ally. Often in this way one will jump a 
flock and drive them right over one’s 
partner, so be watchful all the time. 
Ducks, when called and when alighting in 
the stalks, invariably circle around widely 
two or three times, narrowing each circle 
until they fly over the place. So by watch- 
ing closely you can frequently push 
farther into the circle as they fly away from 
you without being seen, but you must drop 
as soon as they wheel, and give a running 
call. Your dress must harmonize with the 
surroundings. I like a cape of burlap, cut 
all around in strips a foot in length. These 
strips are frayed and blow in the wind like 
so many leaves of the corn. A band of 
like material should adorn the cap or hat, 
and both can be taken off and put in the 
pocket when you return home. 
A blind should be a simple affair, not 
enough to attract attention, but thick 
enough to conceal the contour of your 
form, aS any movement in your blind is 
instantly observed by the eyes of the watch- 
ful ducks. The lower they fly, the less 
readily they see you, if you have a 
background and are not looming up be- 
tween them and the sky. Never twist 
around in your blind when ducks are ap- 
proaching you; turn only your head. 
Make one motion, and that to shoot. A 
duck’s range of vision, as a rule, travels 
over the country ahead of it at an angle of 
about 45 degrees, so that when ducks are 
almost over you, you may raise your gun 
to shoot, for the angle has passed by. 
Keep down even when they are out of 
shot. Call; they may swing round you 
upon the next circle, if they have not seen 
you. 
Be sure to mark down accurately your 
dead or crippled, noting a stalk, weed, 
tree or other stationary object; keep your 
eyes upon it and go at once, not taking 
the eyes off for an instant. Better shoot 
once and kill than shoot a double and lose 
one or sometimes both in the endeavor 
to get more ducks. 
For position in your blind, drop upon 
the right knee, your left forming the angle 
