and “B.” Match the pieces, sew close 
to the outside curve, and rivet as indi- 
cated by “b,” having sewn in the pieces 
indicated by “c”-“c”-“c,” in “A” on the 
under side of the leather sheath, and to 
the belt piece “d,” which is about the 
width of the head of the axe, having 
two slits cut into it “e”-“e,” and a pair 
of buckles “f,” as used on w'ebbing, sewn 
to the top of the belt piece which goes 
over the axe. On the front side are two 
strips of }4-in. webbing long enough to 
go over the head of the axe, back about 
the helve where it enters the blade, and 
up to buckle at the head, as shown by 
“e-e-e, etcs.,” and “g-g-g, etcs.,” in “B.” 
Harry Irwin, New York. 
HOW TO BUILD A BLIND 
A BLIND is anything that will con- 
ceal the gunner from the game, 
whether it be a hogshead sunk beneath 
the surface of the water with only a few 
scant inches showing, or whether it be 
a complete hostelry thatched with rushes 
with subterranean passages leading back 
from the shooting point to the eating and 
sleeping quarters. 
The writer believes that no reasons 
are sufficiently great to warrant placing 
a duck blind so that the wind is directly 
in the shooter’s face. Water-fowl, when 
they alight, are going to come in against 
the wind. There may be only a slight 
breeze, but they will breast against it. 
When birds decoy, they are planning to 
alight with the stool and they are sure 
to come square up against the wind on 
the last circle, which is perhaps the first 
time they have passed close enough to 
be in good shooting distance. If at any 
time they get directly over you, as they 
are bound to do if they come up from 
the rear, the chances are ten to one they 
will see you and flare away. 
Perhaps the bulk of experienced gun- 
ners prefer the wind at their back. A 
blind so located will bring the birds in- 
tending to alight straight in toward the 
blind. Personally, the writer prefers to 
have the wind blowing against his left 
cheek, a little to the rear. This brings 
the birds in from the right-hand side and 
gives the gunner a left swing on the 
birds going away. This, of course, 
would be reversed for a left-handed 
shooter. Often it is impossible to be too 
particular about the wind; generally it 
changes about the time you get fixed. 
At your back, over either shouder, or 
from either side is satisfactory, but you 
are sure to lose a good many of your 
opportunities if you face the wind, com- 
pelling the birds to swing out behind you. 
IF you can sit still — few men can — and 
^ if your clothes thoroughly harmonize 
with the surroundings, you will do well 
to keep your blind as low as possible. 
If you cannot sit still, and insist on 
changing your shells as the birds are 
approaching, or rolling your head around 
to see what became of a circling flock, 
build your blind dense enough and high 
enough to hide all your movements. 
Select your blind material to make the 
finished article always harmonize with 
the landscape. Do not stick a bunch of 
green willow trees out on the end of a 
bare sand bar. If driftwood is in evi- 
dence everywhere, use it for your blind 
material. If a point of green willows 
run out into the water, green material 
answers better for such surroundings 
than a pile of drift. Dig and get under 
ground wherever possible. 
Ordinarily the writer in shooting with 
a companion who has been tried and 
found true would endeavor to construct 
a blind that would not be noticeable to 
the human eye from a distance of a hun- 
dred yards. However, we have had ex- 
cellent sport from blinds that announced 
just what they were from a mile or more 
away. 
In hunting with a nervous companion 
we always try to build a blind so it is 
possible for him to change his shirt, if 
he wishes to, without attracting the at- 
tention of birds that may be passing in 
the vicinity. The movement of a man 
in a blind will scare more ducks than the 
biggest blind that was ever built. 
If your blinds are going to be per- 
manent, you will, of course, locate them 
on good feeding grounds where the birds 
would naturally come.- If you are build- 
ing a temporary blind to use only a day 
or-two; trust the ducks’ judgment against 
your own. If you see some birds resting 
anywhere along the shore or see several 
different flocks of birds dip in at a cer- 
tain spot, trust them and build your blind 
there, and you will get more shooting 
than if you pick some other location that 
might look a great deal better from your 
viewpoint. 
Ray P. Holland, 
New York. 
A SHOOTING PUNT 
I_J ERE is a little punt that can be 
* used much like the sink box de- 
scribed in the October number, yet is 
capable of being rowed to and from 
the shooting-grounds or of being easily 
transported overland. The construction 
is different and a little more complicated, 
but it should offer little difficulty. 
The first thing to do is to bend up the 
bow piece, which should be of oak ^ 
inch thick, 8 feet long and 3 inches wide. 
This should have one straight edge, but 
the other should be concaved so that the 
piece is just one inch wide in the middle 
and carried in a gentle curve to full 
width, feet each side of center. 
Lay out a half circle on the floor 1' 11" 
in radius and on the inside of it nail 
blocks every few inches which stand up 
squarely about three inches high and 
touching the circle. Cut off the corners 
of the edges touching the circle so that 
they will not break the plank as you 
bend it. Get a half dozen or so extra 
blocks and have them ready to nail down 
when needed. 
Next you require a steam box which 
can be made of any lumber handy and 
should be just big enough to contain the 
plank and a little to spare. If you in- 
tend to build any more boats you might 
as well make it 6" square inside and 
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