Cornell University Library bani American wild-fowl j ti) SHootinc Canvas Backs FROM A BLIND, AMERICAN WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. DESORIBING THE HAUNTS, HABITS, AND METHODS OF SHOOTING WILD FOWL, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF THE WESTERN STATES OF AMERICA, WITH Instructions concernine Guns, Buinps, Boats, AND Decoys; tHe Traintine or Warer- Retrievers, ETc. BY JOSEPH W. LONG. New Yorr: J. B. FORD AND COMPANY. 1874. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by J. B. FORD & CO., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. TG MY FRIEND FRED KIMBLE, of Peoria, Illinois, A CRACK DUCK-SHOT AND AN HONEST MAN, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY xts Author. CONTENTS. PAGE, InfropucTion, . . . . . . . het GUNS); al: alg lte ele oe) Cab ee oh Ye, 26 SD CHAPTER II. BLINDS 4 Hk he a we CHAPTER III. DHOOYS;.. > ip Be a a OE CHAPTER IV. Boats anD Boat-Buinping, . . . . ww, - CHAPTER V. Dogs, - - ee kB Cawpinec Out, . . . ww ee CO CHAPTER VII. MISCELLANEOUS Hints, en ee es ee ee a (|) x CONTENTE, CHAPTER VIII. MornNING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL, . 7 . CHAPTER IX. MID-DAY MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL, . é . . CHAPTER X. EVENING MALLARD SHOOTING—FALL, . é CHAPTER XI. CORN-FIELD MALLARD SHOOTING—WINTER, CHAPTER XII. MatLaRD SHooTING AT Houes IN THE IcE—WINTER, CHAPTER XII. MALLARD SHOOTING IN THE TIMBER—SPRING, CHAPTER XIV. BLUE-WINGED TEAL, : 3 : . ee . CHAPTER XV. GREEN-WiINGED TEAL, é 3 é S : z CHAPTER XVI. Pintarm Dock, . ‘ = 5 . z 5 CHAPTER XVII. Woop Dvok or SumMER Duok, . 7 a ey 149 164 169 173 177 182 160 195 201 CONTENTS. xi PAGE. CHAPTER XVIII. AMERICAN WIDGEON, . : < é . : : - « 206 CHAPTER XIX. GapwaLL Duck, Ps * % ‘ 2 z 7 < < - 211 CHAPTER XX. SHOVELLER Duck, ‘ ‘ ; ‘ * - 217 CHAPTER XXI. Duszy Duck, . 2 ee als « os . : c - 221 CHAPTER XXII, TRUMPETER SWAN, . a * a @ si 7 a > ~ 224 CHAPTER XXIII. CanaDa GoosE, . é a . . 5 is * : . - 232 CHAPTER XXIV. WHITE-FRONTED Goose, . . . . . « 6 s% 4 CHAPTER XXV. Canvas-Back Duck, < “ a - 2 “i ci 2 - 246 CHAPTER XXVI. Rep-HEapep Ducks, . € 2 3 e e 265 CHAPTER XXVII. Soaup Ducx, Z . ‘ : é 5 a - 1 xii CONTENTS. PAGE, CHAPTER XXVIII. Rine-NEcKED Duok,. . . . . «© «© « so» 276 CHAPTER XXIX. Bourrur-HEavED Dvucx, . ; < 7 . 4 - 279 CHAPTER XXX. FinaL—E—Cave Corvum! . oh Ge ete ‘ 283 INTRODUCTION. In the following work 1 have endeavored to lay before the public, in as concise a form as possible, full and trustworthy explanations of the various practical methods of hunting wild fowl as followed in the inland portions of our country. No book that I am yet aware of, published in this country, has been devoted exclusively to the subject; though a few short, fragmentary articles, giving a general idea of the sport, are to be found in the many volumes of our sporting literature. Wild-fowling as an art is but very little understood by the great majority of sportsmen. It is attended with too much fatigue and too many hardships to be followed by them as it should be in all weathers, in order to become thoroughly familiar with it. And even in the warmer months, nearly all of our richer and better-educated sportsmen, instead of making use 14 INTRODUCTION. of their own reasoning powers to find and secure their game, depend on hiring others more experienced and willing to work, and do not ques- tion the whys and wherefores of their movements, or those of the game. They are content simply to shoot -when opportunities present themselves. The man who is hired does not consider it his particular duty to explain the various habits of the birds, nor the proper manner of taking ad- vantage of a knowledge of them. Amongst pro- fessional hunters, for various reasons, thoughts of book-making are seldom entertained; and though there are many excellent writers, both amateur and professional, who understand it much better than myself, and are much better able to do it justice, the subject—one of unusual interest to American sportsmen—has been almost entirely neglected. Such being the case, it is hot without a well-grounded hope that, in the absence of such a work as might be, my labors may not prove altogether useless. The ornithological descriptions, by referring to which the novice may determine the specific characteristics of his game, I have borrowed from Audubon’s “Biographical Ornithology”; farther than this 1 have abstained from copying from INTRODUCTION. 15 other authors, and contented myself with writing only that which 1 have learned and proved by experience. 1 have aimed to instruct rather than to amuse, leaving it to others more capable to discourse upon the poetry and romance of the sport, and retaining only the less enticing but more profitable philosophy and reason; and, as I am not accustomed to literary pursuits, I trust that anything I may have written that appears egotistical or self-assuming may be ascribed by my generous critics, sportsmen, to a visibly poor acquaintance with the graces of rhetoric and style. Before treating of the various methods to be employed in the pursuit of wild fowl, 1 shall first proceed to separate them into two distinct classes, which I shall term respectively the deep- water and shoal-water varieties, taking the Canvas- back as the type of the one, and the Mallard of the other. The habits of the two varieties vary so greatly that many rules which may be employed successfully in the pursuit of the one, it will be readily seen, might not be applicable to the killing of the other. The shoal-water varieties simply immerse the head and neck, but seldom or never entirely submerge the body when feeding, though having 16 INTRODUCTION. the power of doing so and swimming under water quite long distances when wounded and pursued. Their food, then, of course, must be different and their natural haunts separate from those of the deep-water varieties, which, as their name indicates, dive for their food. The bodies of the deep-water varieties are proportionally broader, both as compared with their length and depth; the legs set farther back, and the wings proportionally shorter than those of the other class; the tail feathers shorter, more stiff, and less inclined to “cock up,” being naturally held hori- zontally or slightly drooping ; the plumage is gene- rally shorter, but the feathers are more close and densely filled with down ; and as a rule they will be found more tenacious of life than the shoal- water ducks. In the deep-water varieties, with the canvas-back I shall treat of the red-head, blue- bill or broad-bill, tufted duck, and buffle-head or butter-ball. In the shoal-water class are the mallard, sprig- tail or pintail, blue and green winged teal, wood or summer duck, gadwall or gray duck, widgeon, shoveller, and dusky or black duck (the last- named, though not properly a Western duck, being sometimes found associated with the mal- INTRODUCTION. 17 lard). To the shoal-water variety, with the ducks belong the wild goose and the swan, whose habits, with the manner of hunting them, I shall also consider. It will be noticed by those conversant with Western wild-fowling that two or three species of ducks, with the mergansers found on West- ern waters, have been omitted in the above classification. These 1 have considered it a great waste of time and space to describe, as they are rarely pursued for sport, and are of such rank and fishy flavor as to be totally unfit for the table. Though several ornithologists have made this same division of the duck family, as may ‘be seen by referring to their scientific nomenclature, they have, however, denominated their subfamilies Fuliguline, or sea-ducks, and Anatine, fresh- water ducks; and in view of the fact that I am treating solely of inland wild-fowling, and yet find both classes in nearly equal abundance, I have deemed it more appropriate to their habits and general characteristics to classify them as I have at first done. I have dwelt at greatest length upon the pursuit of the mallard and canvas- back, as it is to the capture of these two varieties, 18 INTRODUCTION. representative types of the two classes, that the labors of sportsmen are chiefly directed. Many of the methods therein described will be found appli- cable to the taking of the other varieties; but where the different habits of the other varieties occasion different plans of operation, they are elsewhere duly and explicitly explained. The various concurrent subjects of guns, boats, decoys, etc, have been briefly yet compre- hengively discussed under their proper headings. CHAPTER I. GUNS. 1 suppose I must say a few words as to the comparative merits of breech and muzzle loaders ; for, to my mind, notwithstanding I am willing to acknowledge the general superiority of the new invention, the muzzle-loader possesses several decided advantages which entitle it to merit, and, in certain cases, to preference in selecting the most suitable weapon. The chief superiority of the breech-loader lies in its capability of being so quickly reloaded when in the field or boat, and this alone is a sufficient advantage to compensate for many other- wise serious objections; for, no matter how smart aman may be with a muzzle-loader, he will often lose many opportunities of shooting, through not being ready loaded, while to the patron of the breech-loader such occurrences are very rare, pro- vided he has plenty of loaded cartridges handy. This 19 20 EQUIPMENT. one requirement, however, being often wanting, the advantage is not so conclusive. The providing or reloading of a sufficient number of metallic shells, or the transportation and room required for their paper substitutes, is the most serious drawback in their use; and here it is that the claim of the muzzle-loader is especially noticeable. This con- clusion was not formed hastily, but was brought to my mind very forcibly, though rather unwill- ingly, and most frequently whilst sitting up at night loading shells and listening to the snoring of my fellow-hunters, votaries of the muzzle-loader, who, having eaten their supper, washed their guns, and refilled their pouches and flasks, had rolled up in their blankets to “woo tired nature’s sweet restorer.” On pleasant days, when shooting from my boat, 1 usually made a practice of reloading as fast as possible between shots, carrying an ammunition- box and loading-tools with me for that purpose; but this, for obvious reasons, I could not well do on very stormy days or when shooting away from my boat, and, consequently, I had to refill my shells at night—often when I should be sleep- ing—or else forego my morning shooting next day. Frequently in spring continuous shooting may be GUNS. 21 had at “travellers,” as they are termed by the hunt- ers—i.e¢., ducks making long flights, often migrat- ing, flying high in the air, offering few shots under fifty yards and more over sixty. This kind of shooting requires a good gun and heavy loading, lots of powder, and large shot if pro- curable—so much powder, five to six drachms, that it would be folly to make a practice of using so large an amount in ordinary sport; con- sequently, the shells being usually loaded with common charges, this sport must be given up, or the shells emptied and reloaded more heavily, a tedious job when ducks are flying thickly. With a muzzle-loader all one needs to do is to raise his charges a notch or two, and he is ready to kill his farthest. Again, on the other hand, very close shooting may often be had when avail- able ammunition is not very plentiful. It is then, of course, desirable to lessen our charges as much as possible, in order to receive the greatest benefit from our opportunities. And here, again, the muzzle-loader has the preference. To be brief, a man risks fewer long, wild shots with a muzzle-loader, and consequently wastes less ammunition, has less extra bulk and weight to carry, as shells, loading-tools, etc.; and in boat- 22 EQUIPMENT, shooting, if he uses ¢wo muzzle-loaders, can, | think, kill more game the season through than with one breech-loader, as he will frequently have opportunities to shoot both guns into the same flock of ducks before they get out of reach. 1 shall describe hereafter a method for loading a muzzle-loader in which the opera- tion is greatly shortened, and much valuable time saved. Now, because of my saying a few words in favor of the muzzle-loader, do not consider me an old fogy, or old-fashioned either. I have not finished yet. I intend to give the claims of the breech- loader an equal showing, and, I think, can still find advantages enough to overcome most of its de- ficiencies. And first (I will be brief as possible), they have the advantage of rapidity in loading, whereby in wild-fowl shooting, besides the ad- vantage of always being ready for new-comers, cripples may be the more readily secured.. Sec- ond, ease and quickness of exchanging loads in a gun, as in the case of the approach of geese or swan when awaiting ducks. Third, facility of cleaning. Fourth, less liability to miss fire. Fifth, safety, no getting two loads into one barrel, no need of having head or hands over the muzzle, GuNs. 23 or leaving gun loaded when not in use or when riding in a wagon or. other vehicle. Now, to sum it all up: In my opinion, for the majority of uses, the breech-loader is the superior weapon for the novice or the gentleman sports- man. For the poor market duck-hunter, if he can afford but one gun, I would advocate the muz- zle-loader; he will find it much less trouble to take care of, and less work to keep loaded; he may kill a few more ducks with a breech-loader, but they will cost him enough more to make up the difference both in labor and ammunition. For boat-shooting, I would advise, where it can be afforded, the use of both guns, when either may be used as occasion demands, and the special advantages of each be secured. We will suppose our reader to have made up his mind as to which class of guns suits him best—breech or muzzle loader. And, next as to di- mensions, etc. For flight-shooting, an 8-bore is as large as is advantageous, and a 10 is sufficiently small. For a breech-loader, I should never use larger than a 10, as the cartridges for an 8 are too bulky and require too much room for trans- portation, and the 10, if properly loaded, will. kill nearly if not quite as far. For a muzzle- 24 EQUIPMENT, loader, a slight increase in the gauge will admit of larger charges being used for flock-shooting, while the objections in the case of the breech- loader do not occur. Their weights in propor- tion to their gauges should be as follows: For a 10-bore, 9 to 104 Ibs.; 9-bore, 104 to 12 lbs.; 8-bore, 12 to 14 Ibs. The barrels should never be under 30 inches in length, while anything over 35—and that only for an 8-bore—is super- fluous, and only waste and useless metal to carry. Damascus is, I think, the best material, on ac- count both of its beauty and superior strength. Laminated steel, if properly made, is about as good, but so many cheap and almost worthless imitations are in the market that it cannot be relied upon. Damascus cannot be cheaply counter- feited, and therefore is more to be depended on. Select barrels, if possible, having nearly a true taper from breech to muzzle. The rib should be about 4 to § inch wide, slightly concave laterally, but perfectly straight lengthwise, and sufficiently elevated at breech to prevent under-shooting. Sight-piece small and close to the muzzle. So many different principles and methods are employed for breech-loading actions that a full consideration of their merits and defects will be GUNS. 25 impossible here. To my own mind, the best and most desirable is the under-lever double-grip, on account of both its great simplicity and dura- bility, though many of the first-class snap actions work very freely and wear quite well; in fact, for ordinary use are sufficiently durable; but for rough, every-day work, nothing, in my opinion, equals the double-grip. 1 have fired one over twelve thousand shots, and though never in the hands of a gunmaker to be repaired, it is now ap- pareutly as tight as when new: “Greener,” the celebrated English gun manufacturer, in his book on “ Modern Breech-loaders,” says: “The double-grip is considered by all practical gun-makers to be the strongest and most durable arrangement for sporting guns and rifles. Nothing can be more simple or do the work better. There being a great amount of leverage, it possesses wonderful binding power, and when properly made and well fitted it will last many years without becoming loose, as it can be made selftightening to allow for wear and tear. It is getting more into favor every season amongst the sportsmen at home and in India. When guns and rifles constructed on the double-grip plan have failed, it is attributable to the imperfect mode of making the action. We 26 EQUIPMENT. have seen long, heavy double rifles of 8-bore, fitted to a light breech action with bar-locks, and the metal cut away just where it was most required, being left barely strong enough for a light shot- gun.” The break-off in the breech-loader should not be less than three-fourths inch in thickness, and the strap long and fastened to the stock by two screws. The locks, as quoted from Greener, should be back- actioned, thereby leaving the action stronger, and should have a fine oily feel, and give forth a sharp, clear click on cocking. (For a muzzle-loader I should prefer forward-action locks, as they are more pleasing to the eye, and do not weaken the gun any more than the old style, if as much, They should be independent, as they are less liable to get wet inside.) The mainspring should be rather stiffer than is usual in muzzle-loaders, and the hammers should have a good sweep, as some breech-loading caps require a strong blow to ex. plode them. Rebounding locks are rather a detri- ment than an advantage. They are more liable to get out of repair than the common lock, cannot (from principles of construction) be made to strike a blow sufficiently heavy to always in- sure exploding the cap or primer; and from the GUNS. Q7 sudden jerk upon the mainspring are liable to be broken in very cold weather. Another very seri- ous objection, which I have seen occur myself, is that the cap may be driven back into the needle- holes by the force of the explosion, the hammers not holding the strikers up to them, and the working of the gun thereby for a time prevented. If the strikers are sufficiently long, however, to fill the hole completely, this objection cannot occur. The stock should be of English or German wal- nut, with a strong, thick wrist, and the grain and fibre of the wood running with the angle of bend. A pistol-grip is thought by some to be an ad- vantage. The stock should be varnished and pol- ished. - An oiled stock does not stand water well: when wet the fibre of the wood is raised, the wood is swelled, and on drying shrinks from the metal work, leaving the joints open. The trimmings should be of case-hardened iron, with little or no engraving. To determine the length and bend of stock re- quired in ordering a gun, the best way is to pro- cure a gun, if possible, which seems to “come up” to suit you, then lay a straight-edge along the top rib sufficiently long to extend to the butt- plate, and measure the distance from the under- 28 EQUIPMENT. side of the straight-edge to the stock, both at the top of the rise from the wrist, or the nose, as it is called, and at the butt-plate; this will give the bend. From the right trigger to centre of leel-plate is the length of stock required. About three inches is found to be the ordinary bend, and fourteen to fourteen and one-half inches the usual length of stock required. As to the shooting powers of the gun when properly loaded, they are dependent mainly upon the form of bore, in connection with the elasti- city of the material of which the barrels are composed. It is a very foolish idea, though one, I am sorry to say, quite prevalent among sports- men, to suppose, because some one gun is found to do very strong and close shooting, that all others made by the same maker will do equally or nearly as well. This is a very unreasonable presumption, especially in the judging of those gunmakers who manufacture to order. Their cus- tomers generally order their guns made to shoot as their use requires. One who may not be over- particular in aiming, or who desires a gun solely for wood or brush shooting, and where he seldom has to shoot far, will, perhaps, order the gun made to shoot open. Another, who may shoot nothing GUNS. 29 but ducks, may require his to shoot very close. It is obvious neither alone could be taken as a fair sample of the gunmaker’s abilities. As to factory guns in general, they are meant to be made to shoot passably before leaving the shop, and, where they fail to equal the ideal of the purchaser, the dealer usually rebores them to shoot as desired. Thus, again, as many guns are rebored after leaving their makers, their good or bad shooting qualities cannot with justice be ascribed to them. Sportsmen’s ideas, too, differ in regard to shooting so frequently, that what one might call an extra shooting gun, another would consider as only ordinary. Nearly all our first- class gunmakers understand boring fully, as an essential part of their business; so in ordering a gun, if the sportsman will specify how he wants the gun to shoot, he will nearly always be suited, if his demands are at all reasonable. Before I go further, let me explode an- other foolish notion entertained by many of the thoughtless ones. Because game may be killed with more certainty at short distances with small shot than with too large a size, or because they may sometimes happen to kill an extra long shot ‘when using them, they have concluded that small 30 EQUIPMENT. shot will kill farther. Now, on asking their rea- sons for this belief, several have told me—and, indeed, one late author has published the same theory—that a small shot striking a bird, say through the lungs or stomach, makes but a small hole, which closes after the passage of the shot, thus preventing the escape of blood, and causing the bird to die quickly from internal hemorrhage; whereas a larger shot striking in the same place leaves an open hole, through which the blood runs freely, and the bird flies on frequently out of sight, or until it dies from sheer loss of blood. My own idea is that fully nine-tenths of the game that dies solely from loss of blood or inter- nal hemorrhage is never recovered by the sports- man; and though I admit they die more quickly when bleeding internally than if the blood flows outwardly, yet from the wound made by the larger shot, as more of the veins or minute blood-vessels are severed, more blood would escape, and the choking from internal hemorrhage would ensue full as quickly though a portion of the blood should pass through to the outside. It is by the severe shock or paralysis of the nervous system more often than otherwise that death from gunshot wounds is produced, and this GUNS. 31 alone is the almost invariable cause of instant death in such cases. Assuming this to be the fact (and I think but few of my thinking readers will hesitate to do so, being supported in the opinion by the testimony of our most skilful surgeons), it follows that our object should be to create a shock sufficiently severe to always insure death if possible. It is well known that a comparatively slight blow in a vital point, as certain parts of the head, neck, or the immedi- ate region of the heart, will produce a shock sufficient to cause death. A very heavy blow, or the united shock of a number of lighter blows, taking effect in less vulnerable parts, may be suf- ficient to accomplish our purpose. So long as we insure striking a vital place, it is obvi- ous the larger the shot we can use the better, as, their momentum being greater, and their in- dividual striking surfaces larger, they must con- sequently have greater bone-smashing and nerve- destroying effects, and produce greater shocks. Once in a while, though once too often, a stick- ler for small shot will assert as an argument in their favor that small shot will penetrate deeper than large ones, as their surface to be resisted is so much smaller. 32 EQUIPMENT. But, without arguing the point, let the sceptic put it to practical test, and if he finds in shoot- ing at the same target of pine-wood, all other things being equal, that he can get deeper pene- tration with No. 6 shot than he can with No. 1, my faith in the certainty of things in this life will be sadly shaken. Having wisely chosen our shot, our desire should certainly be to give as great a force to those shot as is compatible with safety, comtort of shooting, and sufficient closeness and regularity in their dispersion; for an excess of powder over the proper charge will cause the shot to scatter widely. The pro- per amount of powder, as well as the size and proportionate quantities of shot, we can determine only by experiment. As to the amount of each suitable for duck-shooting, from my own experience and observatioh of the charges used by the most successful duck-hunt- ers of my acquaintance, 1 find the best propor- ‘tions to be: For a 10-gauge, 4 to 5} drachms powder, 1 to 14 ounces shot. For a 9-gauge, 44 to 6 drachms powder, 1 to 132 ounces shot. GUNS. 33 For an 8-gauge, 5 to 7 drachms powder, I} to 14 ounces shot. These charges are amply sufficient for single ducks, and will kill as far as heavier ones if the game be fairly held on. For flock-shooting or a poor marksman, more shot may be added with advantage, as giving more striking surface; and in using larger shot than No. 4, one-quarter ounce should be added to each of the foregoing charges, on account of the fewer number of pellets con- tained in the ounce. As good a way as any to determine the best size of shot to be used for game is to shoot at a target the actual size of the game it is intended for, and at any distance where you can be tolerably certain of striking the target, with four or five pellets, and suffi- cient force and penetration (which is the main point), you may be sure you will be able to secure your bird if fairly held on. For duck-shooting with a breech-loader I would recommend the use of metallic shells. I am satis- fied they shoot stronger. Paper shells are very liable to get wet and thereby spoiled, besides requiring so much room if a large amount of shooting is expected. Their extra cost, too, though an insignificant item in the minds of some, 34 EQUIPMENT. is not to be overlooked by the poorer sports- man. I have seen an objection made to the metallic shell in the columns of the Turf, Field, and farm, \ believe, by a paper-shell man, to the effect that they were dangerous to use. In sup- port of this he goes on to say that, having had one miss fire, he put the shell into a vise, and was punching a hole in the cap for the purpose of prying it off with an awl, when it exploded, and he narrowly escaped serious injury. This reminds me very much of the boy who, to discover .whe- ther his gun was loaded or not, commenced to blow in the muzzle. Seeing the hammer was down, and thinking perhaps that prevented the air from escaping, he endeavored to cock the gun with his toe, which slipped, but not until he had raised the hammer sufficiently, however, to convince him undeniably that the gun was loaded. Had he been permitted to live a few moments longer, he perhaps might have been led to remark, in the simplicity of his spirit, that “loaded guns were dangerous.” I have known two cases of shells being ex- ploded accidentally—one a paper, the other a metallic shell—both in capping after the shells GUNS, 35 were filled. The paper shell burst, splitting the holder’s thumb open, and depriving him of the use of his hand for several days. The metallic shell did no serious harm whatever, not bursting, delivering its charge rather forcibly, but luckily not towards any one. By capping the shells before filling, which should aleays be done, all positive danger from accidental explosion is avoided. The “Sturtevant” shell I like best for the following reasons: First, the loading apparatus is reduced to a minimum. From its construction, the anvil and ejector remaining in the shell, the extra tool for punching off caps needed with all other shells is dispensed with, the rod for pushing down the wads answering the purpose. Second, they are less liable to miss fire. Third, the cost of caps, which are the same as used in the paper shells, is less than any others, excepting common muzzle-loading, and, in cases of emergency, G. D’s may be used. Fourth, with proper care they are more durable than any other shell. Wads (Eley’s are the very best ones) two sizes larger than the bore of the shell should be used to prevent the displacement of the shot in one barrel by the. discharge of the other, as fre- 36 EQUIPMENT. quently happens if wads of too small a size are used. Repeated firing, however, will loosen most any wad; so the sportsman if in the habit of firing one barrel more than the other should, after firing that barrel two or three times in succession, change the loaded shell remaining in the gun to that barrel, and put the fresh one in its place. Some sportsmen of my acquaintance use wads three or four (and one five) sizes larger than their guns; but this I consider decidedly going to extremes. Where one of so large a size is used it crimples, and holds even less than a smal- ler one. If the wads are at all thin, two should be used over the powder. One alone is apt to be blown to pieces in the barrel, causing the gun to shoot badly. More breech-loaders get shaky in the action by being worked carelessly than from repeated firing, and when buying a gun the purchaser is seldom taught the proper method of using it, so I will attempt to describe it here. The barrels should never be allowed to drop down suddenly, bring- ing up with a sudden jerk, as is the favorite way with the snap advocates; neither should they be thrown back into position with a snap; that must wear the hinge excessively. But, on taking the GUNS. 37 gun down from the shoulder after firing, drop the stock inside the elbow, and hold it firmly against the body with the upper arm; then, grasping the barrels tightly with the left hand a few inches in front of the hinge, unfasten the lever with the right, and lower the barrels down easily. Use either hand to withdraw and insert the shells, -holding the gun in position with the other. The gun should then be closed in the same careful manner. The whole operation, so long on paper, can thus be performed as quickly as in any other way, if not quicker. In loading a muzzle-loader, study to make as few motions as possible, and those short and di- rect. If shooting from a boat, have a large, straight rod nearly the size of the bore, with which you may push the wads down as quick as -you please. A quick-loading flask, 7.2, one having a large feed-hole to the charger, should also be used. It is often desirable, where ducks are flyihg in spurts, or cripples are to be secured, to load as fast as possible. In order to do this, the shooter should provide himself with a few thin metallic tubes (tin is good), about an inch and a half in length, with an inside diameter equal to the bore of the gun. Then, 38 EQUIPMENT. first placing them on a level surface, he is to .push a wad into each as far as the bottom, and, after cutting in the proper loads of shot, is to secure each firmly with another wad. Then, when in a hurry to load, all he needs to do, after dropping his powder into the barrel, is to place one of these tubes over the muzzle (guides should be soldered to the outside of the tubes to insure their being in the right position), and with his rod push the contents down at once, when capping finishes the operation. The tubes may be refilled during the intervals between shots. The proper accoutrements for carrying powder and shot are so universally known that to de- scribe them would be simply a waste of time. To those who may be in need of such advice, however, I will just say, if you will load from the tin canister you buy your powder in, get some- thing else besides a screw-top; and, if you must use a bottle to carry your shot in, try and find one with a neck large enough to prevent the shot from jamming and stopping it up when coming out; and, though you may save a cap or two by it, it is not economical in the end to carry your caps in a box, which frequently, in fact always, GUNS. 39 when the ducks are flying thick, you must open with your teeth if you want a cap. Carrying them in your vest-pocket is (take my word for it until you try it) full as handy. Now, to both old and young, let me add the caution: Be careful in handling and carrying your gun. NervER CARRY IT WITH THE HAMMERS DOWN on THE caps. At half-cock is the proper position; then, if the locks are well made and in good order, it will be. almost impossible for the gun to be accidentally discharged. Even at full- cock there is less danger than with the hammers down. i , More of the frightful accidents with guns are attributable to this carrying with the hammers down than to any other one thing. How many times guns are accidentally discharged without seri- ous consequences we have no means of finding out. If it could be known, I am satisfied the number from the reasons above given would exceed all others combined. A very careless and dangerous way of carry- ing a gun, though a very common one with some, is to grasp it by the muzzle, with the barrels resting on the shoulder and pointing to the front. 1 have myself known of three fatal accidents 40 EQUIPMENT. caused in this manner, all directly occasioned by stumbling, when, in guarding against the fall, the stock was suddenly thrown over to the front, and the hammers, striking the ground, exploded the charge. One of the safest, easiest, and readiest methods of carrying the gun is across the front of the body, the barrels pointing diagonally upwards, the fore end of the stock resting in the hollow of the left arm, and the gun held in position by the left hand, which grasps the wrist ‘of the stock. The right hand instead of the left may be used to hold the stock, in which case the fingers of the left simply ‘lie behind the ham- mer. With the barrels over the shoulder and the stock to the front is always a good way; but care should be taken, especially if hunting in company, to keep the muzzle well elevated. In a boat, lay the gun in such a position that the muzzle may be pointing from you, and hunt as little with a greenhorn companion as possible. THE ACT OF SHOOTING. I shall suppose my readers to have at least a fair knowledge of shooting in the field, and, therefore, will not attempt a discourse upon the SHOOTING. 41 ABC of the art. It is an acknowledged fact, how- ever, that some of our most successful field-shots frequently make rather poor work of shooting wild fowl. ‘Their usual fault is in hurrying too much, not taking time to make the necessary allowance for the rapidity of flight. Straight- away shots they usually kill better than any others, because little or no calculation is required; but in cross and over-head shooting, where most judgment is called for, their shot too frequently passes behind the bird. A few brief instructions upon the subject, therefore, may not prove in- appropriate. Never bring up the gun in a direction opposite to the bird’s flight, nor put it up in any way in front of the birds, waiting for them to come to it; but wait until they get nearly to you, and then, bringing the gun up directly behind them, carry it forward quickly in the exact line of their flight, and pull the trigger without stopping the motion of the gun. The precise time of pulling, and the amount of space which must be allowed in front of them and_ behind the line of aim, will, of course, vary greatly in accordance with the direction and apparent velocity of their flight and the probable distance they 42 EQUIPMENT. may be from the shooter. All these conditions, and the allowance to be made, you must estimate almost instantly, whilst putting up the gun, and without musing or pondering over it. This, of course, can be learned only by practice; no in- structions can convey the art. The rates of allowance vary with different people, some almost imperceptibly arresting the motion of the gun at the instant of pulling trigger, others stopping it almost entirely; there- fore it will be impossible to give any precise rules by which this may be determined. To kill mallard when flying at their usual rate of speed, I myself should aim, I think, about two feet, or their length, in advance, if at a distance of thirty-five yards from them. This may help to give the tyro a proximate idea of it, though he may find in practice, for the reasons given above, his proper allowance to be either a little more or less. With experience, the hand and eye will seem to act intuitively without prompt- ing from the mind; but it will require painstak- ing attention. It is not enough to toss the gun up carelessly, and to shoot anywhere in the direction of the ducks. To make the best work of sitting shots, dif: SHOOTING. 43 ferent rules are given by various authors, some saying to shoot at the birds as they are turned. from us on the water, and others telling us to wait for the broadside chance. One thing certainly you may rest assured of, which is agreed to by all: when the birds are facing you is the poorest time. Your position should not be too high, but about two feet above the level of the ducks, if convenient. If the flock is large and close to you, do not shoot at the nearest ones, but rather beyond, inside the edge of the flock, as many pellets which in the first case would be wasted in striking the bodies would, if delivered as directed, take effect almost entirely upon the heads and necks, most vital parts; those of the nearer ducks, if the flock is closely packed, often ‘completely shielding the bodies of those farther off. The ducks may be engaged in feeding, some of them tail-end up, with their heads and necks under water. It is useless to shoot at them in this position. In such a case the shooter should give a low whistle to make them raise their heads before firing. Do not start them up, as some authors advise, but shoot as soon as their heads 44 EQUIPMENT. are raised. More may be killed when on the water by following the above directions than in any way after they have started. Do not use shot of too large a size, nor try to get too near, but give your charge a chance to spread. In shooting over your cripples, which should be done as soon as possible, secure the liveliest one first, and try, if you can get two or three in line, to shoot them before they separate. The dead ones should be the last gathered. CHAPTER II. BLINDS. Tuouen the principles of general procedure may often be the same in like varieties of wild- fowl shooting, the different surroundings frequently necessitate the exercise of considtrable ingenuity in the providing of proper ambush, or blind, as all such hiding-places are generally termed by wild-fowlers. And as it will save considerable labor to know how to set about it properly, I will devote a few lines to the subject. The first thing to be done before building your blind is to decide upon its most favorable loca- tion; and this decision must be governed by various conditions influencing the actions of the ducks, and which you must understand, as well as the habits of your game, before you can be sure of being right. When you enter a pond, note how the ducks may be sitting, whether scattered pro- miscuously about it, or grouped in some particu- 45 46 EQUIPMENT, lar place. Where they are thickest they care most to be. On putting them out, note how they leave the pond; they will almost invariably return from that direction. They seldom take a round- about course. Note the position of the sun and time of day, remembering the sunny side of the pond is best for decoys. Note, also, the direction and force of the wind, and its probable influence on the ducks. From a proper consideration of these and various other little items, not easily enume- rated here, I will suppose its location determined. Now, if a natural blind can be found, such as an old tree-top or roots, a bunch of bushes, or such like, in a suitable position, it should, of course, be taken in preference to building a new one, as the ducks, accustomed to the object, have become familiar with it, and, having no suspicions of danger, do not hesitate to approach; but if such a blind is not to be had, your next course will be to decide upon the most suitable materials handy for building an artificial one, and these, with its shape, should be selected as nearly as possible in consonance with the nature of the surroundings, an improper selection exciting observation, and consequently suspicion. Take plenty of time and build your blind well; make it look as natural BLINDS. AT as possible, and sufficiently large and impenetrable to sight to afford proper concealment. If the ducks are liable to approach from different direc- tions, build it to enclose you completely. A half- built blind is a nuisance. It is certainly laughable to see a greenhorn behind a blind such as he usually builds—a few bushes stuck up to dodge around—when, as it often happens, a couple of flocks of ducks may be ap- proaching at the same time from different direc- tions. At first he tries to hide from both, but, giving that up as impossible, makes up his mind which of the flocks is of the most heedless dispo- sition, or is coming most directly towards him, and so jumps to that side of his clump of bushes which affords most concealment from them. On looking over his shoulder an instant, however, his mind wavers, and, affecting his body, that, too, begins to waver, first to one side of the blind, and then to the other, as the vacillations of the mind seem to ‘prompt it. All his motions, how- ever, only serve to attract the attention of the ducks, and they swerve by to either side far out of reach. He now deliberates awhile, and concludes his blind is not large enough. So he starts for the nearest timber or patch -of bushes to cut more 48 EQUIPMENT. brush, Watching as he goes for the approach of the ducks. Just as he gets to the timber he sees a flock coming, and back he runs as fast as possible, perhaps through mud and slush, arriving at the blind as they go by, too wide of course by rods. Now he is sorry he left the blind, and remains fearful to leave, lest others may come; but upon their coming, and again disappointing him, he fully makes up his mind (if the ducks will only stay away long enough) to get more brush; does so, and finally succeeds in getting a half-decent blind built, about the time the ducks quit flying. If he has a dog to whistle to and bellow at, and to yank around the blind when ducks are approaching, it adds very materially to the entertainment in the eyes and ears of one who can appreciate it. In high wild oats or flags of course no building is required. The boat, if shooting from one, should be pushed into one of the thickest bunches, at right angles with the main line of flight. Then the tops of the stalks or flags are to be struck down and in towards the boat with an oar, cover- ing as near as possible the bow and stern, and afterwards trimmed so as not to interfere with the swinging of the gun, and the blind is complete. When two persons are hunting in company in a “TTV.J—ONILOOHS GaVTIVA, INOg FS an An ( he Me il sy Mi th A i BLINDS. 49 rice-pond, it is well for one to take a stand on one of the large muskrat-houses nearly always to be found there, as by taking separate positions more shots are obtained. To build a blind in a rat-house, a large one like a small hay-stack should be selected, a hole dug in the middle with the hands and feet, and the edges then built higher with stalks of rice or flags. This makes an excellent blind, as the ducks, being accustomed to rat-houses, take no especial notice of it. It is a favorite manceuvre of greenhorns to crawl round the outside of rat-houses, endeavoring to hide, and being liable to be kicked off upon firing. I have crawled about many a@ one thus in my early duck- shooting days. If the blind is to be built of small branches or bushes, they should be stuck up in the ground close together, smaller twigs entwined among them, and bunches of grass, weeds, rice, or flags scattered judiciously over and amongst them, to close all large, open spaces or thin places that the ducks might see through. If very large, bushy branches are used, they may be laid down crossing each other, with the tops turned out- wards. The blind should never be built higher than the shoulders when in an erect position. 50 EQUIPMENT. In cutting down a willow blind about a boat, as the common blinds are made in spring, con- siderable judgment is necessary. As the ponds are usually bordered with willows, it is generally easy to find a group growing in the position desired, the most favorable one being that where four trees grow as it were in the angles of a rectangular parallelogram, being apart in one direction the width of the boat, and in the other about three-fourths its length. If in such a posi- tion that the boat must be head on to the decoys, the boat should be placed between them, and the trees felled towards the bow, the cut ends allowed to remain on the stumps, the tops of the forward trees crossing each other on the bow, and the after-tops lying on the forward trunks. If the tops are not sufficiently leafy and dense, more branches must be cut from the neighbor- ing trees and placed upon them, and it will sometimes be necessary to tie these branches in position to prevent their being blown off. Should the trees grow the other way, z.e., the long side of the parallelogram towards the decoys, they should be felled, those on the same side of the boat towards each other, and branches should be added and fastened. ‘The new cut ends of the BLINDS. 51 trunks and stumps should always be covered with mud or grass to hide them. from sight of the ducks. Should the forward trees be the proper distance apart, it’ is a good plan to wedge the boat between them, thus making it more steady and better to shoot from. In_ blue-bill shooting upon the edges of our ploughed prairies and corn-fields, an excellent blind may be made by turning your boat upon its edge, and bracing it in that position by a stake or oar. Game do not appear to be at all suspicious of it. For teal and golden-eyes this plan answers nearly as well; but mallard and canvas-back are generally shy of it. In the winter, when the ground is covered with snow, a blind made of bleached cotton-cloth, fastened to stakes stuck in the ground, affords a good concealment, and cannot be easily distin- guished from the surrounding snow. A_ white handkerchief should be worn over the cap or hat. Great quantities of ducks are often killed in the air-holes about freezing-up time. Long after the feeding-ponds are entirely covered with ice the ducks remain feeding in the corn-fields miles from the river, to which they return to roost at night, in holes which they keep open 52 EQUIPMENT. during the severest weather by the warmth of their bodies, and by keeping the water con- stantly in motion. It is not unusual at such times to kill over a hundred during the day. One of the best blinds for this kind of sport is made of ice. It should bé cut in cakes, the size of which should be proportioned to its thickness, and these should be placed on edge or end in the proper form. If the ice is thin, say three or four inches thick, and the day cold, shallow grooves should be cut in the bed-ice, and the ends of the cakes placed therein. Water should then be poured about them, and the fine ice made in chopping packed in beside them, which will quickly cement together, holding the cakes firm and upright. Old ice or ice mixed with snow is the best, as new ice, if thin, is generally too transparent; but, if white cotton cloth be hung inside the new ice, it makes the blind all that could be desired. Another and perhaps the very best blind that can be made for air-hole shooting is the sunken box, not the battery described under the head of canvas-back shooting, but a deep box of pine, almost forty inches square on top and_ fifteen inches on the bottom, On account of the diffi- culty of sinking it, it should be as small as BLINDS. 53 convenient, and the sides made tapering from top to bottom; or like the figure given below, which I think is the better plan; the lower part being as deep as from the knee to the. sole of the foot, the upper part sufficiently deep to completely hide the body of the shooter when in a crouching position. ‘To sink the box, a square hole, a trifle larger than the outside of the larger box, is cut in the ice where the box is intended to be placed, and the box then sunk to the desired depth by loading it sufficiently with water. It is now fastened in position to two stout poles, about twelve feet long, which have been previ- ously pushed under the surrounding ice, one along either side, and touching the box. The water used in sinking is now bailed out again, and, after hiding the edges of the box with pieces of ice, it is ready for occupancy. When the 54 EQUIPMENT. ice is not sufficiently strong to hold down the empty box, this plan must be given up, and the box kept to the desired depth by stones or other heavy weights. CHAPTER. III DECOYS. Oye of the most important requisites to insure success in wild-fowl shooting, and more especially in the pursuit of the deep-water varieties, is a suitable floek of decoys. They may be made in a multitude of ways, and of several different materials, each of which has its peculiar advan- tages, but at the same time its corresponding defects. The principal objects to be attained by all, however, are naturalness, or a sufficient resem- blance to the species they are intended to repre- sent, with the proper shape necessary to enable them to ride in an erect position during the heavy blows they are often exposed to. This last desideratum is often partially and, I might say, entirely overlooked in the desire to make the "decoys as light as possible, and of such shape as to take least room in transportation. With such objects in view, would-be inventors have tried a variety of methods in making them, 55 56 EQUIPMENT. and though certainly accomplishing their object in this respect, have failed most decidedly in the main thing needed. One of them gave us rubber decoys for the modest price of thirty dollars per dozen. They were hollow, with a tube attached, through which, when needed for use, they were to be inflated with the breath, which being ejected by compression when ready for transportation, they could be packed in very little space. They would float remarkably light and airy, a property, though contrary to general sup- position, not at all desirable, as causing them to roll sidewise in the least ripple, a motion the natural ducks never make, even in the roughest weather. A shot-hole ruined them, and as the rubber soon began to crack after but little usage in a hot sun, they soon proved a failure. De- coys of metal, too, were tried, both of copper and tin, made to be taken apart, and the several parts nested together for packing; these, besides being very expensive, were proved to be com- paratively no better than the rubber ones, for reasons very obvious to the knowing ones, but which the “greenies,” who want everything new, could not see until they had paid their money to find out. DECOYS. 57 Decoys made of wood (not the things one usually finds for sale in the gunshops, where they should be allowed to remain, but as con- structed to use, according to reason and with a proper appreciation of the thing needed) are preferable to any others, Having had some little experience in their manufacture as well as their use, and having the satisfaction of seeing my own used as models by better hunters, I will describe them as I think they should be made; willing at the same time to yield due deference to the opin- ions of others. My principal object has been to secure the best shape possible to prevent rolling, and to ensure with least extra weight an upright posi- tion at all times when in use. How I have en- deavored to do this will be better understood from the annexed cuts, representing outlines of the Decoys. 58 EQUIPMENT, decoy, than by any explanation I could convey in words. White cedar and soft pine are undoubtedly the best woods for decoys, on account both of their extreme lightness and ease of cutting. Pine per- haps is better for heals, being less easily broken, while cedar is the most durable. The timber should be well seasoned and free from knots and sap. For ducks, 2X6 inches is the proper size, but for geese larger timber is needed. The timber, being planed on one side and sawed in proper lengths, is next cut around on its edge, according to a pattern representing a horizontal section of the decoy intended. Two pieces are needed for each decoy, which must be gouged out to the proper thickness, thus making the decoy hollow. The head (which has been previously shaped) is fitted and fastened to the top part by a screw from beneath, and the two parts, being roughly hewn into shape in conformation with a side pattern, are, after being nicely fitted, glued or otherwise cemented firmly together, and the decoy rounded and finished smooth. After being thoroughly" sand-papered, it should be wet slightly all over so as to raise the grain of the wood, and when dry should be again sand-papered. If DECOYS. 59 the decoy be washed over with a thin dressing of shellac, it will prove much more impervious to water. This should be done before painting, and no varnish should be put on afterwards, as it makes the decoy too glaring when in the sun. When thoroughly smooth, a heavy coat of priming should be put on, of some neutral tint that will not show too plainly through the coloring coat; all of which should be mixed with raw oil, and without an artificial drier. The priming should be allowed to harden thoroughly before the colors are put on. No priming is used on many of the decoys for sale in the gun-shops; consequently, they soon become water-soaked and heavy, and the colors indistinct. Artists’ tube colors should be used, being more lively and durable than com- mon paint, and costing but little more; and the nearer the painting resembles the coloring of the natural duck the better. A small brass wire staple or piece of leather is to be fastened to the lower part of the breast, to attach the line to. A piece of lead, about four ounces in weight, formed as shown in the figure, should next be screwed on to the bottom lengthwise, like a keel, and the de- coy is complete. For shoal-water duck-shooting, flat-bottomed, hol- 60 EQUIPMENT. low decoys, of two and one-half inches in thickness, answer fully as well, as the water is seldom rough. Each decoy should be provided with a sepa- rate line and anchor, which last should be of lead, if convenient, as it is less liable to scratch the paint from decoys than anything else. This need néver exceed four ounces weight. The line should be what is known as “sixteen thread” seine twine, about one-tenth inch thick, of a length adapted to’ the depth of water, and attached to the staple or leather in the breast of the decoy. Instead of winding the line round the neck of the decoy, as is often done, the proper way is to wind it tightly round the middle, which may be done in much less time, an item of importance when taking up decoys in a heavy wind. And in setting them out again, instead of unwinding them turn by turn, the decoy should be taken by the head in one hand, and the lead thrown with the other to the place desired, the turns coming off towards the tail as the lead is thrown. A large flock of decoys may be set out in this way in a remarkably short time. In this connection it will, I think, be well to give a few directions as to the management of the boat when taking up decoys in a heavy DECOYS. 61 “blow.” If you remain in the stern, you will find it very hard to keep your boat head to wind; when stooping to pick up your decoys, it will whirl round, and you will have some work to turn it back again. Therefore, stand in the bow, with your knees braced against the bulkhead or sides of the boat, and paddle bow first as usual. By so doing the boat will never Of itself turn the wrong way, and you may pick up your decoys in a short time and with comparatively little labor, when it would be impossible in the manner first mentioned. Always pick up your leeward-most decoys first, and, just before stooping to grasp each one, give the boat an extra stroke ahead to keep up its headway whilst winding the line. If you erro- neously commence at the windward side of the flock, many of the lines will invariably become entangled in winding up, when those of the windward decoys must often be pulled over those nearest to leeward; and in the event of the boat’s drifting back upon them and bunching them together, as will unavoidably occur if the decoys are placed as closely together as they should be, before the snarled lines are sepa- rated and wound up the boat may have been 62 EQUIPMENT. blown to leeward many yards, occasioning hard pulling to bring back again, besides the confu- sion it has made. A favorite way of making decoys with some of the old sea-coast “gunners” of my acquaintance (though I never thought much of it and have never seen such used in the Western country) was simply to cut them*in outline of inch *boards. These were fastened one at either end to short boards, termed floaters, about two feet long and six inches in width, by pins inserted in holes bored in the under edges of the decoys, which, being loose, left them free to turn sidewise with the action of the wind and waves. The anchor-line was fastened to the centre of the floater; and when not in use the decoys could be lifted from the pins and be packed in compara- tively little space. They seemed to work first- rate, especially in coot-shooting, though I should much prefer the full-sized hollow decoy, notwith- standing the additional packing-room required. One special advantage they undoubtedly pos- sessed—that of being easily and quickly made. Another, and perhaps the best decoy for coot- shooting, is made as follows: