. Guns and gunning. the sport. Flocksof small sandpipers will often alight among thedecoys, and will prove a great help in decoyinglarger birds, if unmolested by the sportsman. The smaller species seem to realize the intelli-gence and watchfulness of the big snipe, and relyon them for warning in case of danger. The yel-low-leg has been given the name of tattler onaccount of its habit of warning other birds on theapproach of a hunter. BOATS The flat bottom skiff is the best boat to use insnipe shooting. The hunter often finds it necessary to followwinding sloughs for long distances. Sometimesth
. Guns and gunning. the sport. Flocksof small sandpipers will often alight among thedecoys, and will prove a great help in decoyinglarger birds, if unmolested by the sportsman. The smaller species seem to realize the intelli-gence and watchfulness of the big snipe, and relyon them for warning in case of danger. The yel-low-leg has been given the name of tattler onaccount of its habit of warning other birds on theapproach of a hunter. BOATS The flat bottom skiff is the best boat to use insnipe shooting. The hunter often finds it necessary to followwinding sloughs for long distances. Sometimesthey are very shallow, or peeter out altogether;and then he must drag his boat across the muduntil another channel is found. Mud is the most unpleasant feature of beachbird hunting. It gets on the clothes, and gun;and if the hunter is unlucky enough to slip and fall,it is doubtful if his best friend would recognize good pole is often useful, as rovsang is tedious invery shallow water. The boat should be light 15. enough for one man to drag, if necessary, and a longpainter will be helpful in tying the boat at low tide. BOO 75 Good hip boots are a comfort in snipeshooting. So much wading and mud-walk-ing must be done, that ordinary shoes wouldbe useless. The boots should fit tightly, ofthe clinging mud will pull them from yourfeet. It is an exasperating thing to get stuckin the mud. The harder you pull on onefoot to get it free, the more firmly plantedyour other foot gets; at last, covered withmud and perspiration, you gain the bank,and make a solemn vow that the snipe marshes willnever see you again. As a flock of snipe usuallychoose this inopportune time for decoying, you mustbe an enthusiast indeed to remain calm. But it isthe clothes we wear that make us clumsy. A mancan go through the stickiest mud without muchtrouble if his legs are bare. When the hunter iscaught in quicksand, or a mud hole, he should pull hisfeet out of his boots; then he can move more easily. TIDES A
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbe, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecthunting
