File:The wild-fowler - a treatise on ancient and modern wild-fowling, historical and practical (1864) (14728350426).jpg

Identifier: wildfowlertreati00folk (find matches)
Title: The wild-fowler : a treatise on ancient and modern wild-fowling, historical and practical
Year: 1864 (1860s)
Authors: Folkard, Henry Coleman
Subjects: Fowling Waterfowl shooting Game and game-birds
Publisher: London (England) : Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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kes of his oar, going- directly in face of the dawn, when, from theLight thrown upon the water by the opening sky, the punter will themore readily detect any birds which may be in his track; and beingin the shade himself, golden opportimities frequently occur, where-with to repay the early riser for his exertions. During severe frost, the midnight punter will find no lack of sportin salt-water bays and rivers: wild-fowl are compelled to seek theirfood in the salt feeding-grounds at such a time; and widgeon andduck, for the most part, stay all night in such places rather than taketheir flight inland, where nought but hard ground, ice, and dis-appointment await them. The midnight sportsman must be equally watchful with his ears bynight as with his eyes by day; indeed, he will require the bestservices of both those organs during moonlight, for it would be auseless night-excursion to sit with the back in the direction fromwhich sport is anticipated j to say nothing of the inconvenience of
Text Appearing After Image:
NIGHT PUNTING. 171 constantly turning round to see if there be anything a-head. Themotion of both man and boat are too often discovered by the birdslong before the sportsman is aware they are in sight; and he couldscarcely expect to find wild-fowl in the affc-track of his boat, althoughthere may be chances of such both to the right and left. Whenproceeding by the side or bank of a river, or along the sea-coast atnight, it is as well to sit in the rowing position, because then thesportsmans attention is mainly directed to one side or the other, andnot directly a-head, as in the case above presumed, when he issupposed to be moving up or down an extensive space of water, andwhen he should sit or kneel with his face to the prow. The engraving opposite will convey to the reader a notion ofthe science of night-punting, with the manner of approaching wild-fowl by moonlight. The two punters, it will be observed, areadvancing with the birds in full view ; whilst the men in their puntsare in th

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