Thirty to thirty-five yards should be regarded as the outside range, with forty yards as an extreme limit. The latter, however, should only be attempted in exceptional cases, and never when shooting in company.
Should two guns be employed, the case of the second is, of course, different. It may be loaded with larger shot—say AAA—which is effective up to fifty yards.
The speed of geese (like that of bustards) is extremely deceptive—as much so as their apparent nearness when really far out of shot. When in full flight geese travel as fast as ducks or as driven grouse, though their relatively slow wing-beats give a totally false impression thereof. It is a safe rule for beginners to allow double that forward swing of the gun that may appear needful to inexpert eyes.
Even when geese are slowing down to alight, the impetus of their flight is still far greater than it appears.
It is a mistake to suppose (as many urge) that geese cannot be killed coming in, that the shot then “glances off their steely plumage,” or that you “must let them pass over and shoot from behind,” etc., etc. The cause of all these frequent misapprehensions is—the old, old story—too far back! Hold another foot ahead—or a yard, according to circumstance—and this dictum will be handsomely proved.
Never deliberately try to kill two at one shot; it results in killing neither. But by shooting well ahead of one goose that is seen to be aligned with another beyond, both may thus be secured.
CHAPTER XII
SOME RECORDS IN SPANISH WILDFOWLING
EL TRAVIERSO, February 9, 1901.—An hour before dawn we (five guns) lay echeloned obliquely across a mile of water, the writer’s position being the second out. No. 1 squatted (in six inches of water) between me and the shore; but, being dissatisfied, moved elsewhere shortly after day-break, leaving with me two geese and about a dozen ducks. These, with thirty-six of my own, I set out as decoys. Shortly thereafter I heard the gaggle of geese, and two, coming from behind, were already so near that there was only time to change one cartridge to big shot. The geese passed abeam, quite low and within thirty yards, but six feet apart—impossible to get them both. Held on; upon seeing that the decoys were a fraud, the geese spun up vertically, and that one cartridge secured both. The incident gives opportunity to introduce two rough sketches pencilled down at the moment. During this day there were recurrent periods when for ten or fifteen, minutes ducks flew extremely fast and well—revoluciones, our keepers term these sporadic intermittent movements; then for a full hour or more might follow a spell of absolute silence and an empty sky. Almost the whole of these successive flights concentrated on No. 2—such is fowler’s luck,—so that by dusk I had gathered 105 ducks, 3 geese, 3 flamingoes, and 4 godwits; total, 115. The next gun (J. C. C.), though only 200 yards away, in No. 3, had but 30 ducks; while the others had practically had no shooting all day. Bertie, however, two miles away at the Desierto, added 65—bringing the day’s total to 268 ducks, 8 geese, etc. Three guns left to-night.
