A Stalking-Horse for shelter, to avoid being seen by the shie Fowl, is an old Jade trained on purpose; but this being rare and troublesome, have recourse to Art, to take Canvas stuft and painted in the shape of a Horse grazing, and so light that you-may carry him on one hand (not too big:) Others do make them in the shape of Ox, Cow, for Variety; and Stag, Trees, &c.
The great Fowl, or those who divide the Foot, reside by shallow Rivers sides, Brooks and Plashes of Water; and in low and boggy places, and sedgie, Marish, rotten Grounds. They also delight in the dry parts of drowned Fens, overgrown with long Reeds, Rushes and Sedges; as likewise in half Fens drowned Moors, hollow Vales or Downs, Heaths, &c. Where obscurely they may lurk under the Shelter of Hedges, Hills, Bushes, &c.
The lesser, or Web footed, Fowl, always haunt drowned Fens, as likewise the main streams of Rivers not subject to Freeze, the deeper and broader, the better; (tho' of these the Wild-Goose and Barnacle, if they cannot sound the depth, and reach the Ouze, change their Residence for shallow places, and delight in Green Winter Corn, especially if the Lands ends have Water about them:) Small Fowl also frequent hugely little Brooks, Ponds, drowned Meadows, Pastures, Moors, Plashes, Meres, Loughs, and Lakes, stored with unfrequented Islands, Shrubs, &c.
How to take all manner of Fowl or Birds.
For taking the first (I mean the greater Fowl) with Nets, observe in general this: Come two hours before their feeding hours, Morning and Evening; and Spreading your Net on the Ground smooth and flat, stake the two lower ends firm, and let the upper ends be extended on the long Cord; of which the further end must be fastned to the Ground, three Fathoms from the Net, the Stake in a direct Line with the lower Verge of the Net; the other, ten or twelve fathom long, have in your hand at the aforsaid distance, and get some shelter of Art or Nature, to keep you from the curious and shy Eye of the Game; having your Net so ready that the least pull may do your work, strew'd over with Grass as it lies to hide it: A live Hern, or some other Fowl lately taken, according to what you seek for, will be very requisite for a Stale. And you will have sport from the Dawning, till the Sun is about an hour high; but no longer; and from Sun-set till Twilight; these being their feeding times.
For the small (Water) Fowl. Observe the Evening is best before Sun-set. Stake down your Nets on each side the River half a foot within the Water, the lower part so plumb'd as to sink no further; the upper Slantwise shoaling against, but not touching by two foot, the water, and the Strings which bear up this upper side fastned to small yielding sticks prickt in the Bank, that as the Fowl strike may ply to the Nets to intangle them. And thus lay your Nets (as many as you please) about twelve score one from another, as the River or Brook will afford. And doubt not your success. To expedite it however,
a Gun Fired three or four times in the Fens and Plashes, a good distance from your Nets, will affright and Post them to your Snares; and so do at the Rivers, when you lay in the Fens.
Winter time is the most proper for taking all manner of Small Birds, as flocking then promiscuosly together, Larks, Lennets, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Yellow-Hammers, &c. with this Bird-lime, Put to a quarter of a Pound of Bird-lime, an ounce of fresh Lard, or Capons-grease, and let it gently melt together over the Fire, but not Boyl; then take a quantity of Wheat-ears, as you think your use shall require, and cut the straw about a foot long besides the Ears, and from the Ear lime the straw six Inches; the warmer it is, the less discernible it will be. Then to the Field adjacent, carrying a bag of Chaff, and thresh'd Ears, scatter them twenty Yards wide, and stick the lim'd ears (declining downwards) here, and there; Then traverse the Fields, disturb their Haunts, and they will repair to your Snare, and pecking at the Ears, finding they stick to them, mount; and the Lim'd straws, lapping under their Wings, dead their flight, they cannot be disengaged, but fall and be taken they must. Do not go near them, till they rise of their own accord, and let not five or six entangled lead you to Spoil your Game, and incur the loss of Five or Six dozen.
Lime-Twigs, is another Expedient for taking of great Fowl, being Rods that are long, small, strait, and pliable, the upper part apt to play to and fro; being besmeared with Bird-lime warm. Thus to be used, Observe the Haunts of the Fowl, have a Stale, (a living Fowl of the same kind you would take) and cross pricking your Rods,
one into, and another against the Wind sloping, a foot distant one from the other; pin down your Stale, some distance from them, tying some small string to him, to pull and make him flutter to allure the Fowl down. If any be caught, do not run presently upon them, their fluttering will encrease your Game. A well taught Spaniel is not amiss to retake those that are entangled, and yet flutter away. Thus likewise for the Water; consult the Rivers depth, and let your Rods be proportionable; what is Lim'd of them being above the Water, and a Mallard, &c. as a Stale placed here and there, as aforesaid. You need not wait on them, but three times a day visit them, and see your Game; if you miss any Rods (therefore know their Number) some Fowl entangled is got away with it, into some Hole, &c. and here your Spaniel will be serviceable to find him.