Many a good day's sport have I enjoyed with the ducks in India. In the North-West Provinces, where I was once quartered, there are a number of "jheels" or huge lakes, and during the cold weather these are tenanted by countless wild-fowl of nearly every variety. The plan usually adopted is to post the guns some distance apart and where they can best command the favourite feeding grounds of the birds; natives are then sent to different parts of the lake to stir the fowl and afterwards to keep them on the move, should they settle at a distance from where the guns are placed. Well I remember the keen pleasure, not unmixed with anxiety, with which I received an invitation to shoot a celebrated "jheel" which had not been disturbed that season. Ten guns, I was told, were coming. Now I knew that there were not more than half-a-dozen really safe guns in the immediate neighbourhood, and I determined that in my case discretion should be the better part of valour. I accepted the invitation with certain mental reservations.
Arrived at the rendezvous, I found an old friend and good shot; in addition several good fellows, some of whom, though charming from a social point of view, plainly showed by the rather defiant manner in which they handled their guns that they were best avoided on the present occasion. Fortunately for my friend and myself we were rather short of boats, so with apparent good nature we insisted on staying on shore, where we could get well out of range if necessary. We speedily secreted ourselves amongst some tall reeds, and well away from the direction towards which the fleet of boats was making. One of these, strongly resembling a three-decker, had three guns on board, all of whom stood upright throughout the action. Her we christened the Man of War. The smaller craft skirmished in her vicinity, and for two hours the battle raged furiously. No distance was too great, no waterfowl too small or insignificant for their attention; but endurance has its limits, and at last we noticed that even the Man of War was silenced, having fired upwards of 600 rounds. Slowly and solemnly the "Fleet" worked its way back to tiffin.
BEFORE THE EVENING MEAL
In the meantime my friend and I had some capital sport, killing several pintail before these birds, always the first to leave, had finally departed. In addition we got some grey duck, gadwall, and a number of garganey and pochard. Later, when the boats had all left the "jheel," the fowl slowly began to return, and we now realised with satisfaction that we were well placed. Never have I had better sport or enjoyed myself more, and when at length we were peremptorily informed that the return train was shortly due (and even Indian trains don't wait for one more than half-an-hour), we staggered into the little wayside station, followed by our coolies, carrying enough ducks to feed the station for a week. The second method has now to be dealt with.
Nothing is easier than to accustom the ducks to come to feed at stated times.
At first a horn may be used and then gradually dropped, and in a very short time the birds will know the time of day as well as their feeder does; the latter must be stern with them, absolutely declining to feed them except at the regular hours, one of which will be timed to suit the hour it is intended to commence the shoot. Before commencing this tuition the host will have to select the place from which he wishes the birds to fly, and also the feeding ground which is the end of their journey.