Migrating to Mexico

Hopping the border for ducks & doves

In Natural History of the Waterfowl, Frank Todd writes: "Waterfowl flock for numerous reasons, not the least of which is predator avoidance . . . . When confronted with many simultaneous targets, a predator may find it impossible to concentrate on a single target." Hoo, boy, did he write a mouthful. A pair of sprig settling into the decoys presents a fairly easy target. Eighty of them, and I tend to wave my shotgun feebly in their general direction with my mouth open. Then I watch helplessly as they stream away, wondering how on earth I could have possibly missed, until my hunting partner says, "Why didn't you shoot?" Oh.

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