"Hunting" might be stretching it a bit. These were heavy, boat mounted guns, with a single barrel and a hinged breech and lanyard.
"Shooting", maybe Best,Ted
I'm not so sure I agree with that sentiment, Ted. Of course 'market hunting' is out of style today, but in the time these punt guns were being used, market shooting waterfowl was no less an accepted waterman's living, occupation, and sport than oyster gathering today. I understand punt gunning is still an accepted sport on the English coast today. I have a hard enough time aiming a shotgun; imagine having to aim a boat!
My guess is that sculling a sneak boat through cold rough water trying to 'sneak' a raft of Cans on the Chesapeake in Winter was all the "sport" anyone with sound mind might ever want to try. Not acceptable today, but if BP's lost oil ends up ruining the Gulf coast oysterbeds, 'a dozen on the half-shell' might become a thing of the past also; individual opinions can differ without either opinion being necessarily correct...Geo
