I have sometimes had the same question. If a man can sneak through an eastern Carolina swamp and get close enough to bushwack a duck, especially a wood duck, on the water, he has earned that duck. Of course, if he can do that and then flush and shoot the duck, he has earned it more. Likewise for someone in a boat. If you are good enough to paddle a boat into shotgun range of one, you've earned the shot. Up to you whether to take it on the water or on the wing.
I somehow don't feel the same way about shooting one on the water in the decoys, or one that has just happened to simply swim by or set down on the water in gun range.
