As you allude to, it takes skill to be successful at hunting, it's just in different forms. With some, the emphasis is on shooting skill; others its in being able to pick the vicinity the birds want to be, place the decoys to properly position the birds to land, and have the calling ability to convince the birds to commit to landing in the decoys. Others find satisfaction in being stealthy enough to sneak into range of resting birds whether from the land or the water.
I've done all the above to varying degrees and find satisfaction in all. Often, being versatile in one's approach may be what allows one to put something in the game pouch. More importantly, when guiding having alternatives can give the person paying out their hard earned money a better chance at the success they think they are paying for.
I still have three methods of taking waterfowl on my bucket list besides a punt gun. The first is to catch a duck by hand as I've read accounts of those in Egypt and Japan. That would be a real test of stalking.
The second would be by net. Not a mist net or throw net as I have done the former but a long handled fishing type net as the bird passes by. It would be limited to puffins as it was them I saw taken by this method.
Last, taken over a tolling dog. This is one that I hope to accomplish this fall. I don't have a toller but I know someone who does and hope we can accomplish that goal. It appears to be pretty difficult but the attempt should be amusing.
