The Punt Gun was a type of shotgun used to hunt large flocks of waterfowl for commercial harvesting in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. These guns had a bore diameter of up to two inches and could shoot a pound of shot at one time, often bringing down fifty birds with a single shot.

The guns were much too large and cumbersome for a single person to handle, so they would be mounted on long square-ended flat-hulled boats called “Punts.” Thus, the name “Punt Guns.” The waterfowl would be shot while resting on the surface of a lake after the boats were maneuvered into position. Commercial hunters would often use several boats to work in unison, and this way, they could harvest hundreds of birds at one time.

The use of Punt Guns for commercial hunting was outlawed in most states in the U.S. by the 1860s, due to the depletion of waterfowl.

Watch this forty-four-second video to witness the damage that a Punt Gun can do.