American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1827-01-16
DUCK SHOOTING.
70 the Editor of the Elkton Press.


sin 1t may not be unin,erestng to some Of your
distant readers, to he informed of the manner Of
shooting Wild Ducks on the Susquehanna; and
though many OF them may be increduous, no cit
zen OF Cecil county will doubt The sequel.
The phrase TDleing Ducks is peculiar to this
patt OF the world, aud is not understood any where
else; and i, prac'ised in the following manner
When gunner discovers flock OF ducks floating
a, 100 gteai distance to be shot from the shore.
he crawls near to the water. and conceals himself
nehnd blind, which he previously erected for the
uur pose, o. logs coveted with syer grass He has
with him dog trained to run afer chips or small
stones the colo, Of the dog should be red or white.
hough almost every color has been found to answer
= times Concealed from the ducks, the gunner
throws stone the edge OF the water, end the
log Instantly springs from the blind and runs after
il. A the sight nt The dog playing on the shore,
he du ks stretch out their long eks and gaze with
apparent amazeoen, and curiosity, like gang Of
negroes At Punch in the puppet show. The gun
ner continues to throw stones right and left, and
The dog to run after them; the dog should be kept
unning as las, possible and not allowed to stop
If it can be avoided or an instant his large bushy
tail ought to be constantly in motion. The ducks
IT the meanwhile delighted with the singular
spectacle, and swim towards the dog fast their
feet can paddle them, great is their impatt nee
10 get nearer view OF him, that those which arc
iurthest off ill ny and light between bin and those
that were nearest All the time the ducks keep
,he ewes fixed upon the dog. and seem TO be gov
ened by spell which they have not power nor IN
clination 10 break, like birds charmed by a black
snake. As soon as the gunner perceiycs that the
ducks take notice Of his dog, his hope is raised fre-
quenty TO be disappointed, for il the ducks see the
gunner, or il his dog run behind any thing on the
shore that conceal, him from their sight. or if from
fatigue or aziness he decline running, it he bark
or lie down TO gnaw the stone that was thrown tor
him, which frequently happens, instantly the spell is
broken, and the dacks take TO their wings. II
however, no accident happens. and every thing
works right, Gas the duckers say) often flock o
ducks that cover half OF water, is toled as I
: were by magic, from Goo yards OF upwards TO with
in twenty eet of the gunner. The numbers ina
are killed in this way, incredible. for there arr
gene ray two three gunners that shoot from the
same blind will not attempt TO account Tor toieine
ducks; by what instinct impulse they are rulet
il coming TO the dog, whether il be curiosity OF
magic, know not but know that the tact exists
as have stated, and can be altested by hondreds
gunners on the Susqueh hanna and defy Dr. Mitch
ell or any other sage, TO give satisfactory explana
J. tion of il. have seen the same flock OF duck
toled 10 the shore three times in one day by tht
. SAME dog, and shot at each time. |. is not to b
supposed that the dog is conscious oi the effect III
produces on the ducks, or knows that they come le
he shore TO see him: he is engaged playing Will
the stones that are thrown for him, and thinks o
: ohne else. There is difficulty in training toler
most dogs are too lazy. and refuse to run as sooI