The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-01-15
nuckS and Ouckin0.-Ouru unns

Ducks and Ducking.-Our gunnors who
follow ducking on the flats below the
mouth of the Susquehanna river, and in
Elk and Bohemia rivers, report fewer ducks
| the present season than ever before and an
increase of gunners. The gunners have
not only increased in numbers but the
means Of destruction have become more
| formidable. In addition to the sink boat
which is a very destructive contrivanee, al
lowing the sportman to lie concealed in the
very heart of the wave, as it were, while
he anchors II flock of wooden ducks in easy
range of his hidden boat to entice the birds
to approach, when he fires into the am
pushed flock with double barreled guns,
bringing down numbers Of them by the
voleys he fires in quick succession, before
the ducks can get beyond range. To this
wholesale slaughter is now added night
shooting with heavy swivel guns, which
not only kill and cripple the birds in great
numbers, but the loud report of those heavy
guns fired amongst them in darkness, add
ed to the glaring fash completely territies
the ducks and drives them from their ac-
customed feeding grounds.
We have heard Of still another formida-
BILE engine of destruction which has been
introduced recently. In fact we have not
heard of it before this winter. This is a
long, narrow, low built boat, driven by
steam, carrying two men, who are armed with
s.,o,+o,e b1a Of firinr iytv ShotS
minute Small balls are used, and by this
we presume the gun is Of a rifle class, and
capable Of throwing its balls, tho small, a
long distance. The steam propelled boat
enables the gunners to follow the game
rapidly from place to place and pursue
them for miles, while the rapid discharges
of their formidable pieces, prove very des-
tructive to large flocks.
With such relentless warfare on the
birds, it is not surprising that they are
leaving their old feeding grounds, and those
which escape their deadly foes seek new
haunts less exposed to danger. The Ches-
apeake and its tributaries are famous for
their unrivalcd Canvass backs, but unless
check is put to the relentless and bloody
pursuit urged against them, which is yearly
becoming more destructive, and the army
of gunners and improved modes of slaugter
increased the Canvass-back will soon be
known only in history. We believe there
is some kind of clumsy, stupid law for the
protection of water fowl, but it is dead
letter on the statute books. A very eff
cient law might be enacted, and one which
would not only protect the ducks from this
exterminating warfare, but provide a
source of revenue to the State. If a license
law were passed by the Legislature the pres
ent session, providing severe penalty
for violations of the law and forbidding
night shooting-for nothing so frightens
the ducks as firing among them at night
considerable revenue might be raised
to the State and the ducks protected from
determination. Every man who took out
license to shoot, whether from sink boat
or shore, would be an armed police TO aid
in suppressing any Infringement of the law
by unlicensed parties, OF those shooting
out of the stated times provided by law
If the duckers will take the matter up they
can secure the passage of law which will
not only prevent this indiscriminatc slaugh-
ter of the birds, but protect 4 business
which has been of immense profit to them
in the past.