, 1888-05-30
SOUTH BAY DUCK SHOOTING.
A Day in a "Batrsry," with Gun In Hand.
Suspicious Birds.

A Day In n "Battsry," with Gun In Hand
Suspicious Birds.
There is a fascination to many sports
men in shooting ducks ron a South bay
battery, though a moro cramped and I'M
comfortable position cannot be found
h that required by the gunner. The
battery consists of a box about eighteen
inches deep and long enough to admit
the outstretched body of a man. A rub
Der Goa is the substitute for a mattress
and a sandbag serves for the pillow.
From the box extends on each side a fiat,
raftlike screen composed of wood and
and brown canvas, which serves to float
the box and break the force of the waves
as they dash up against it. By means Of
weights the box is sunk in the water and
iron decoy ducks hold it in place. A
hundred decoys are scattered about the
box in a natural ann The gunner
then lies down fiat in the box, with his
shells on one side and his gun on the
other With a parting instruction to be
sure and keep the head well down the
battery man sails away, leaving the gun
ner alone on the sea-
To the man first trying the sport the
situation is a peculiar one, and the sensa-
ton the same. All alone, surrounded by
the little flock of decoys, and the waves
pounding up with a swash against the
guards to the box, he feels somewhat in
secure. AS he lies fiat in the box his
body and head are below the level of the
water. Sometimes, If the wind is blow
ing pretty strong, a wave will break over
into the box. tickling his face with briny
drops and sending cold streams of liquid
down his back. If he is a sportsman he
will only laugh at this and take a pull at
his whisky flask to prevent catching
cold. Sometimes the waves run 80 high
that the gunner is compelled to bail out
his box or it will become a fish pond in
the sea The sun beating down on his
face will redden it in about ten minutes.
Meanwhile the sail boat is lacking across
the bay to stir the ducks. A bunch of
them Is aroused, and as the birds go
skimming along the water they spy the
decoys, and, thinking they are a flock of
brethren peacefully feeding, shape their
course oward them. AS they sail up to
the decoys they soon perceive they are
deceived ard wheel away. Just as they
come about is n good time to fire, and if
the gunner is expert while they are get
ting away he has time to slip in another
shell and fill the pack of the rear duck
with cold lead. II any of the ducks fall
the gunner stands up in the battery,
which is a signal for the sailboat men to
come up and gather in the fowls that
have beer shot.
Then the gunner stretches himself out
again and waits for another flock. If
the ducks are thick and not in a suspi-
cious mood he will not ave to remain SO
long before another set will be along and
mora hIazinn Ne IL IN Nrlnr Cor,a
favorable morning there is a constant
booming of guns on the bay, and big
boatloads of ducks are brought in. 1t
is not uncommon In the for one
man to shoot fifty to eighty ducks from
q battery. The next day he may not get
five.
In the season about five batteries a
day start out from Patchogue. The skip
per always has a man to help him sail
his catboat, and it is a race to secure the
best ground. Often in making the best
run across the bay h ''cap'n" only gets
in first to find the ground already seized
by the ambitious huntsman who has gone
out the night before, slept in the catboat
and at sunrise Is ready in his battery.
The early morning Is the best time, as at
dawn the ducks begin to feed and are
out in great numbers. Every sailboat
man is q ''cap'n" and must ~scrupulously
be addressed as such. His assistant is
h mate. There is no crew. The South
bay boatmen are honest, good hearted
men, always ready to get as much as
they can out of the sportsmen, out work
ing hard to drum up the game for him.
He will charge $40 a day for the use of
the battery, and will throw In the meals.
In che cabin of the catboat the mate
cooks ham and eggs, steak, potatoes and
coffee, and serves it hot. If the sports
man likes oysters, he will throw over his
rake and bring up half a bushel to open
on the spot. If one is not having much
success with the ducks it is a good plan
to allow the ''cap'n" to lie in the bat
terry for a time, for he is invariably a
crack shot and will fill up the quota
needed in short order.
Brant and broadbills are the most
abundant of the family in the Great
South bay in spring. The broadbills are
n plump duck, with short bills. They
are swift flyers, and it is like shooting at
"a bumbic bee to draw or one as he comes
by. In the fall black ducks and red
heads come in the bay. Shell ducks are
also plentiful. Shell ducks and coots are
good shooting, but not worth eating.
The broadbills are great divers, and
often, when wounded, will lead the skip
pers a long chase. On diving they are
pretty sure to come up to the windward,
and a good distance off. Often the ducks
come in the bay in great quantities, and
set up in the water like big rows of ten
pins. When started they rise with the
noise of a whirlwind in the forest. The
boobies are a small species of duck that
sometimes come in tho bay. They get
their name from their aptness at losing
their heads. A shot into a flock of boo
bies will sometimes 80 discomfort them
that they will fly around in a circle and
allow the gunner to take his time in
shooting them down. They are great
chatterers, and keep the bay noisy with
their cries.-New York Times.