Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-06-16
Saturday, June 10, 1888.
SOUTH BAY DUCK SHOOTING.
A Day In a Battery" with Gun In Hand.
Suspicious birds.

men IN shooting ducks from Il South bay
battery, though a more cramped and I'M
comfortable position cannot be found
than 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 saudhag serves for the pillow.
From the box extends on each side a fat,
raftlike screen composed of wood and
and brown canvas, which serves { float
the box ami freak the force Of the waves
as they dash up against IL. BY means Of
weights the box is sunk in the water and
iron decOy ducks hold Il in place. A
hundred decoys are scattered about the
box in a natural manner, The gunner
then lies down fat 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 tlone on the sea.
t. the man first trying the sport the
sitl alton is a peculiar one, and the sensa-
tiol the same. All alone, surrounded bJ
tn little flock of decoys, and the waves
pounding up with a swash against the
puasds TO the box, he feels somewhat in
secure. As he lies fat 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. II he is a sportsman he
will only laugh at this and take a pull at
his whisky lask 10 prevent catching
cold Sometimes the waves run so high
that the gunner is compelled to bail out
mis- box or il will become a fish pond in
the sea The sun beating down on his
face will redden il in about ten minutes.
Meanwhile the sail boat is lacking across
the bay 10 stir up the ducks A bunch of
them is aroused, and as the birds go
Bkimming along the water they spy the
decoys, and thinking they are a flock 81
brethren peacefully feeding, shape their
course toward them. AS they sail up to
the decoys they Don perceive they are
deceived and wheel away, just as they
come about is a 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 ill the back 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 been shot.
Then the gunner stretches himself cut
Hgain and waits for another flock. II
the ducks are thick and not in a suspi-
cious mood be- will not have 10 remain so
long before another set will be along and
more blazing away is in order. Some
favorable morning there is a constant
booming OF guns on the bay. and big
boatloads Of ducks are brought In. Il
Is not uncommon IN the autumn for one
man TO shoot fifty to eighty ducks from
a battery. The ext day he may not get
five.
In the season about five batteries a
day start out from Patchugue. The skip
per always has a mar to help him sail
his catboat, and II is a race 10 secure the
best ground Often in making the best
run across the bay the "cap'n' only gets
in first To find the ground already seized
by the ambitious huntsman who has gone
GU the night before. slept in the catboat
and at sunrise is ready in his battery,
The early morning is the best time, us at
dawn the ducks begin TO feed and are
out in great numbers. Every sailboat
mar Is q "Cap'n" and must scrupulously
be addressed as such His assistant is
the 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, bur work
ing hard 10 drum up the game for linn.
He will charge so q day for the use Of
the battery. and will throw In the meals,
In the cabin Of the catboat the mate
cooks ham and eggs, steak, potatoes and
coffee, and serves il hot. IF the sports
man likes oysters, he will throw over his
rake and bring up half a bushel TO open
on the spot II one is not having much
success with the ducks it is a good plan
10 allow the ''cap'n" to lie In the bat
terry for a time, for he is invariably a
crack shot and will Gil 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 ere
a plump duck, with short bills. They
are swift flyers, and il is like shooting at
a humble Ice to draw on n rs he comes
by. In the fall black ducks and red.
heads come IN tie hay. Shell ducks are
also plentiful Shell ducks and co0ts arc
good shooting, but not worth eating
The broadbills are great divers, anc
often, when wounded. will lead the skip
pen a long chnse. On diving they arr
pretty sure 10 come mp 20 the windward
and a good distance oiT. Often the duck
come in the bay in great quantities, anc
set up In the water like big rows " ten
pins. When started they rise with the
noise Of q whirlwind In the forest. Thu
boobies arc a small species Of duck that
sometimes come In the bay. They ge
their name from their lptnc5s NJ losin.
their heads. a shot into a llOck 81 loo
bies will sometimes 30 discomfort then
that they will 0y around IN a circle anC
nIlow the gunner 20 take his time IL
shooting them down, They are gren
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