Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-07-29
FLIGHT or WILD DUCKS.


Eighty Miles an Eour.
While reporter talked to promi
nert member Of the WawaseE Gun club
the other day. the conversation turned
on The speed Of Wild ducks, subject
In which the gunners OF this city seem
particularly Interested, ard one on
which there is come diversity u opin-
ion. THIS member said:
i have held my watch on several
kinds cf ducks and geese, but the main
part Of what am going 10 tell you
comes from several old hunters who
have favored me with their expert
ences, and one OF these old timers in
letter says: j can tell you just about
70 the sixty third part Of dart how
much space any one Of them can get
over IN an hour There Is not rail
read train that can hold a candle to
one side Of tie sIowest duck that fiies.
The canrasback can distance the
whole duck family, If il lays itself out
TO do IL When this duck is taking
things easy. enjoying little run
around the block, as it we're, it goes
through the air at the rate OF about
eighty miles an hour III il has bust
ness somewhere and has To get there,
it puts two miles back OF il every min
ute, and does it easily. II you don't
believe this, just fire square al the
leader in string OF canvasbacks that
are out on business cruise some time
Duck shot travels pretty fast, but il
you happen TO hit one, you see If ii is
not the fifth or sixth one back OF the
drake or leader. A drake does not al
ways lead, but it generally does If
there is one in the flock; ii there are
more they will seldom take the lead
II you wish to bring down the leader
you must aim al space Of al least
eight feet ahead Of him, and If he falls
you will find him a long distance
probably two or three squares off.
'sThe malIard Is slow one; it is all
he can do to make a mile a minute,
but he can do it If he wants to- His
regular rate is about forty five miles
per hour
THE black duck is slow coach.
He is about as good as the niallard, and
/ the fntail widgeon and wood duck
cannot do much better. The red head
can go easily and make ninety miles
an hour as long as he likes, all day il
necessary. The blue winged teal and
its beautiful cousin, the green winged
teal, can fly side by side for hundred
miles in an hour and take it easy
The gadwale, you see them here
/ very seldom, though well known fur
Their west on the Allegheny river and
at Kishammock, though looking like
| the mallard, is smarter duck and
| harder 10 shoot 1t can make ninety
miles in an hour and not try hard
Maybe you think goose can't fly
/ Why, it can double the speed of the
fastest trains on any of our railroads
| OF course mean wild goose Well,
| it has big corporation, but if can gel
from feeding ground 10 feeding
/ ground SO suddenly that it fools oul
best wing shots.
If you see flock of honkers NOV
ing along so high up, that they seen
to be scraping the sky with theil
backs, you would not think that they
! were making close on hundred mile:
an hour, but they are The wild COOS.
is not much on foot, but it means bust
ness every time.
THE broad bill goose comes next Il
the canvasback duck in speed. Pui
the two together and in an hour thu
broad bill would not be more than ter
miles behind
This information has been derived
from experience and correspondence
with life long gunnefs, and any gun
ner will tell you that what | have sail
hits the mark very close. - Whining
I ton News