The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-26
HOW TO SHOOT DUCKS.
A Killing Decoy That ANY
Hunter Can Construct.
ATTRACTING THE WILD BIRDS
xevsl MssAods Used IN Othsr Cssntriss
-Huatisg On stilts-Harvsss -
Frsuehmsnss Nets.


NEW YoHK, Oct. 20.-[Spscial The
ducks are coming In early this year, and
ferry good sport has already been had on
Long Island. was down At Good Ground.
Ehinnecosk, and the south bay two weeks
since and had fairly good sport. getting
twelve ducks in one day, eight black, three
spring tail and one teal.
In duck shooting the call attracts first.
then the decoys take mp the thread, and
upon the way they are arranged depends
the sport OF the day. The decoy should
always face the wind This il imperative.
Is the live ducks always take this position.
As rule the deCoys are baIlasted with
lead and anchored with strings.
It Is hard work to ret these to lay right
ct dead water, but " ith running tide II 10
an easy matter, If they are well anchored.
Late last year, / saw : set Of imported de-
coys which took my fancy, and which any
one might make. They we're called profile
decoys. Each bird was made of two pieces
Of thin wood. One piece represented .
duck in profile or outline. the wood being
only half an inch thick. and was fitted
over another fiat piece Of wood, showing
the surface of : ducks back, viewed from
above. Thus. whether the birds were n.y.
ing over or sidevays. the two views gave
the shape of duck. With these decoys
was 4 large triangular frame. on which
they could be placed in any position de-
sired. and beine flosted. were held in posi-
ton by lead sinkers attached to the frame.
The strong point in favor Of these profile
decoys laws in the fact that the ducks,
a 4
packed mn and carried IN an ordinary hand
bag.
Most Of the duck-shooting is done from
"sink-boxes." The best way for the man
Who wants fun, and has not much time TO
spare, is to 60 to some ducking center adj
jacent to his locality, and hire = profess
sional who has decoys and ''call." These
men are to be found in Ill good ducking
districts. The outfit of the Chesapeake
bay men, collectively, is said to represent .
value of $10o, The pay for the men
average about s. . day, with outfit. the
price ranging from s. to so, according to
locality.
Never go out without good held glass;
1t will save many long tramps and much
rowing. When the birds are sighted Keep
silent, and - still - possible: You are
in constrained position remain 50 until
you move to shoot, and then move quietly
and steadily. There 10 plenty of time, and
= lot Of moving can be done in second.
In firing at ducks. remember to shoot well
in front Of them Is they fy from sixty TO
l50 miles an hour.
II they come across you, about three feet
in advance is enough, and il direct to you,
from one foot to three according to the
distance they are Oh. After storm ducks
take lee shore where they can rest and
lay quiet to recruit When found sitting
do not ire ii their breasts are toward you,
for unless hit In the head they will escape.
Il Is the best plan to get close to them and
wait until they strike the air. You will
then catch them under the wings.
One of the most curious methods of
duck-shootlng IL TO be found in the t0ndes
or marsh districts of France. in the neigh
borho0d of La Rochelle. Tho local proverb
runs: who comes from La Rochelle
smells Of mud, and it is 90. The boots Of
the peasant and the cattle. horses. dogs and
carts are ali plentifuIly bedanbed with it
The marshes extend on every side for
many miles, not continuously, but in .
succession OF dry and wet tracts, the wet
predominating. Paths about foot wide
run here and there through the morasses
to the higher grounds where the sheep
feed, but they are winding and tortuous.
Con AMMAN fiw no N n nf The die