New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-03
cUOOTING THE CANVAS-BACK.
NOW THE SPORT IS REGULATED BY LAW.
THE FAvoMTE HAUNrs AND DIET OF THIS
LUCIoUS DUCK.

=, che reader will take the trouble 10 look NJ map
=, ,he United States. and LET his eye rest upon the
sa0,Dsula formed by the Delaware and Chesapeake
S.vs he cannot fail to resemblance between the
,,nss Of the peninsula and the outlines of the head
a.. duck This resemblance becomes more interesting
-, ~ il remembered that here Is the winter resort OF
80 q, Americas most palatable. and, among epNuws
80. popular bird the canvasback duck. AT the
-tbvcstern extremity OF this peninsula. where INC
asa,ess and treless SusQuehanna brings its con-
mt Aow OF waters into the Chesapeake has oceh
nes by the deposits Of ages. what is known as the
snsonebanna Flats" Tie flats covered with n
,r-al growth Of n peculiar succulent plant calieu
IA celery which, however. bears no resemblance
,her In growth favor to the ordinary table oeery'
-, this wild celery the canvas back feeds ana II IS
,h,s which imparts that peculiarly delicate havor 10
~, susouehanna bird much enioyed by the epicuFe'
u" ,tb ,ha canyasb hack Is found In other localities
80, ,bo Aflnntic Coast, is shot at alonc the shores
:. ~ Creat Lakes is mark for snortsmen on the
cI, Coast and IS not stranger to the Pacihc slope
-, nowhere else does he reach that periecuoh Oh
,,,ross and favor which is impaired to him by the
wild celery of the Chesapeake
Wv, 70 the canvas back. among the feathered ire
..o,ters of this spot stands the rdhead duck. The
~ hood is not as fasdous in his tastes a. his more
Ia, cousn He will occasionally partake OF TIE
diet that his smaller relatives, the blackhead and
n bald nate and the wgeon, feed upon that Is fsh.
NJ roers the wild celery but is too lazy at times to
d,vc TO- IT, and then he scoops in few nhsuspecuhs
r,nnows 10 make meal of. The canvas back on the
thor hand confines himself to the savory celery. In
,oral appearance there is great similarity between
~ .o and when served side BY side at the table few
lessons can detect the difference between them IN
tass The canvasback is usually slightly larger thsn
,be ned. Mad but ometlmes this Is reversed, ana
large fat red head is TO be preferred TO por canvas
ht every time There Is this readily dstingulshaole
adherence between the two in their general appearance
lr,,g=h I1aalr x-hil
Nm q, a redhead has scarlet hue. Inscriptions
- sometimes dive the bill of the redhead TO make
n conform TO the color of that OF his canvas-bacK
cousin.
Tho season and the days for shooting the ducks are
o,1a,od nv the laws OF Maryland. Each county that
hers on either side of the bay has its own law For
e comparatively small area, covering less than thirty
souape miles known as the "Susquehanna Flats, there
&c a spqcial law The lines prescribed. and the
dovs bours and permissible methods OF securing the
came are ceaiy laid down. special license is re-
urod Of each boat that enters the prescribed limits
which are guarded by "duckng police" beginning
with the first Monday in November shooting Is allowed
onIy on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays, from sun
mn TO shutdown. and only the regular shotgun OF the
sportsman Is allowed to be used. These precautions
were found to be necessary in order to prevent the ex
hncton Of the ducks. As duckshooting is followed by
many for the money there is in It, it would be only
question Of time, and very short time too, were it
not for the laws protection, before the ducks would
disappear from the fats completely as that larger
and once numerous game, the buffalo, has disap-
peared from the Western prairies. 1t has been only
within the last few years that stop has been put TO
saugherlng the ducks at night. by firing into the large
hocls with small cannon, loaded with shot. Thou
sands were killed every in this unsportsmanlke
manner.
The method most generally used to secure the game
what is known as snk-boat' shooting The sink
boat is q cohn-ke, waertight box, large enough to
hold one man lying down and his necessary shooting
appurtenances. Sometimes they are made double to
accommodate two gunners. The boat has wing Ike
appendages projecting from the sides to keep 1t from
being submerged. The sinkbOat is set out, the
decoys as many as re sportsman desires to use,
anchored close by the gunner takes his place fiat
on his back in the boat In this position unable to
see anything the sky above him. he waits for the
ducks to fly by They attracted by the deeOys, which
appear decidedly lifclike they are moved up and
down by the action of the waves. The flying bird
changes his 10 light among his supposed mates.
As he darts toward them and within range of the
breech leaders one hears crack and there is dead
duck floating the water the gunner has not missed
the mark. The helper who had stationed himself some
distance off In rOwboat, moves out and gets the
game.
Bushwhacking" or sneakboat shooting Is another
method. The decOys anchored out. The gunner
is concealed by large bush set up in front. From
distance he watches the decoys. When duck lights
among them the sneakb is moved cautiously toward
them until within range.
Shooting from a blind is also done on shore. From
behind clump of bushes a pile OF brush the
waters edge the gunner shoots at the ducks that
attracted by the deceptive decOys.
"Crpplng" is another method. unsportsmanlke,
but profitable the days when the flats visited by
followed
principally by boys and others, residents of the neigh
bOrhoOd They arorNd the shores in a skill and
secure the ducks that were only crippled by the bad aim
Of the occupant OF sinkboat bushwhacker a |
blind shooter.
The FIRST Monday in November, as opening day, is |
The biggest. The ducks not then so shy they |
become later Scores Of craft with crafty sports
APPEAR on the fats with the first rays of the
morning sun. There is an incessant firing of guns |
that sounds not unlike the rattle of musketry during
an engagement Of infantry. Each boat aims to make !
the highest score, and he who at nghtfall can report
and substantial his report Of the biggest boat" is
regarded as the hero of the hour. Upward Of 200 |
ducks have been shot in day from single boat by
nary from twenty to thirty ducks are considered a
good days work.
season by gunners, many of whom live in the neigh
boring cities. Several handsome clubhouses have
to please the most ardent SPORTSMAN Here the club
men and their guests find ample amusement on Off
lar ducking days may have brought; Sportsmen who
are not clubmen who go from the cities, can secure
the use Of boats and decOys from residents OF the
ndgborhoOd at cost of fro,h S. TO $50 per day, &C
dng 10 the character Of the completeness OF the out
The vas-b,ck readily brings from SO to $40
pair on the shore. according TO the demand. REC
heads bring from 81 so 10 So. The large hotels fash
l0nable restaurants and game dealers OF Bdl'lnOre,
Philadelphia and New York have agents
st hand ready 10 pay the highest market price Oh
late years the canvasback has become an article Of
e1por; u England.
Tho DisStOns the millionaire manufacturers. OF
PM delpha have splendidy furnished mansion near
the fat together with bOathouse. yacht and com
pete ducking outfits. They entertain their friends
curing the entire EX-Shcrif William wright,
OF the same place. has home here, and the latch |
string q his door Is often pulled by his friends Judge
flats. end II is equally well known that the duck which
come, within the jurisdiction of his breech loader can
never appeal from its decision. General Wngate, OF