The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-12-13
DUCK SHOOTING IN OREGON.
Ingenious Decoy DEVICES In y Lake bow
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Ingenious Decoy DEVICES in u Lake Down
| M the River. 5##
The carp having in many places do
| stroyed the wapatoes, Witlge0n weed and
| other vegetable groWths on which the
! wild ducks visiting this region were
wont to feed and fatten, sportsmen are
obliged in order to secure any duck
way of food which will induce the ducks
to visit these lakes 1t has been men,
toned several times that parties who
brought home big bags of ducks were
feeding that is, We're scattering wheat
in the shoaler parts of these lakes for
the ducks to feed on. Few probably
have any idea to what an extent and in
out in some places. 1t must he borne in
| mind that the object is to feed the ducks
and not the carp, which are also fond Of
wheat, and of which there are now
enough in the ponds, sloughs and lakes
along the Columbia to eat up a shipload
Of wheat ina short time. Some of these
fish have already attained a weight of
over twenty pounds, and have the appe-
tite and capacity of a shoat.
In one lake down the river, where
there are arrangements for keeping the
water ut Il desirable level all the time,
wooden troughs are placed out in favor,
able positions i'll the water, the troughs
being fastened to- stakes driven in the
mud, so that they are just below the
the crap cannot reach over into them,
having no necks to speak of. A number
of these troughs are ranged along each
side of the lake. within good shooting dis
tanee of the shores, and are kept supplied
with wheat. When the owners of the
lake go down to shoot, they find ducks
of all kinds ranged along these troughs
fowls q u
scare the ducks out, as usual. in order
to shoot them as they come flying back,
two or three, or half dozen at time.
AS soon as the ducks are gone. the hunt
ers proceed to put ont their decoys.
These are no wooden, or tin, or inflated
decoys, but genuine live mallards, and
whole flock of them at that. The brakes
a sort of harness. which goes over their
Pumps and under their wings, and is fast
ened below their chins" with Il button.
This enables the brakes to sail around
and about, and to flap their wings and
squawk all they like. There is num-
Der of ducks which belong to the brakes,
them. This fleet of live decoys is placed
midway between the rows of troughs
where the wild ducks feed and wheat is
put around them, and they begin feeding.
Then the hunters get into their blinds,
among the tules on each side of the lake,
which is not wide at this point. and the
ducks driven out begin coming back
after their breakfasts. They know the
good soaked wheat is there in the
troughs, and they see the live decoys busy
feeding, and hear them gabblins. and
there is one old duck among them which
is daisy, and sets up Il great quacking
whenever duck flying comes in sight;
so even the most cautious duck must be
convinced that everything is lovely, and
down they sail and bang goes a gun
loaded with smo keless powder, and the
drama of life is played out for that duck,
or for half dozen, if so many came in.
. Then the rest of the ducks keep coming
in, and the shooting goes on, and finally
a big bag is made, and the days sport
is oyer.--Portland Oregonian.