The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-12-04
In A SPORTING VEIN.
EVENTS OF THE WEEK IN THE
WORLD OF SPORT.
B. j. X. DlScOurscS Interestingly ON the
TO0thSOme Duck and Recalls
Old-Time Ducking.
Written for the CECIL WING.

Written for the CECIL WING.
Who, in this great country Of ours, has not
heard Of or eaten the tuothsome Canvas
Back, Red Head, Black Head or Wdgeon
DIETER known as the Greaser?) Some have
eaten them who never saw one killed or the
means employed to bag them. | will en-
deavor to describe to those who may be inter
ested, the ducking grounds, the methods and
the laws of the present time, rs well as some
of the ducks.
On the flats formed by the emptying of the
Susquehanna, Elk and North East rivers,
many miles in extent, ranging from to IL
feet in depth on an average. and sometimes
at low tide the bottom showing in many
places. The upper or greater part of these
Hats is muddy bottom, where the wild celery
the principal food Of the ducks, grows in
immense quantities. The ducks begin to
gather about October Is and remain until
driven away by the ice or gunpers, who also
Kill thousands. A line covering the flats and
running from Red Point to Carpenters Point
the lower line being unknown to many gun
ners, but lies as far south as thought neces-
sary to cover the feelings. Inside of these
lines "A license is required.
The principal methods of duck shooting is
sink boxes and bush whackers A license OF
$50. 70 is required for sink boxes and So. u
for bush whackers, the rs cents being the
clerks fee, and the money for the liccrsc
being for the salary OF the ducking police, OF
which four are appointed by the Governor
two for Cecil and two for Hartford county
VINO are expected to keep Il watch to prevent
illegal killing Of ducks. heavy penalty
and costs for each olfcnse being required and
in case of vioators being unable to pay, the
rig is conilscated.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each
week is set apart for duckins. The hour for
the beginning of shooting is 6 o'clock in the
morning, when there is a rush for a good
set. The good ducks are the Canvas, Red
Head Black Head and Widgeon. Other varie-
ties, of which there are a large number, are
called trash ducks. When the day is over
the ducks which have been killed are taken
to Havre de Grace, Perryville or Charestown
and sold, many being sold in North East, and
usually bring a good price: the Canvas
coming first, Red Head next, Widgeon and
Black duck following.
The sink box is made water-tight and is
arranged to comfortably hold one man and
gun, wings being made Of frame, covered
with painted canvas. as support for the box
and lead sheathins and Iron 4ecoys being
used to sink the box and wings even with the
water. The dcr0ys, which are assorted, are
distributed around the box to the number OF
200 or 300, to resemble Il large flock of ducks.
Each box is accompanied by sloop or scow
and small boat to gather up the ducks which
is stationed at a suitable distance from the
decoys.
The bush whacker's outfit consists of from
Is to $50 decoys. A boat, usually lG feet long,
with flat bottom, painted white, with curtains
OF some white material, to conceal the men
from the ducks which light in the decoys, the
boat being scuIled down on the ducks from a
decoy called John Duck. When the boat is
within good gun shot of the decoys in
which the ducks have lit, the ducks are scared
up, aud if the gunner is good shot AMI
quick III handling his gun, several shots can
be fired with telling effect. The decoys are
made and painted TO resemble the direrell
kinds of ducks, and many people in this part
Of the State have become expert in making
and painting decoys 50 that it Is very DIM
cult to tell the decoys and the ducks apart at
Il distance.
There are many expert shots and sculcrs
living on these shores, and ii there are many
ducks they find it very profitable. Besides
the regular eunners many come from dis
lance to enjoy the seasons SPORT many resi-
dents of Philadelphia, New York and Balti-
more owning places and rigs on the shores
OF the rivers mentioned above.
Strange to say, as the ducks become scarcer
each season, the number of gunners increases,
50 that hundreds are on the flats and river al
one time. Many are the stories told of the
good old times when the ducks were SO thick
that, we are told, they could be shot from the
sh"re. The late John Jackson, at Charles
town. once told the writer he had seen ducks
so thick that boat could row among them
before the ilocks would scatter. There is an
old story that once Il man was on the point
of shooting and run out of shot, when he
saw thick flock coming, he shot his ramrod
at them, stringinG it full. One can imagine
what immense numbers Of ducks once COW
cred tte flats and river before so many made
duck killing science. Among the most ex-
pert gunners are the Barnes Brothers, Jesse
Poplar, Joseph Hester, Jackson Brothers,
Henry Jackson being thought the best sculler
from Charlestown on the Western shore.
There are many others too numerous to men,
ton.
The use of duck nets and big guns which
in the past have been so destructive to the
duck tribe has been nearly broken up. there
being heavy penalty for their use.
r. ]. r.
~
The first trial for violation of the gun.
ming law was held before George H. Bae-
key at Havre de Grace, on Saturday. 1t
was charge brought by Special Ducking
Policeman William Keen, against Capt.
William A. Myers, for a violation of the
law on Monday, the 18th inst the police
claiming the arrest was made at % minutes
before 5 o'clock, about mile and a-half
northeast of the Rattery Five o,olocL, 10