The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24

= IN AND OUT OF WICHITA =
Herein rlade Plain the Reason
why Certain Canvas Apparition
Appears in Wichita From Time to
Time.


Appears in Wichita From Time to
Time.
Every once in while a citizen OF
Wichita, YEARLY vending his way home
ward, will find upon his vision figure
in buff canvas suit, in rubber boots, and
an outlandish SLOUGH nondescript hat.
There is usually something familiar in the
figure which induces a second look, and
this second look discovers in this canvas
apparition an old friend and close ac-
quaintance, who is going duck hunting =
Nearly every citizen of the place who
does not 90 duck hunting himself has had
this experience. He goes home wonder
ing about this duck-hunter; where does
he go; what does he do; and what is the
enjoyment in it? But unless he takes
pains TO inquire, ne will not discover any
thing about duck hunting and even then
inquiry does not bring out the whole
truth.
To most people a duck is a duck. To a
duck-hunter no duck is a duck. 1t is a
maIlard, or a pin-tail, or a blue-winged
teal, or a green winged teal, or a spoon
bill, or bald pate, or grey duck, or a
red head, or a canvas back or an old wife
or a rudy. or a bufie head, or a morgan
ser, or a wood duck. A duck is never a
plain duck to a duck hunter.
Wichita IS the greatest duck hunting
community for its size in the world. The
duck-hunting guild is the closest. The
average Wichita duck hunter can tell not
Orlu y-ha ha I'D i
red head or a mallard a mile away by
the motion of his wings and the idiosyn-
crasies of his flight, but he can also. by
some subtle sense, pick out a duck hunter
in a crowd of silent men.
The beginning of organized duck hunt
ing in Wichita dates back twelve years
ago when Charles Smythe, DR.. Matthews
and others formed the Mt. Hope club
and purchased the Greenfield lake.
Other duck clubs have followed in the
wake OF this one. Last week DR.. Shuts
and Mr.. Van Arsdale Of Burton secured
the Patterson lake near Burton ard add
ed another permanent club to the list.
The new club establishes man at the
lodge and he takes care df the lake The
membership is limited to twelve, the max
imum of duck hunters clubs
The duck hunters clubs hardly ever ex-
coed, as was stated, twelve members.
When duck hunter goes to the lodge he
is registered in, when he leaves he is reg
istered out.
In some cases a record of his killings
is kept AT Smyth Brothers all the rec
ords of the Mt. Hope club are preserved.
There are five clubs in Wichita % The
Mt. Hope club which has the Greenfield
lake near Mt. Hope; (2) the Cairo club,
which has the Cairo lakes in Pratt coun-
ty; 90 the Waldock club, which has
Waldock lake in the same region; a. the
Gantz Mill club, which has a lake also in
that region, and 90 the Patterson Lake
club, whose preserves are near Burton
The months in which ducks are shot in
this section are September, October and
November when the ducks are going
south, and in February and March when
they are going north. Nearly all of the
ducks known are killed here at times
The famous canvas back is frequently
shot. Three golden-eyes, a very rare bird
have been shot, one by Gerald Volk, one
by Charles Smyth and one by DR.. Mat
thews. The hunters go to their lodges
and hunt for days at a time. The ducks
light on the lakes, and the hunters, US
ing decoys, have great sport. While
duck hunting the sportsmen do not shoot
other birds.
The list of ducks killed is a long one,
and when a Wichita hunter returns the
string he carries is usually heavy and
beautiful, as the feathers of the more
brilliant varieties show in the light their
flashes of subtle metallic colors.
For instance, the mallard is very
beautiful bird. Head and neck is bril-
liant metallic green, showing purple and
bronze reflections in different lights
There is a ring of pure white around the
lower part of the neck. His tail is vel
vety black with blush green feathers.
The nintail's head is brown or grayish
head having a metallic gloss Of duh
green.
The blue-winged tears head IS slightly
CLOSED with Iavendar purple and marked
in front of the eyes by a large crescent
like patch of white. The lesser wing
coverts are a pale blue.
The green winged teal has rich chest
nut head and a neck with a broad patch
Of soft, dark metallic green or each side
Of the head. The four or five other fea-
theirs on the wing are Of richly brilliant,
softly metallic green.
The forehead and middle of the crown
Of the head. The four or five top fea-
white There is a broad space
Of blackish metallic green on each side OF
the head.
The head and upper half of the neck
Of red-head is a rich reddish chestnut.
CLOSED with reddish purple
The canvas back, which is quite fire.
luent here, but which commands such
high price in the east, is not a pretty
duck. The head and neck are chestnut. /
and the body is not marked by brilliant
,olors. His predominating color IS some
thing akin 20 slate.
The bUffie head has a top-knot. The
merEanser has black head and neck.
There are in addition 10 those mentioned
On the Wichita list spoon bills, grey |
ducks. old wife. ruddy ducks, wood ducks |
scaup, black and notified
There is no bird more beautiful than
some of the varieties of ducks, with their |
metallic bronzes and liquid gllnung /
iashes Of green and crimson on wings /
and necks. 4 true hunter. and Wichita Z
has many. can tell the variety OF a duck /
3y his markings readily.
The man who knows duck lore does not /
ak it except TO a comrade who Is posted. !
me average layman could get as much /.
}ut OF the conversation between two /
Turks as he could out Of a dispute be- /
ween Two sportSmeu as 20 the Identity 4
y the feathered captive that the dog he's I
ust brought in.
Aud th.n tha fncs n .he tnr-r re