Evening star., 1900-11-29
ILLEGAL DUCK SHOOTING
RAPID LAUNCHES AND BIG GUNS
USED ON THE POTOMAC.
Description by Star Reporter Who
Watched the DisEraceful
Practices.

Duck shooting on the Potomac river is
not what 1t used to be. 1t has not been
many years ago that the river. as far down
as Chesapeake bay. was noted the country
over one of the best shooting grounds
for canvas-back and red-head in the United
States.
The reason for this was the enormous
amount Of wild celery which grew in pro-
fusion on the flats and in the creeks the
entire length Of the river. Wild celery is
the favorite food of the toothsonle canvas
back and the luscious red-head. and it was
rot counted large days sport for a single
gunner to bag fifty or a hundred brace.
But times have changed and the Potomac
has now become a commonplace hunting
ground. This has not been due to lack
of food for the fats have gradually eX-
paLded in certain portions of the river and
the wild celery grows ii as great profu-
sion.
The advent of the small launch, and the
laXity of Maryland and Virginia officials
permitting these and the pot-hunters to
operate without interference, have been the
cause of it ALL
Launches Mt Work.
A week ago a reporter of The Star took
a trip as far down as Quantico. and count
ed no less than sixteen small launches and
nine big gunlers. 1t was with regret that
being a sportsman, counted among the own
ers of the launches several prominent men
of Washington. Each launch was armed
with three or four gunners, and from day
break until night threw her black wings
over the Potomac they We're busy. chasing
the ducks The feeding grounds were
secured and the ducks kept the move.
1t was no wonder that the sport fG- the
legitimate hunter was bad. The ducks were
plentiful enough, but very 'scary, and it
rar hat hi tN H.
them.
Big Gums OF Mt. Vernon.
Just off Mt Vernon two big gunners with
their sloops were anchored, and The Star
man stayed a whole day at his place fer
the purpose of watching the operations Of
the illegal gunners. OF course. it may be
argued in extenuation that .hese men are
hunting for their daily bread, but there is
law both in Virginia and in Maryland which
forbids the disoharging of gun which cam
hot be conveniently held from the SHOULDER
The big gunners which We're noted used
guns some of them fifteen feet lnn.r, and
charged with from a quarter 10 half
pound of powder, and from one pound to
two and a half pounds of shot. Wien one
of these guns was discharged ii Solnued as
If an experimental gun at Indian Head had
gene off. and following the coarse of the
shot as it sped over the water it became
surprise that ducking has been praCti-
cs,lly destroyed by these unlawful hmGers.
These guns carry load of shot from four
hundred to nix hundred yards, and Kill OF
wound everything that comes within range
The guns mounted in a sisfe, of
them Xtanding nearly it's entire length and
work eitaer on & swivel or in a Slot, which
makes the proper aiming comparatively
easy. A school of decoys is set uo at ercm
five to six hundreds yards froC1 the sCGp
and the hunters watch all day long with
spy-g glasses for the approach of The ducks.
AS soon as some of them dare to light
among the decoys the big gunner starts
with his skiff. Armed with ;wo short pad
dies, which are known in sporting parlance
'sneaking paddles" he quietly and deft-
ly approaches the game and when within
two or three hundred yards discharges IS the
miniature cannon. Hundreds of ducks are
crippled and get away. The pot hunter
pays no attention to these. unless they be
near at hand, and then he pursues them
and kills them with small arm.
killing Dncks at Night.
This sort of hunting is, of course, un-
sportsmanlike, and bad enough in it's way,
but cannot be compared with the cruel
method employed by these same men in
hunting ducks at night by means of large
lanterns. A flock of ducks feeding some
or creek along the river is watched until
the sun goes down. AS soon night comes
on the big reflector in the bow section is
lighted and the hunter proceeds to the To-
cality where the flock has been marked.
The ducks sleep In what are termed
beds" That is, they all huddle together
for mutual protection The dazzling light
blinds them, and it is simply slaughter for
the gunner
That something should Be done to break
up this outrageous practice is manifest:
but there does not seem to be any effore on
the part of the officials Of the river counties
of Maryland or Virginia to enforce the laws
which We're made for the purpose of pro-
tecting the water fowl. 1t might be pos
sible for the Game and Fish Protective
Association Of the District of Columbia to
lend it's efforts to break up this practice
by calling the Maryland game warden's at
tention to 1t. 1t was represented to The
Star man that several dealers m Washing
ton employ these men regularly ID do the
big cunning. If this be SO ii would be COM
paratively easy, it seems, TO bring these
men to justice. AS it is. the river is beng
ravaged Of it's wild fowl and one Of the best
sports DESTROYED.