Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-07-19

in the figures which touch on the
present and future of the birds that
they follow afield. The reports from
all sections of the country show that
there has been in a decade and a half a
decrease of so per cent. in the number
of wood ducks, mergansers, redheads
and canvasbacks.
The men who gather the bird
statistics have given to the best of
their ability the reasons for the in
crease or the decrease as the case may
be in the bird ranks. A large number
of them say that spring shooting is
largely responsible for the gradual ex-
tinction of many species They de-
clare if it is allowed to continue un-
checked during the spring months of,
the next fifteen years the epicure will
have to feast his eyes instead of his
palate on canvasback duck, and to do
this he will have to look at a stuffed
specimen through the glass case of
museum. Why the mergansers should
have decreased is past finding out. No
true sportsmen will shoot a merganser
unless he likes to kill for the sake Of
killing. The bird is absolutely useless
for the table,
The advocates of spring shooting
point to the census figures as showing
some other reason than March and
April sport must be found for duck
diminution. There would seem to be
some ground for their claim because
many species of ducks, among them
some that are followed ruthlessly in
the spring, have held their own in
numbers. Among these are the green
winged teal, the mallard, the widgeon
and the pintail. 1t is pleasure to
note the blue-winged teal and the
delectable little rudy duck have in
creased appreciably, taking the whole
country through.
There is large part of the country
where, if there were no spring duck
shooting, there would be no shooting
at all. The birds avoid these sections
IN the fall because of the lack of water.
In the spring the mating season is at
hand, and, in fact, in many cases the
birds have mated before the close of
season comes, and this fact more than
any other gives strength to the argu-
ment against spring shooting.
Grouse of various kinds have de-
creased largely. The quail, where any
kind of effort is made to protect il. and
where the farmers make some pro-
vision to give it food in hard winters.
is holding its own. In places where
pot hunters and other irresponsible
hunters abound the quail is becoming
extinct. The report from small
sections of country where the birds
nave been shot in season but have
been left absolutely undisturbed for
the rest of the year show that
satisfying amount of sport may be had.
ana the birds will still hold their own
In numbers. 1t is declared positively
as one OF the results of the statistical
work that there is no reason why
ruHe6 ard Dinnated grouse and quail
should decrease in the farming
districts unless they are shot out of
season.
The effect of plume hunting and pot
shooting in the southern states for the
northern market is startlingly shown
by the bird census returns from Flor
ida and Texas. Since the year 1885
feathered life in the southern penin-
sula state has decreased II per cent.
while the diminution in the lone star
state is only per cent. less. Florida
S now trying to do something to
protect its birds. Agricultural inter-
ssts have suffered so severely on ac-
count of the slaughter the state
have been aroused.
The woodcock is certainly rapidly
hearing the end of his race. The bird
5 not shot in the spring, but in many
tates the hunters are allowed to go
after him in July. Early floods drown
Tut his young; and, unlike the quail.
he woodcock is easily discouraged.
md stops nesting operations after one
The bird commands a
high price in the market, and he is
ollowed relentlessly by the gunner
Who shoots to supply the table of the
nan who can afford to pay 1.50 a head
or his birds.