The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-02
Wood Duck and Blue Wing Teal
(By Dwight W. Huntington.)

..t 1902, By 4 N. Birdsail)
|Copy'.sa,oeo, birds Of the Orient are
pc hsautlfnl than those OF North
nae ar so-caIled chickens, the grouse
|fi''. ..n country and Of the woods and
tns y pre not to be compared with
'dp'sins deeked in gold and silver and
qess,v, st tbe Wild ducks Of North Amer
NC - ssndsome as any and the Amer
in apck is the handsomest duck in
VOL a,,,. blue.wlng teal, so named from
4 y Nm n,rs markings on Its wings, is an
y ..ifui bird and the best American
y ,he table. / know full well the
csnvasback fed on wild celery
y !. popular prejudice in his favor. l
.siaa him at the hands of a skilled
NJ = ,bs ground where he is supposed to
~ o. AZ ne best. but he has not caused
g, .Senre my opinion that the blun-wing
4. the finest OF All tue uucks, al uplh-
So Il sustained by many Eportsmen
w.. s.rc,aiutance and the great Audubon
ny aey ~ have no doubt" says the lat
fices. Il could readily be domesticated,
Ds esse so tender and savory is It's
wn WY. Il would quickly put the merits
ne widely celebrated canVaspaek duek
he shade. 20 AZ. u,,.z4
n ~ Sncks. being hardly as big as
lns.d fowl The wood duck Is interme-
Va size between the teal and the mall
\ " ~ which is descended our common
w hbssaed domesticated duck.
nrnlthologists have divided the ducks
nc ~ classes-the sea ducks and the
~ 'Sycks the latter being the shoal
5,sr ducks which feed by dappllng anu
& w w. The sea ducks are expert divers.
III and wood ducks are river ducks
X ~ ~ mo frst Of the wild fowl to arrive
~ 81 .ntrmn. The wood duck Is known
~ summer duck, since II is often seen
~ summer as resident and as a
irrsnt returns to some of the States as
IN. ~ August 1t is also known as the
INA duck from It's fondness for acorns
"A ,rhen II "a well fattened upon these nuts
Y rlld rice II ranks well up with its as
fio,a-.the blue-wing teal-as a table deli
IN In the Maryland law protecting these
"a, they are referred to as the acorn or
Sets the blue-wing teal and the wood
~ are opposed to cold weather and
NrkIy move OF southwark when the first
IA suap comes They have always re-
4vsd a warm reception and thousands are
Hpd annually In the Southern marshes,
{,ntember is the proper month In the
Ithern Central and Western States for
IN duck aud teal shooting. and when
N are found in the wild rice sloughs and
a oak woods adjacent to prairie where
II prairie grouse and sharped,talied grouse
~ hest Of the so-called Wild chickeusl
I'm. can Imagine no finer shooting upon
September day anywhere in the world
n sirh places | have shot chickens and
I'M ALTERNATELY from horseback riding
sWly along the margin of stream or
5ngh There are many places In the West
here these ducks and grouse stlll may be
md associated.
II used to 60 for wood duck and teal to
Il Kankakee marshes and to English lake.
Northern Indiana, where wood duck and
n are very plentiful. Ii was not unusual
n sportsman going out from George
hens IA well-known resort for sportsmen
EEngIleh lake, to kill from fifty to 100
'lhese ducks in a day. When the waters
Htbe lake and marshes were low there
- Homeafamous snlpe shooting and some
- Showing IN the woods. ! was not sur
Ned. therefore, when the broad fields Of
IA rice and the wet onkwoods passed to
" English Lake club, composed largely
& rhieago gentlemen.
be wood 9ucblNnd teal were for many
.4ons in MOB Hanger of determination
- any other ,1lld fowl Being the first
IS to arrive In the autumn, they re-
'sed the first fire of the sportsmen and
'&ket gunners, and they were, too. in as
III demand as early fruit and vegetables.
~ duck and blue wing teal are net as
~ or difficult TO approach ms most Of
NJ other ducks In addition to being shot
~ their hight from one place to another
"A over decoys, they are shot In tho tall,
" reeds and PUSHES, the sportsmen heiuG
PFC abort by q punter In light boat
II jumping the ducks. ms ii is called
#e BIRDS often get IN quite aear the
W anf 50 they ny away are easier
fks than when under full Roadway over
p wood duck and teal have the habit
Hnon to all wild fowl of making an
~ start In the morning in search of
~ The shooting is usually good for sew
s. hours when the birds retire to some
" Of rest, either the open water or per
8 quiet pond In the woods for their
4fume slesta. There is another flight in
N afternoon to and from the feeding
buds.
~ wood duck and teal were formerly
"a abundant in favored localities, but
are seen each year In diminished
9ers, The shooting has been much
4 sohe, not only In the Eastern and Cen
States, but on the Pacific coast Mr..
III thompson, In a recent article in
~, Duck Shooting Along the Colum,
M says: AT one small lake one of the
III riaees along the river for this Kind
4; 9iva Neall four hunters in one day,
$zsiag morning and evening. made a
~ Of more than 400 of these birds"
opening day fixed by law for duck
I<f'us % most OF the States is SepIem-
: |5'p. wuel the wild fowl are protected.
SlbIS Vge Island, Kentucky, Idaho and
do - ".
se nssaHlpshlre August |. In Virginia
season begins September 1 for all
except the summer duck. which
o ~ nhVe no protection. In louisa
= s.sl uuSk and blue-wing teal may be
M -sS an.si the date for all other ducks
asv ~ ui Der l. In Maryland the open
:. - county the "ncoru or SIMMER
~, nay ne shot October l. Alichican,
|I Ty.d Saniornia and some otL tr States
* Siatss tue date October ], and in
N s.sstss the season does not herin until
This Is entirely 100 late FOR
s sorsS a ~ teal shooting In many of
as9eah states since the cold weather
NJ iesro III november, aud these ducks
MEM 80 ,or me south. The date IN Olio
+ heal hsro H long after the wood duck
81 mi I've iett the marshes ahout Lake
H. IN ~ ~ TACT, these marshes are oftcn
~ ABOUT that date when the NAL
+ Iabss ssanyasbacks the scanpS and all
prn stsu.cAs depart, In many Of the
" 4, seHles the Wild fowl are not pro
gooS a.. INC theory being no doubt
sV0e thing which comes to them In
nj lem s Sutumn should be enjoyed by
| NJ sslpVrtsmen and market gunuers
r. kunparlp snre In the spring. The mur
~ AZ IN otIen XIII a large number of
4 gnnnane shot, Audubon was assured
iSsaH1e az New Orleans that he had
m - o.ue-Wlng teal at a single dis
vi -