The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-01-20
SHOOTING CANVASBACKS
HEAVIEST OF ALL DUCKS, AND
MOST DELICATE IN FLAVOR.
An Uncrowned King and His Dainty
Habits-swlftest FlIers In Their
Tribe, Being Both Hard to Hit and
Hard to XIII.

i CTOWutu Ming VI all WdtcT 1OWl, un.
rivaled in the minds of sportsmen by
any other duck, with the possible ex-
ception OF the mallard. says an expert
in the Los Angeles Times. Game as
the greenhead may be, delicate as Is
his flesh when fall of good living has
larded his ribs with fat. he is lum-
bering. ungainly fowl in comparison
with the regal red.headed aristocrat
Of the deep wild celery ponds. and is
never capable of testing the ability Of
marksmen and the hardshooting pow
er of duck gun as does his wedge
billed relative.
On the south coast the canvasback
is enough of a rarity to make the cap
ture of three or four brace of him In
days hunt the subject for many an
evening chat In the club house. The
handsome markings and proportions
of the drake, or bull can," as he is fa-
miliarly known by hunters. are
enough to make the bird a much-de-
sired member of the bag were his flesh
not proverbially fine in flavor. The
canvasback of this vicinity lacks the
typical and delicate wild celery taste,
but the large body and unfailing
sweetness of the meat fully maintain
all canvasback traditions.
1t may seem incredible that there
was time in the east. as late as civil
war lays, when the cans" predomi-
mated in the middle Atlantic states,
but 1t is fact that gunners of that
time actually changed their blinds and
| ,,.,J al,
other ducks for change. There is a
wcll-authenticated instance of Vir-
ginia planter who just after the war,
had trouble with his emancipated col
cred laborers who inaugurated the
FIRST strike" on record, because of an
exclusive diet of canvasback duck!
They refused to come back to work
until their demands for corn pone
and sew at least once day had been
granted!
There are several places in the
United States, and even in California,
where from 20 to so canvasbacks may
he bagged in days shooting All the
gun clubs get few of them in a sea
sen, but the Guadalupe club In Santa
Barbara county does more execution
among the "cans" than all others.
Bear Valley lake in some years yields
good bags, but the stronghold of the
edge bills on The coast Is San Franci-
CO bay and the various sloughs adja-
cent to 1t.
or all the duck tribe only two other
members, the teal and the mallard, are
as particular in their diet as Is the
canvasback. This feather gourmand
will fly hundred miles IL need be to
find the peculiar aquatic vegetables
upon which he feeds. From FIVE to 10
feet below the surface, upon a sandy
mud bottom in lakes which are full the
year around. grows a small plant
called by scientists "vallisneria," and
by the hunters duck celery" or can
vasback weed" II sprouts, natures
and terminates under water, and
makes its presence known by a glutin-
Gus scum on the surface of the water.
When the canvasback finds bed of It
Re begins diving for the soft and
pulpy weed, bringing it to the surface
and gorging on II. other ducks. the
widgeon in particular, have been ac-
cused of robbing the cans" of their
hard-earned food by grabbing the weed
from their bills as they come up half
blinded by the water. but 1t is doubt.
full If they ever do anything more than
eat the leavings of the bigger birds.
The canvasbacks are the swiftest
ducks in the air, the handiest In the
water, and the most ungainly on land.
Their flight usually lies in the short
est line between two points. and cnce
under way they often display disre-
gard for blinds that would turn other
ducks. They will often stand for any
amount of shooting without forsaking
a favorite resort, but when in places
with which they are not familiar. no
bird is more wary. Often they pay no
attention to decoys, and will not re-
spond to the most perfect imitation OF
their call, which Is sort OF half grunt,
half Quack. To knock them over as
they come whizzing in TO light with
wings tense and set is a knack not
picked up in day, presenting an en-
tirely different problem from that CIV
en- by birds of slower motion. One
must lead we'll and shoot true to stop
them, for their muscular. densely-
feathered bodies will protect their
vitals from shots that would paralyze
other ducks. No. chilled shot is a
general favorite for cans"
Canvasbacks when winged often
make their escape by a succession of
dives and long swims under water
with just the bill exposed. They have
been kncwn to lay hold Of weeds at
the bottom, when mortally wounded,
and die there. practically committing
suicide-a trick not unknown to other
varieties of ducks.
The shooting of canvasbacks in
wolves blind upon long point, or
sunken box in the middle of pond. as
the birds do not like to approach the
short line Decoys are convenience,
though not a necessity II the line Of
.A.N..