Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-12-15
been made to catch jays in England IN

the same fashion.
A similar utilization OF live trained
decoys in obts ning wild fowl has iohg
been familiar to the Japanese and 10
now pursued by wealthy mel IN THAI
country as a sport, and a lively one II
must be. A typical arrangement Tor
the purpose, among the rice iel,.s near
Tokyo. consists OF a pond some 100
yards long by W yards broad. sur
rounded by a high bank covered with
a dense growth of bushes. A dozen
narrow. irregular trenches or channels
lead from the pond through the bank,
each ending abruptly ut a bush con-
cealed watch hut. Two tiny windows
in each hut give a view OF the channel,
and there is also a low chute down
which nli'let seed is shot on 10 the wa
ter as a bait.
Besides these, an observation hoase
commanding the whole pond is hidden
among the bushes on top of the bank.
AT a suitable time a number OF tame
ducks were brought frodf the owners
aviary and set af1oat upon the pond.
where there is soon collected a clamor-
Gus host of mallards, ~widgeons, teals
and other waterfowl. These are OBJ
served through peepholes by a man in
the lookout. who has beside him eiec-
trio buttons governing signal wires
that run to a hut behind the bank
where the sportsmen await informa-
ton as to which channel the birds are
entering. The attendants in the watch
houses also can telegraph a signal
when the decoy ducks have brought the
wild fowl into their trenches.
Meanwhile, warming themselves In
the early morning around a glowing
brazier of Goals, and their pipes alight,
the sportsmen sit with their eyes on
the a~nnunciator. At the door are stand
ing a number Of nets, with eight foot
handles. each a deep bag of large mesh
suspended In an open fork. giving an
opening OF two feet or SO across. Close
beside them crouches one or more
servants, each holding on his gloved
hand a hawk, alert and perfectly aware
that II will have a share in the fun.
How this fun begins is brightly told
W n ltSpOhuChh VI AZ III
Field:
For some moments past we had
noticed a gamekeeper STOPPING down
with his eye to the loophole in one of
the butt banks, when suddenly a sharp
click was heard, and the number of
the watchhouse where he was standing
dropped into view on the signal board.
and II that had not been sufficient we
should have known where the wild fowl
were from the frantic way In which
the man was waving his arms and
dancing about with excitement. There
was only room for three people on each
side Of the trench, so six of us, hurry
ing down the path, got into position as
silently as possible behind the banks
at the edge of the channel and stood
with u nets ready for action.
The man who had signaled ran
quickly round TO the thicket end of the
cutting and dropped a net cross the
water. As he did so there were a futter
and splashing In the trench, and with
q sudden rush and a confused whirring
Of wings the wild fowl rose toward the
bank from the water. Now was the
moment when a quick eye and steady
hand were necessary, and with q circu-
lar swing Of the nets three of us had
caught a duck apiece before 1t had
gone the length Of the net handles.
One Of the birds managed to run the
gantlet by lodging between two nets
and got away over the mound at the
end Of the channel; but, like an arrow
from a bow, the hawk was slipped
from the falconer's finger and, rising
over the mallard, struck It and brought
n to the ground The dcoy ducks re
MANNED floating on the water"
The use Of the little dog to assist
the decoy man reminds one Of an old
fashioned method Of procuring canvas-
back ducks in Chesapeake bay, known
a. 'tolling'' them inshore by means Of
Q dog. Wilson gave a description Of
II, as he saw II done about 1910. which
car scarcely be improved upon. THE
dog IL properly trained" he says,
plays backward and forward along
the margin Of the water, and the
ducks, observing his maneuvers, en-
decd perhaps by curiosity, gradually
approach the shore until they are
sometimes within twenty or thirty
yards Of the spot where the gunner
lies concealed and from which he rakes
them. first on the water and then az
they rise. IL the ducks e difficult
to decoy. any glaring object, such as a
red handkerchief. IN fixed round the
dogs middle or to his tail. and this
rarely falls to attract them-"-New
York Post.