The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-24
THREE GENERATIONS
OF DUCK SHOOTERS
Poplar Family and Champion
Jesse Are the Greatest in
MARYLAND.
Baltimore Sun.

baltimore sum-
Jesse Poplar is recognized as the greatest
duck shooter in Maryland. He has been the
premier shot on the Susquehanna river flats
for many years. He began by shooting two
muzzle-loaders, and with these succeeded
by emptying the four barrels in killing nine
canvasbacks, this being the entire number
which decoyed. He considers it the great
est shot he ever made.
Out Of large punches his biggest killing
was sixteen out of a big flock of redheads.
He has frequently killed six or seven out o.
a bunch with two guns. He has never used
more than two guns in sink box.
About eighteen years ago Jesse Poplar
changed from the muzle-loading to the
breech-loading gun. To-day he uses 10
and a II gauge, using first his 12-bore and
then his 10. His strength comes In part from
his knowledge of how the birds will fly and
in shooting when they bunch. He Is also
great at calling any species of ducks and in
making them decoy to his sink box. He can
fool the oldest duck that flies in this work.
The greatest number he ever bagged in
one day was 313. In one hour he killed 122.
including 81 canvasbacks and 40 blackheads.
In another days shooting he killed III can
vasbackS before noon, and on another oc-
casion he brought down 126 redheads.
In the course of his twenty-five years as
a duck shooter on the flats Mr.. Poplar has
also spent considerable time hunting in the
fields, being very successful with partridges
and in getting several birds on the rise OF
covey.
William Poplar brother Of Jesse, is the
Oldest man now shooting as a business on
the flats. While not good shot a
judge Of birds habits as Jesse, he Is, never
theless, a successful one.
John Poplar. the father OF Jesse. is still
living. He only shoots occasionally for a
little sport. He is seventy years old. and
has lain out In a box, sat in a blind or stood
on point shooting in the toughest kind of
weather, yet he has been immune from
sickness and his eyesight is still good. He
has the record Of having killed more ducks
individually in any day than was ever 9TH
erwise recorded. With two muzzle-los ders
he has killed $50 ducks, all of the finer sort.
This was done in 1873. Father John" killed
275 canvasbacks in one day, and did not be-
gin shooting until a. m. In cunning a day
and half he has bagged 500 canvasbacks.
and has receipts to show for these ducks.
He also has receipts to show for $500 ducks
killed in three weeks.
The Popular family is one of marksmen
that is not likely to deteriOrate, although
ducking Is becoming more and more difficult
because of the scarcity of the fowls. A son
of Jesse and a grandson of John Poplar is
now ten years old. lie is Jesse Poplar, jr
He has proved wonder in shooting at the
traps and is perpetuating the glory of his
sire and grandsire by the duck-killng route
Little Jesse has killed fifty ducks in a day
from a blind. He is doing a little sink-boX
work and will doubtless be a great one at
that branch of fowling.
While Jesse Poplar, sr., is the recognized
champion duck shot, there are many other
experts who go on the flats and who, after
twenty or more years of practice, have
learned how TO get the most ducks with the
fewest shells. Joe Dye, John Shippers, Will
liam Hevern Harry Barnes Washington
Barnes, Walter T. Jackson. Scott Jackson,
Harry Moore. James Holly, Bergman
Keene. John Keene. William Keene. Emory
and "Curley" Way are among these sea-
sOned gunnerS.