The Ordway new era., 1911-02-03

United States. It 10 the most
extensive gathering place for
duck in this country whore
they may be legally shot by market
hunters" and shipped out. As re-
suit, hundreds Of thousands are shot
there annually. This practice is the
most important factor today in the
elimination Of the wild duck. It has
been found impossible to protect the
ducks under state supervision.
Big lake and ten feet Of land sur.
rounding It are owned by q club of
which many wealthy st. Louisans are
members. Owing to opposition OF tho
swamp angels" the members are bar
red from hunting on their own
grounds. A move 10 now on foot to
have the club deed IL property to
the United States government - ma
tional game preserve. This would re-
suit In its being policed by federal
rangers and ducks protected. Many
sportsmen believe that unless this II
done another generation will see tho
total determination Of the wild duck.
as the last few generations saw the
determination Of the buffalo and the
passenger pigeons which once were to
be found in this country In millions.
Five thousand wild ducks a day have
been killed and shipped from Big lake
to the outside world. chiefly to Chi
cago. The market hunters" other
wise known as Swamp angels" who
inhabit the Big lake country, have de-
ned all efforts to stop their slaughter
OF the birds. Quite naturally since
their views differ SO radically, the
Swamp angels" Of Big lake do not
take kindly to the attempts Of the
game protection propagandists Of the
country to limit the number Of ducks
they shall shoot on what they regard
as their own preserves.
During the last few years the Big
Lake Hunting and Fishing club.
which has a number Of wealthy st.
Louis men among its officers and
members. has lost three club houses
by fire. In the meantime. too, the
club, through its employees. has been
warned that it must cease to operate
under penalty Of death to its members
II 1t continues. This property loss has.
naturally, caused the club members to
hesitate before making further i'm
provements on their Big lake pre-
serves. The warnings from the
"swamp angels" to individual men,
bers that they would "flll their hides
with buckshot" has not served to In
crease the ardor of the st. Louis
hunters.
Big lake and ten feet of land sur
rounding 1t on three sides is owned
by the Big Lake Hunting and Fishing
club 1t comprises. In all, about 80.
900 acres. Attempts on the part Of
the owners of the lake to keep the
swamp angels" from killing ducks
thereon have precipitated the trou.
BILE. Recently the club has attempt.
ed to protect itself by securing in
functions against about 100 of the
swamp angels"
Wild ducks begin coming into Big
lake In October. and are found there
in vast numbers until the willows be-
gin to bud in the spring. OF course,
they come and go. but thousands of
them are always to be found some
where between the st. Francis river
below and the Little River overflow"
above Big lake, with the lake as the
great central congregating ground.
1t Is difficult to convey to the mind
Of the reader who has not been there
an idea Of how many ducks "use"
Big lake. To say that they come in
by hundreds Of thousands seems In
exaggeration. Yet any hunter who
has shot duck on Big lake during
the height Of the season will vouch
for the statement.
When one adds that the duck
docks frequently darken the sun as
though heavy cloud had come over
anothar idaa Of THAR n1,unhar In