Evening journal., 1921-10-24
DUCK
SHOOTING SOON
Gunners Prepare for Har-
vest on World Renowned
Flats, November ?
CANVAS-BACK
CHOICEST FOWL

The lawful season for shooting
wild ducks on the susquehana fats. !
the world-renowned ducking grounds.
located of the shores Of Hartford
and Cecil counties. will open on
Wednesday. November 2. The chief
centers for all duciSing operations
are Charlestown. North East. Perry
Vile and Havre de Grace. The
Susquehanna fats are visited each
year by hundreds OF sportsmen from
all parts OF the country and. usually.
on the opening day there are quite
few millionaires among the Wis
itors. The season in Maryland for
duck shooting begins each year on
November l and continues every
Monday. Wednesday and Friday un-
] tll January l. when Saturday is add
ed. and ends January 81.
There are four ways OF getting
the ducks on the Susquehanna fats.
The most approved method Is shoot
ing from a sink-box. This is a cof-
/ nn-shaped boat. with extending
platforms. that sinks into the water
until the platform rest on the sur
face. The hunter sits in the coffin
like receptacle until the ducks fly
within range. when he rises TO a
standing or kneellng position and
fires The second method is furn-
ished by sneak or bushwhacking
boats. These are rowboats, gem
| orally covered at the bow with eth
er canvas OF bushes. behind which
the gunner sits and glides down on
a flock Of feeding birds. The same
idea Is carried out by blind shooting
along the shores, which is generally
INDUCED in by men who do not own
a boat The fourth method Is the
use OF the big gun" This Is a
shotgun OF a very large calibre. or
a small cannon. mounted on the bow
Of a stout boat and loaded with
powder and a great amount Of shot.
The canvass-back duck is one OF
Maryland's great titles TO distinction.
Il is found in great numbers only
where its peculiar food. the wild
celery grows. Chesapeake bay and it's
tributaries. Delaware bay. Sandusky
bav. lakes in Wisconsin and the ST
Clair flats are the principal feedinf
grounds OF the canvas-back In thu
country. Their breeding ground
are in Alaska and in the extrem'
northern regions. They begin q
arrive on the Susquehanna fats be-
tween the tenth and fifteenth o
october, usually. Their flight i
/ .aurafH and fnnl
gather in large hocks generally
They are muscular and have large
heads and long. straight stout bills
!, The canvas-baclk duck Is the neates
, and most expert diver OF all wate
fowls. except the great northern div
or. the loon. It's length is "a inches
b extent OF wing SO inches. and weigh
= from two and a half to four pounds
They are hearty feeders. and sooi
after arriving from the North oi
their feeding grounds become YER
fat. When in good condition the'
Z are the most delicious. juicy. finely
r Favored Of water fowls. Generally
r they are high fiiers, but are exceed
j. ingly shy and wary. They some
e times fly low. very straight an
+ steady when travelling from on
l. feeding ground TO another, and ar
l. ford spiendid and exciting poin
= shooting. It frequently occurs tina
n when they begin to fly they will "se
i ana set" in vast numbers at a dis
tance out OF range. and nothing WI
drive them away. Scare thei
y awav. and they will sweep aroun
r out OF range and pitch down agai
Is out Of gunshot.
y The redhead is in many respect
" like the canvas-back. They ca
e the same food and their habits ar
~ almost Identical. The redhead wi
IN thrive. however, where the canvas
6 hack will not. The redhead due
o is second only TO the canvas-bacl
= and when they were allowed TO
= sold IN the open market usual
- brought about two-thirds as muc
b as the canvas-back. The blacl
head and mallard. both Of which al
abundant and make delicious eatin
q were much cheaper when sold, us
n ally bringing about 81 per pair.
r pair OF canvas-backs, no matter no
n poor, always brought SO a pair, az
"A sometimes as high as $3.50 per pal
he
The counties OF Hartford and Gee
have special laws enacted by q
General Assembly OF Maryland go
er erning the Susquehanna fats. III
an licenses, which cost S20.75 for sin
ne boxes and s5.75 for bushwhackei
lll are issued only to residents of q
hy state, but these licenses allow an
an one 10 gun from the boat tt
ry Is where the boat owners reap the
ee6h harvest. Taking out licenses
mn their boats, they take parties TO q
III, ducking grounds. receiving good T
~ munerauon for their RIG and work
es. In the early part of the seas
n good results are obtained by the u
99ap OF a 1O-bore gun, carrying a 10
It. Of 81 TO 3% drains Of No. po'
ell der and ~ ounces Of No. sh
As the season advances and I
weather becomes colder and I
ducks stronger, from 4 to AZ drai