Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-11-06
SLAUGHTER DUCKS
BY THE THOUSANDS
Mexieans Use Batteries of
Guns ON Fowl.

in their fight to preserve the couutrv,,
diminishing flocks OF docks frprn no
hunters. who hundreds OF tfnaes yasrl,
slaughter as high as 1000 birds 4, /.
single discharge Of their eafmndna
have again lost. Publication OF tn
1924 hunting regulations 81 the -ssb
and game bureau OF the department
Of agriculture shows that the hunflne
Of wild ducks BY means Of sarmadss )
or great batteries OF shOtgnna VII, he
permitted from November 60 Reb-
ruary 80.
While only two shots e week from
each armada" are permitted. thla q
considered a minimum restriction. "A
the fowl will not return to the same
lake In sufficient numbers 70 make the
nring OF more than two 'armadasa !
week profitable.
Divide With Land osnera
Throughout the VALLEY o. Mexsro
are scores OF shallow lakes where ev-
cry variety Of duck that summer IN
the United States and Caua6a can be
found during the winter. Dotflnr the
shores OF these lakes are Indian III
lagos whose inhabitants exc ont q pre-
carious existence during the summer
BY cultivating their patches Of corn
and beans, but who live easy during
the winter by means Of their ''ar-
madas.r
BY giving from one-third 20 one
half OF their spOils to the owners OF
the lands In which the lakes are stu
ated they are able 20 obtain permls-
sion to make enormous bags. some
OF the land owners, It f. estimated.
receive as much as $1,000 pesos
(S1b.000) q yeaf as their share.
Sportsmen who have shot over the
greater pari Of the valley declare that
not less than fifty OF these ~armadas,''
each with an average Of $50 barrels,
are shot at least twice a week for
four months each year, and. with hun
dreds Of ducks to fhe average bag,
the total number slaughtered each
winter reaches a staggering figure
In placing their batteries the In
dams throw mp q low breasfw0rk q
mud and plants at strategic point
n one Of the shallow lakes and snabed
n the Famparts as high as 200 barrels
II all kinds. ranging from those OF
lncient shotguns 10 blunderbusses.
These are loaded with black powder
md all sorts Of missiles and cOnnect.
d by train Of powder TO an old !,
Iintlock. which IL discharged By \,
means Of string from the marka- /,
mans hiding place
When the armada" Is loaded and
he ducks begin to feed In the lake.
generally about noon. the enfire popu- }
alton Of the village operating the {
armada begins, with infinite pa I
Ience and without frightening the 4
anne. to drive the ducks within :
ange.
When this has been done the ''ar. :
ladar is discharged and the hunt for ?
he victims. hundreds Of them only y
rippled, begins Az many as two D
s0usnnd ducks have been shot down c.
single discharge Of the great "ar- L
ada" at Penon visjo, near the Mexl q
IN capital. =,
After the game IL sold the village :.
slebrates with big carousal- and =,
len waits until new victims gather y y
Appeals to y. 9. Clubs Planned. q
Despairlng. after repeated attempts, +
limiting pot hunting through local a
gulationB, Mexican spoFtsmen are VI
aiming to address an appeal to game "
and gun clubs In the m
nlted States and Canada Ia the hope !,
lat by combined action, Il may be y
,sslble to halt the annual massacre -
They argue that the funds and ef =,
rts being expended by Mexice'a %
,rthern neighbors TO protect migra- 81
~ game In those countries are r
asred II. when the birds reach Mex A
o In the winter. they are bagged IN
most without restriction. The prac- s.
.e. they declare. IL as unsportsman-
Re as the trapping Of quail. ship =
ents Of which totaling as high AZ q
900 are not uncommon In northern W
axico. and win send the ducks after ~
e vanished wild pigeons unless reg 70
atad. en-
Pintall make up most Of the bags. IA,
4 canvassbacks malIard. widgeon.
rebills, redhea6s and teal Of an !.
nsas are also shot down BY hundreds II
thousands.