480 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



in blinds, or follow the birds in boats. The deadly " pump 

 gun " makes it almost impossible for a flock to get safely by 

 a good shot. In the winter of 1900-01 I observed some 

 modern duck-shooting in Florida. The members of a cer- 

 tain shooting club that had bought a large tract of marshes 

 were accustomed to lie in blinds in favorable localities, where 

 they shot so many ducks that they could not possibly make 

 use of them. These ducks were kindly given away to people 

 who lived in a region within twenty miles of the club- 

 house. A sportsman occupying a blind and putting out his 

 decoys would have men in boats to go about and start the 

 ducks, that they might be attracted to his decoys. I am 

 credibly informed that at least one of these gentlemen had 

 several "pump guns" in his blind, with a man to keep 

 them loaded, and, being a very quick and accurate shot, he 

 was able, once at least, to kill in this way over one hundred 

 ducks in less than two hours. Such shooting as this is 

 probably exceptional. It only shows what can be done 

 toward exterminating the birds by the modern sportsman, 

 using modern methods, and without the effort of stirring 

 from his tracks. There are many sportsmen, of course, 

 who will neither practise nor countenance such slaughter ; 

 but there are too many gunners who, like the market 

 hunter, are out to kill as many birds as possible. Market 

 hunters are still numerous, but are probably not increasing 

 greatly in numbers, for game is becoming too scarce to 

 make hunting very profitable, even at the high prices now 

 paid; and the law in Massachusetts now (1904) forbids the 

 marketing of the grouse or woodcock. A large proportion 

 of the market hunters are law-abiding citizens, and will not 

 shoot much unless they can sell their birds legally ; but there 

 are some who will kill birds at any season, and sell them to 

 epicures, hotels and road houses. 



Hunting Contests. Hunting contests or side hunts are 

 still indulged in by many gun clubs. While these hunts 

 may be conducted within the law, the spirit of the contest 

 is wrong, for each contestant strives to kill as many birds 

 as possible, that his own side may win, and that the other 

 side may pay for the dinner which is to follow. Barrels 



