THE GAME BREEDER 



]79 



the ducks might have become so abun- 

 dant as to affect the price. 



Commercial breeders and game shoot- 

 ing clubs which intend to breed a big 

 lot of ducks for sport want ducks that 

 will lay eggs and it is well known that 

 freshly trapped ducks will not usually 

 do so the first season. Mr. Dusette, of 

 Bad Axe, Michigan, who is one of the 

 biggest breeders of ducks, has the right 

 idea and brands all young ducks as re- 

 quired by the Federal regulation so that 

 they can be shot at any time after their 

 purchase. 



Readers no doubt have observed the 

 offering of teal of Mr. Klein, of Kansas. 

 The price seemed to us to be low, but 

 no one can say until more reports are 

 in just how many teal and other wild 

 ducks have been trapped and how many 

 will be taken and sold in October and 

 November. The duck business soon 

 would be badly overdone were it not for 

 the fact that we are starting new shoot- 

 ing clubs where a very large number of 

 ducks will be shot next fall. Game farm- 

 ers who have teal and other ducks war- 

 ranted to lay eggs will quickly sell al! 

 the birds they may offer and we would 

 strongly advise game farmers to put as 

 many ducks as possible into the proper 

 condition to lay eggs since the future 

 demand, we are sure, will be for egg- 

 producers. The eggs of species other 

 than the mallard all will demand much 

 better prices than the common stock duck 

 eggs. 



Wild Geese. 



The prices of wild geese remain about 

 the same as last year. The demand from 

 those who know the game is for mated 

 pairs warranted to lay eggs. Fresh 

 trapped geese probably will be abundant 

 and cheap. But this of course depends 

 on how many geese have been trapped 

 and how extensive the trapping will be 

 next fall. 



Sportsmen who were opposed to trap- 

 ping wild birds for breeding purposes 

 rapidly have been converted to the idea 

 that it is a good thing to do. The more 

 wild fowl bred on club grounds and 

 country places the better it will be for 



all hands, since more birds will go out 

 from such places where the shooting is 

 lively than will ever be seen to leave a 

 quiet refuge. The sportsmen who shoot 

 the abundant birds they produce leave 

 a lot of good shooting for those who are 

 not industrious. Since the market for 

 fowl is good anyone can get into the 

 game by forming a shooting club. The 

 sale of part of the birds shot will keep 

 the expenses down. Almost anyone can 

 breed wild ducks successfully. They are 

 the best birds for beginners. A very 

 small pond, natural or artificial, is big 

 enough for a few hundred duck. 



Wood Duck. 



There have been some inquiries for 

 wood ducks and the price seems to vary 

 much, from $10 a pair up. The doubt 

 which seems to exist as to the right of 

 owners of wood duck to shoot their birds 

 naturally checks the increase of this 

 species. We have no doubt that an 

 owner who produces wood duck and 

 shoots some of them for his table or even 

 for sale is clearly within his rights, "in 

 order to increase the food supply," as 

 the section preventing any interference 

 with game farms and preserves reads. 

 It would seem peculiar to arrest a food 

 producer just now because the food was 

 utilized. Since wood duck, no doubt, 

 will be shot at some of the places before 

 long, the matter may possibly be passed 

 on by a court. We think it would be a 

 good plan to arrange for an amicable 

 case if those in authority have any 

 doubts about the matter. A wood duck 

 can be shot and a case made up which 

 the court no doubt would decide quickly, 

 both sides being ready and friendly. The 

 writer would be willing to be the goat. 



There can be no doubt there will be 

 a very big demand for the acorn or sum- 

 mer duck as soon as all doubts about its 

 shooting status are determined. The 

 bird is one of the best wild food birds in 

 the world. It is easily bred beside 

 wooded ponds, and where acorns or 

 other wild foods are plentiful it can be 

 produced in good numbers cheaply. The 

 flesh is delicious and the shooting should 

 open in August. 



