12 
FOREST AND STREAM 
January, 1920 
A MANUAL OF WILD FOWL SHOOTING 
PART FIVE OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES DESCRIBING THE TRAITS, CHARACTERISTICS 
AND METHODS OF HUNTING OUR WATERFOWL- THE SEA DUCKS CONTINUED 
T HE greater scaup-duck and the 
lesser scaup-duck of the ornitholo- 
gists are known to the gunners by 
various common or local names. They 
are two distinct species, alike except in 
size. One is known as the big broad-bill, 
blue-bill or black-head, and the other as 
the little broad-bill, blue-bill or black- 
head. The latter is often called creek 
blue- or broad-bill. 
The big broad-bill is from eighteen to 
twenty inches in length, the little broad- 
bill about sixteen inches. Head, neck, 
foreparts of back and chest black, with 
green or purple reflections on head and 
meek; lower back, rump, upper and low- 
er tail coverts black; middle of back, 
sides and flanks white, undulated with 
narrow black lines, similiar to but 
showing more black than the canvas- 
back and red-head; tail, blackish brown; 
belly and speculum, white; bill, dull 
blue;. legs and feet, slate color. Female: 
White space around base of bill; rest of 
head, neck and breast, dark brown; up- 
per parts dusky brown, faintly speckled 
with white ; under parts white ; speculum 
white; legs and feet same as male. 
The scaups are found throughout North 
America at large. Some naturalists are 
of the opinion that the larger duck is 
more often found about the sea-coasts 
and the smaller bird in the interior, the 
latter preferring fresh water to salt. I 
have shot many of both species about the 
coast, but I believe more of the larger 
birds. Both the scaups when feeding on 
water grass are excellent food, but not so 
palatable when their diet is unfavorable. 
The scaups, like 
the canvas - back 
and red-heads, are 
expert divers. 
They are lovers of 
deep water and 
often feed on the 
bottom of lake or 
bay by diving to 
great depths, 
where they are affie 
to remain for con- 
siderable periods 
at a time. 
Wounded scaups 
are exceedingly 
difficult to recover, 
since they dive the 
moment they strike 
the water, and 
usually come up 
out of gun range. 
Often when they 
do come up they 
only allow their 
head and bill to 
appear above the 
surface, the body 
remaining im- 
mersed. In this 
position they will 
By FREDERICK A. WILLITS 
Male and female scaup swimming 
drift with the wind or tide or swim away 
from the hunter. It is very difficult to 
see the small black head, especially when 
the water is rough. 
Sometimes a wounded bird will come 
completely above the surface, but at the 
approach of the boat will dive and re- 
appear far off to the side or in back 
of the hunter, repeating this perform- 
ance each time it is approached. They 
usually dive just before you come within 
range and seem to estimate the distance 
to a nicety, remaining on the surface 
until the last safe moment. 
The scaups fly with tremendous speed 
and are difficult marks when they pass 
under full head-way. It is necessary to 
hold the gun well in advance of a bird 
passing in full flight, the amount of 
“lead” depending, of course, upon the 
distance the bird is from the hunter. It 
is not sufficient to merely aim the gun 
at a point ahead of a duck and then to 
hold it motionless at the moment of fir- 
ing. But the gun should be swung well 
ahead of the duck and then kept swing- 
ing as the trigger is pressed. 
As I have observed before, to cor- 
rectly estimate the speed and distance 
of a passing duck, as well as taking into 
consideration the velocity of the wind 
(the effect it has on a load of shot) and 
whether the bird is flying with or against 
it, requires much practice. 
The ducks fare badly at the hands of 
the old baymen who have shot wild- 
fowl for many years without missing a 
season and who, therefore, are always in 
practice. The new hand at the sport will 
miss many shots before he bags a single 
duck. 
The scaups usually come well to the 
decoys, especially if the counterfeits are 
painted to represent their own species. 
Many varieties of ducks usually circle 
the decoys one or more times before 
coming in, but a flock of broad-bills 
often rush right in and out again with 
hardly a warning and with speed which 
calls for quick handling of the gun. 
Therefore, the shooting at these birds is 
often very rapid and exciting. 
I have seen a bunch of broad-bills 
come into the decoys and at the report 
of the guns the entire flock splash into 
the water, the unharmed birds along 
with the killed and wounded. The un- 
harmed and wounded birds would dive 
immediately, later coming up far outside 
of the decoys and scattered on all sides, 
when those unhit would jump and fly 
off and the wound- 
ed swim away. 
They are such in- 
veterate divert 
that no doubt they 
feel as safe in the 
water as in the air. 
' The scaups, like 
the other sea-fowl, 
are well protected 
with feathers and 
require hard hit- 
ting to kill them. 
The gun should be 
full choke bored, 
the shot under 
average conditions 
number 4 or 5. 
The scaups are 
one of our most 
plentiful ducks and 
are usually abund- 
ant on the brackish 
bays and sounds 
about the coast 
during the migra- 
tions. They are 
also plentiful in 
many sections of 
the interior. 
I found the les- 
/ . 
At the close of a day’s shooting on Bamegat Bay 
