798 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Waterfowl of Manitoba and Saskatchewan 
With a Few Remarks and Observations on the Hunting of Prairie 
Chickens as Now Practised 
By J. D. A. Evans. 
The waterfowl of Canada West, are extend¬ 
ing flight into latitudes removed from the foot¬ 
steps of man. Yet opportunity for sport is still 
provided in agricultural domain of Manitoba and 
Saskatchewan. 
In the hinterlands of Canada, the winged ten¬ 
antry arrive in early spring. Several varieties of 
the wild duck do not extend flight into uninhab¬ 
ited territory northward. These birds known as 
“domestics,” furnish good sport in the open sea¬ 
son commencing October i. The “foreign” ducks 
feed in Manitoba and Saskatchewan during re¬ 
turn flight southward. An average autumn wit¬ 
nesses the following species: 
The blue bill; gadwell, a bird of extreme speed 
flight; butterball, a delight of the epicurean; 
streams and consists of boat and “hide” if reed 
patch or rice grass is prevalent. Toward the 
close of season when early frost takes tenure 
of the waterways, decoys in close adjacence to 
willows or other growth are utilized. During 
the second week of November, waterfowl migra¬ 
tion approaches; occasionally this departure may 
be extended a few days. A huge financial out¬ 
lay for the sport is not necessary. Necessaries 
are a seaworthy boat and clothing which does 
not evoke the ridiculous. Many sportsmen have 
yet to learn the characteristics of simple garb, 
and appear at shooting grounds in most gro¬ 
tesque costume. Numerous of the Nimrod fra¬ 
ternity have preference for the camp life; how¬ 
ever, in the majority of localities, good accom¬ 
modation at reasonable price is obtainable at 
farmers’ homes in the vicinity. 
The yellow pouched pelican will be seen oc¬ 
casionally. A quartette of the goose family, Rus¬ 
sian, grey, laughing and wavey are visitants in 
spring and autumn, en route to and from nest¬ 
ing places far northward. The swan has almost 
deserted former haunts in its annual peregrina¬ 
tion, an odd specimen perchance being observed 
on flight from northern wilds. Many waterways 
contain the bittern; likewise the mud hen and 
coot. The loon is not of general distribution, 
yet occurs in plenitude on some waters. Blue 
and sandhill crane may be noticed amid reed 
beds of larger lakes; the last named variety may 
be taken on stubble fields during late autumn. 
Every lake and slough in patronized by the 
snipe of a trio of species; the golden plover ten- 
Is It Safe?—Yes, Come On In, the Water’s Fine! 
saw bill; wood duck; blue teal, also red, green, 
white winged varieties; mallard, green and red 
head; spoon bill; likewise a white duck classed 
as of rare observance; few occurrences of this 
visitor are, however, recorded. 
The duck shot usually follows the sport 
through a trio of mediums: rising, flight, decoy. 
The first named is adaptable to rivers and 
ants the prairies, and toward end of August has 
usually taken departure. 
The provisions of Manitoba and Saskatchewan 
game laws, furnish adequate protection for the 
annual bird visitants. In every district of the 
Provinces, guardians are appointed, and strin¬ 
gent penalties are enacted for infringement of 
legislation. Residents of cities and incorporated 
towns are required to procure permit at cosc of 
one dollar. Persons not domiciled within the 
territory, must obtain license for which a fee 
of twenty-five dollars is chargeable. 
The advent of a progressive attitude into con¬ 
fines of unoccupied territory, creates transfor¬ 
mation. Canada West is fitting example of such 
prowess; its fur bearers have migrated north¬ 
ward ; the ornithological features are retained 
to a certain extent as illustrated by the prairie 
chicken yet continuing its haunts amid the settle¬ 
ments of agricultural domain. 
Within recent years, many within the sporting 
arena conceded that preservation of the prairie 
chicken could alone be obtained through meas¬ 
ure of close season for several years. Then 
dissentient voices arose above the clamor; legis¬ 
lative enactment toward foreclosure did not 
transpire. There were at the time, and are yet, 
certain factors contributory to diminution of the 
birds of which to-day large flocks are in general 
distribution. During the early years of Canada 
West history, prairie fires occurred annually in 
spring time and were responsible for much de¬ 
struction of eggs and young birds. In this pres¬ 
ent decade, depredations of the crow and weasel 
are not absent among the nests. 
The prairie chicken is not of easy prey to the 
gun. Hence many alleged “sportsmen” are ad¬ 
herents of a fraternity the ideas of whom are 
confined to procedure recognized in prairie par¬ 
lance as “pot hunting,” the main tactics of which 
consist in entering a field by means of wagon, 
buggy or automobile, and thus frustrating the 
chicken from taking wing until the hunter is 
within close range. A most improper and un¬ 
sportsmanlike system, one to which every dis¬ 
couragement should be tendered. Yet this pro¬ 
cedure is yearly practised; it should be prohib¬ 
ited by stringent penalty. The individual by 
whom the sport of chicken shooting is valued 
from its highest aspects, invokes the service of 
the dog, and especially so during morning and 
afternoon hours, when birds retire into grass 
or scrub in the vicinity of feeding grounds. To¬ 
ward expiration of the open season, October i- 
15, chicken are in strong feather equipment, ne¬ 
cessitating heavy grade of shot, numbers two and 
three, of first class utility. Game laws limit a 
per diem bag to twenty birds; an excess of one 
hundred chicken may not be taken during the 
season. For sportsmen non-resident in the ter¬ 
ritory, license fee of twenty dollars is enacted. 
During September, Manitoba Field Trials are 
an event of importance. Entries from many 
leading handlers of the United States, contribute 
greatly to the program, which occurs at Arnaud, 
twenty miles south of the City of Winnipeg. The 
Province of Manitoba has dispatched several 
animals of local ownership, to participate in trials 
of United States clubs. 
FROM FOREST AND STREAM’S FOUNDER. 
Washington, D. C., December 15, 1915. 
Dear Friend Editor: 
I hasten to send you congratulations on your 
great success in revamping our Forest and 
Stream. To-day it is a much better make up 
mechanically and artificially than it was at the 
outset. 
I keep very well, physically, but I am constant¬ 
ly reducing weight. Charles Halloch. 
