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 American Duck Shooting by George Bird Grinnell A few words about American Duck Shooting, mentioned in
the previous review. This book is worth the price for
the woodcuts alone. I suppose if your could find an
original edition, in good condition, it would be quite
the collectors item. The rest of us will have to be
satisfied with the paperback from Stackpole.
To understand conservation issues concerning
waterfowl, you must understand this book. The book is
foremost a book on waterfowl conservation. Obviously
there have been many changes in the environment, in
wildlife biology, and the waterfowl regulation since
this book was written in 1901. Many of the techniques
discussed in the book have not been legal for several
generations.
Grinnell calls for a stop to Battery Shooting (sink
boxes), night shooting, spring seasons and so on. It
is interesting to read his description of lead
poisoning, and issue which remained unresolved some 80
years after the publication of this book.
"We must look at fowl-shooting just as we do at every
other form of field sport. As game and fish become
more scarce, limitations must be placed on their
capture, and those methods of destruction which are
most sweeping in their results must be forbidden by
law or public sentiment."
At over 600 pages you won't read this book in one
setting. Fortunately each chapter stands well on its
own and it is a great book to pick up and read in
little bits here and there.
With all the changes cited previously the basic nature
of the duck has changed little in 100 years. Most
books do not hold up so well.
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