CA2ORNIA FISH AND GAME 
 
 
66 
 
 
the erecting of fences, the destruction of 
natural forage, tilling of the soil and the 
crowding of the game from natural habi- 
tats. 
  By the year 1900 it was discovered 
that the pronghorned antelope had been 
reduced to very small bands in six widely 
separated areas. Steps were immediately 
taken to protect these animals from com- 
plete extermination and close watch was 
made by the Division for game poachers. 
  Cheney, during his recent trip, made 
note of the size of the bands to be found. 
It is his opinion that there is a small 
increase in the antelope population. This 
increase, however, is coming very slowly, 
he reported, because in the bands sur- 
veyed he saw very few young animals. 
  The pictures obtained will form an in- 
valuable record for the files in the divi- 
sion. When released these films will be 
shown by the bureau of education to 
schools, colleges, lodges, sportsmen organ- 
izations and other educational agencies. 
The division not only hopes to present 
valuable data in this way but also to 
create a real interest in our native mam- 
mals. 
  In making the picture it was necessary 
for Cheney to hide in a tree, approxi- 
mately 40 feet above the ground. He ex- 
perienced extreme difficulty in handling 
his equipment secretly in such a perilous 
position. However, he succeeded in gath- 
ering some excellent photographs before 
he was discovered-then the fleet ante- 
lope bounded across the rough country 
with the grace of great birds. Other 
pictures were made from surface blinds. 
        DUCKS IN CALIFORNIA 
   Some idea of the supply of ducks that 
this state once supported can be gained 
from a story appearing in the September 
number of the Associated Sportsmen, un- 
der the heading, "Our Ducks."        The 
writer of this story says that he got his 
data from the notes of John Exley. 
   The story, in part, follows: 
   "Forty years ago ducks in California 
were like the grains of sand along the 
seashore-they were countless. Sports- 
men who believe they have seen many 
ducks at any time during the last ten 
years can have no conception of the tre- 
mendous numbers that existed in the old 
days. Hunters of that period laughed at 
the idea of possible reduction, let alone 
extermination. "That would be impos- 
sible," they said, "so long as there was 
feed there would be millions and million, 
of ducks and geese."   So we slaughtered 
game    thoughtlessly and   without any 
qualms of conscience. 
   "Forty years ago you didn't have to gc 
 en,- fin- , hiur tf du~ks. If vou lived ini 
 
 
San Francisco all that was necessary was 
to cross on the ferry to Alameda or to 
drive to South San Francisco. If you 
were an experienced duck hunter you 
could readily kill from 25 to 100 birds in 
a day within five miles of the ferry build- 
ing. Bluebill, canvasback, sprig, wid- 
geon, teal, rail, shore birds and bay ducks 
of all kinds were plentiful in the bay 
region at that time. The Alameda, San 
Mateo, Sonoma and Suisun marshes sup- 
ported a tremendous number of ducks. 
  "You didn't bother with decoys then; it 
wasn't necessary. You picked out a line 
of flight and shot as long as your shells 
lasted. I recall bags of more than 200 
ducks to the gun being made in a day 
under favorable conditions in this terri- 
tory. 
  "In spite of the great abundance of 
game at San Francisco's back door there 
were localities in the state where game 
was even more plentiful, particularly in 
the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys 
and the delta country. And when Miller 
& Lux developed an immense tract of 
irrigated land in Merced County about 35 
years ago that territory quickly became 
the great duck Mecca. 
  "Confession is good for the soul, they 
say. When I was a young fellow I was 
crazy over hunting-it was the sport 
constantly in my mind. I wasn't satis- 
fied with a day's sport in a week. So in 
company with several other young blades 
I launched forth as a market hunter. 
Many other ardent hunters were doing 
the same thing, and being thoughtless 
and fortified with the general opinion 
that wild game would never become less 
plentiful we felt justified in our under- 
taking. Recent reports from     the Los 
Banos country had set our blood afire. So 
we organized a party, bought a hunting 
outfit, including camping equipment, a 
double team and buckboard, "bull guns" 
and ammunition, and started for duck 
heaven. It took us four days to cover the 
mileage now covered in four hours by 
present-day shooters. When we arrived 
we added a couple of steers to the outfit, 
for most of our shooting was to be done 
with four-gauge muzzle-loaders on ducks 
and geese "worked" from behind cattle. 
   "All the members of the party were 
extra good shots with ordinary shotguns, 
but the proper use of the "bull gun" was 
something else again, while the working 
of ducks with the aid of a steer required 
great patience and was considerable of a 
science. But when you get the ducks 
closely massed and within range, after 
maneuvering for possibly an hour, it was 
slaughter-the big gun mowed a long 
lane throuah the birds, and two shots 
 
 
ln   through. th   birds..  and.......... 
 
 
far for a bat, of du a. , If you lived ir,