SPORTSMANSHIP?

Forest and Bird, Issue 57, 1 August 1940, Page 5

SPORTSMANSHIP?

If during peace time, an unfriendly nation invited all New Zealand citizens to partake of free meals at a large number of restaurants, and then one fine day shot their guests as they ate the free meals, what would we say and think about the occurrence ? Worse than this, however, takes place so far as much of the duck shooting is concerned. A goodly proportion of grey and other native ducks are fed daily prior to the opening of the shooting season in order to attract them to a suitable position. Decoys are then set out on an appointed day, usually the Ist May, to assure the birds that it is safe

to alight. As they alight, and while placidly waiting on the water for the usual meal, they are shot from cover. All good sportsmen, of course, resent the use of such unsportsmanlike methods as these, and many requests have been made to have the use of decoys and “baiting,” as it is called, made illegal, but nothing happens except that ducks get less and less in number. The accompanying photograph, culled from many appearing in the daily press, depicting well filled bags and such like, was labelled “Taking aim.” Note the sitting ducks.