Grinnell's "American Duck Shooting"

Cody Williams

Cody Williams

Well-known member
I picked up a copy of George Bird Grinnell's "American Duck Shooting" from the university library a few weeks ago, and I have to say that it's probably my favorite waterfowling book so far. For those who haven't read it it was published in 1901 and contains chapters on pretty much every concievable type of duck hunting. It's really interesting to read a book from the time when market hunting was still in full force, batteries and sink boxes were commonplace, spring shooting and live decoys were still legal, and an ethical bag limit was somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 birds. The language is beautiful as well, many of the chapters in the book are excerpts from Forest and Stream magazine, it's really interesting to contrast the writing style of the era with that of today. Not to mention a whole chapter on the Chesapeake Bay Dog! Anyone else read this?
 
I have read and reread this book for years. On top of my list of favorite outdoor books surpassed only by Gene Hill's writings. If you have never read Gene Hill, his books are amazing.
 
Cody
See if you can find a copy of two books
Big December Canvasbacks.
And
Water fowling these past fifty years esp brant


Enjoy
 
my copy includes a foreward that gave a brief biography of Mr. Grinnell. He was a tremendous man who had ties with Audubon, a close friend and hunting partner of Theodore Roosevelt, and one of the leaders of the Conservation movement at the turn of the century.
 
I was lucky enough to pick up the reprint of Grinnell's book by Stackpole Books at a book clearance when visiting Chicago a few years ago. It is one of those books I come back to several times a year. The chapters on duck boat designs and battery shooting (with plans) are very interesting reading. Also a number of hunting spots mentioned - e.g. Calumet River IL, Delaware River, Sparrows Point MD - I recognized as places which either were subsequently industrialized and are now locations of my chemical customers, or they are close to where I have lived or hunted in the USA.
Other classics I keep going back to include a reprint of Coykendal's book "Duck Decoys and How to Rig Them", Don Zutz' "Modern Waterfowl Guns and Gunning", and Gresham's "The Complete Waterfowler". Also george Reiger's "The Wings of Dawn" and "The Wildfowler's Quest".
 
Glad to find so many other fans of Grinnell's work! I have Coykendell's book, it's a classic as well. Another classic that I have enjoyed is "Shotgunning in the the Lowlands" by Ray Holland. It was published in 1945 and is a bit more contemporary but still old enough to be from a bygone era. Thanks everyone for the other suggestions, I will have to start looking around for some copies.
 
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