Category

Canvasback Duck

The canvasback duck, native to the coastal prairies and marshes of Texas, was an important target in the market hunting industry of the late 19th and early 20th century. The duck was heavily hunted to serve in hotels and restaurants and other premium sites. The bird’s subsequent decline helped lead to the protections of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.

Interviews

Narrator: Rob SawyerTitle: Market Hunting OriginsDuration: 00:03:05Date: April 4, 2023Rob Sawyer is a geologist, hunter, historian and author. Here he tells about the evolution of market hunting from the early days of subsistence and local sales, to the boom years of 1880-1900, when refrigeration, gasoline engines, improved firearms, railroads and steamers allowed Texas waterfowl hunters to provide food (the canvasback duck being just one of many species taken for the trade), feathers, quills, and fat to the international markets.