How to use Duck Bombs

 

Detail image of duck bomb during demonstration conducted by Alexander Wetmore and his assistant
 
Until I started working for the Smithsonian, I had no idea the extent of working relationships between the Smithsonian and other federal agencies. At National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) I was fascinated to learn that the Smithsonian works closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Geological Survey (USGS), among others. These relationships extend to sharing of collections, specimens, expertise, and have existed for decades. Many of the field books we are currently cataloging were originally created by USDA scientists. It is through this connection that I started to appreciate the scope and impact of the USDA’s role, while working on Alexander Wetmore’s materials created during his time with the USDA, Bureau of Biological Survey.

During 1915-1918, Wetmore was working with farmers, companies, and local officials across the western United States to manage ducks and other birds that were damaging rice crops. His field books document discussions with individual claimants, observations of field damage, months of observations of damage caused by waterfowl and birds of the area, and correspondence with state gaming and fishing departments. Looking through these materials it became increasingly clear how serious the damage and financial impact on farmers became.

Wetmore included news clippings and political cartoons discussing the issues, as those affected became more emphatic about finding a solution. •

• Ducks versus Rice: the country must make up its mind which it prefers to have (8/16/1918)
• Farmers must get rid of ducks to save their rice (8/10/1918)
• Rice growers arm to war on duck invaders : Colusa planter declares guns and ammunition are ready to protect crops (undated)
• The depredations committed by wild ducks (8/26/1918)

Gun clubs and farmers increasingly called for the right to shoot ducks damaging an important local crop. Wetmore, worked with local authorities to find solutions that would balance wildlife and hunter rights, as well as public opinion.

 

Wetmore's assistant demonstrating how to set a duck bomb.

One of these possible solutions was the “duck bomb.” It was an alternative investigated by Wetmore and the USDA: an attempt to discourage waterfowl from crops with minimum physical harm. Notes discuss application and safe placement; Wetmore’s assistant demonstrates these methods in photograph. His notes also indicate that this was not a totally nonlethal deterrent, but as the tone of the article titles imply, the ramifications of crop damage became extreme, and all plausible methods had to be considered.

Wetmore’s field notes don’t explain how things were resolved, so I did a little research, and found the back-story quite compelling. At the time, rice was a recently introduced commercial crop in the United States. According to US Census of Agriculture, it was virtually nonexistent as a commercial crop before 1900. Acres planted nearly tripled across the country from 1900 to 1920. Places like California that struggled with the migratory birds only began commercially planting after 1910. With World War I in progress, the United States became an increasingly important food supplier.

 

 

 

In many cases the wetlands appropriate for cultivating rice were already destinations for migratory birds. The harvest timing correlated too well with migrating birds’ movements. According to a report by the US Rice Federation, in 1917, “the total loss of grain to ducks was estimated to be worth $1 million.”

Since then, these crops have become important parts of the agricultural production in the states Wetmore investigated. Methods of cultivation and conservation have been established to work with bird populations, rendering methods like “duck dombs” unnecessary. For more information, see http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Rice/links.htm on the USDA site.

References

 John M. Eadie, Chris S. Elphick, Kenneth J. Reinecke, Michael R. Miller. (2008). Conservation in Ricelands of North America. p. 9.Retrieved from http://www.usarice.com/doclib/198/4712.pdf.

United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 1920 Census of Agriculture.p. 771. Retrieved from http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/Historical_Publications/1920/Individual_Crops.pdf

Comments

[Nora]

Love how you shot these in-situ with the photo corners, giving us a sense of the album context and reducing physical strain on the photograph.