Hunting

From Ocracoke Island: Your Questions Answered -- "Before the Migratory Bird Act was passed in 1917, Ocracokers did 'market gunning': shooting large numbers of waterfowl to sell to off-island markets as far away as New York City. The men often hunted from 'batteries' (boxes with stabilizing 'wings') which were submerged in water and held down with iron ducks, allowing just enough space for the hunters to breathe and see. Later on, guiding became popular, with visiting hunters staying in hunt clubs or in the homes of their guides. The guides would carry their clients by boat to duck blinds, small enclosures built in the marsh or on pilings above the surface of the water."

Photo courtesy Ocracoke Current

Follow these links for more information about Ocracoke waterfowl hunting:

http://www.ocracokecurrent.com/20974

http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2012/01/iron-decoy.html

http://www.ncwildlife.org/HuntingP/SeasonsLimits/WaterfowlSeasonsLimits/SeasonandLimitsforMigratoryGameBirds.aspx#6720624-ducks-mergansers--coots

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is about earthquakes that have affected Ocracoke and the Outer Banks. You can read the newsletter here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092116.htm.