Our Ducks: A History of American Ducks, Nesting, Roosting, Feeding and Playing Grounds (1899)

Little can be learned of F[rederick]. Henry Yorke personally from major biographic and bibliographical sources. However, he seems particularly familiar with the upper midwest.The full title of Yorke’s opus is Our Ducks, a History of American Ducks. Nesting, Roosting, Feeding and Playing Grounds. Habits Throughout the Year (1899). On the title page he identifies himself as being an M.D. On the same page he gives the names of two books for which he claims authorship. Strangely, no books bearing these titles can be found via internet searches. Yorke’s opus is among many such how to hunting books of the last half of the 19th century. At the time, the hunting of waterfowl and upland game birds was extremely popular for both sport and commerce. However, many of the new adherents lived in eastern and midwestern urban areas and had relatively little insight into rural hunting conditions or much knowledge of the game they wished to hunt. The tentacles of the railroads were then penetrating into nearly-virgin territories, enabling urban-dwelling sportsmen to travel easily, quickly, and economically to distant hunting locales. Many sportsmen were similarly unfamiliar with the identity, distribution, migration patterns, habits, and habitats of the rich variety of species newly becoming available Many did they know how to hunt them successfully. Lastly, many knew little about guns, ammunition, clothing, dogs, boats, blinds, and other accessories that contributed to the success and enjoyment of time afield. Yorke’s book was written to satisfy these needs.–Henry M. Reeves.