Artificially propagated mallards furnish most of the duck hunting for guests of Remington Arms Company, Inc., who hunt on 3145-acre Remington Farms. Each year some 6500 five-week old ducklings are released and fed to flight stage at three or four sites on the three miles of tidewater shoreline and 26 man-made ponds which range from one to 50 acres in size. Fall and winter foods are provided by flooded millet, grown for the purpose, and by waste corn, soybeans and other agricultural crops and wild plants. Ducklings are incubator-hatched from eggs produced by some 400 one- and two-year old captive breeders, selected for good plumage and physical condition. Although unwary prior to hunting season, these mallards soon learn to avoid the gun after shooting starts. They are strong fliers and under favorable conditions provide sporty gunning. Hunting success is high -many hunters bagging their limit. Other ducks present, mostly during the early part of the season, include from 10,000 to 20,000 pintails and a few black ducks, wood ducks, shovelers, green-winged teal and a scattering of others. During the 1970-1971 season, with a four-bird daily limit, hunters averaged 2.8 ducks per day. Remington mallards, identified by clipped hind toes, comprised from 85 to 90% of the annual harvest during the past three seasons.
