Local Abundance: Waterfowl on the Chesapeake

As the fall sets in and the Smith Island watermen transition from harvesting crabs to oysters, waterfowl fill the skies on their annual migration south along the Atlantic flyway. Ducks, geese and brant overwinter on the Chesapeake to feed on the abundant underwater grasses and shellfish. The shallows surrounding the Smith Island archipelago are lush with grasses, drawing in huge flocks of birds. Islanders have long depended on the abundance of waterfowl as a source of food during the winter, especially in years when the Chesapeake freezes over and access to the mainland is limited. The tradition of hunting waterfowl, referred to as ‘gunning’ on the island, runs deep among the island’s men and in a handful of cases, island women. Islanders have also been able to supplement their winter income by guiding ‘sports’ - hunters from the mainland - to shooting opportunities during the season.

While working on my forthcoming photography book, Island Life, I was able to join some of the Smith Island gunners to capture the process of gunning and its importance to the local culture, and was lucky enough to be invited into the homes of the islands to enjoy this traditional recipe for preparing Canada Goose that has been passed on for generations.