Hundreds flock to catch runaway ducks

People from all over the country have flocked to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, to assist a distressed farmer in capturing hundreds of ducks that have been roaming freely in his paddy fields, according to tidenews.com.cn, a Zhejiang provincial media outlet.

The unconventional methods used by the volunteers, including slingshots, compound bows, and even drones, have astounded onlookers.

The farmer, surnamed Bu, had released a batch of ducks into his rice paddies last July as part of a duck-rice symbiosis project to increase his income.

However, the ducks' breed required the trimming of four feathers on one wing after 60 days to prevent them from flying away when fully grown. When the time came to trim the feathers, the rice plants had become too tall and dense, making it impossible to catch the ducks in the fields.

As a result, they took to the skies and have remained at large ever since.

Desperate for help, Bu put out an appeal, offering to give one duck to anyone who caught one and split two ducks evenly if they caught two.

Initially, local enthusiasts responded to the call, using slingshots, nets, and even rat traps.

However, their efforts only yielded a couple of dozen ducks, leaving over 400 still at liberty.

After media coverage of Bu's plight, more people became aware of his situation.

According to Bu's estimates, over 1,000 people have traveled from near and far, including Hangzhou and the provinces of Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Anhui, Shandong and Henan.

"There are so many talented people out there," Bu said. "Many of them are outdoor enthusiasts and skilled shooters. They have all come with their own professional equipment. It's incredible.

"Just the other day, a group of people drove all the way from Shandong with compound bows. They looked very professional," Bu said.

Even drones have been employed in the duck-catching operation. A Hangzhou resident, surnamed Wang, used a drone equipped with a net to capture ducks from the air, demonstrating the effectiveness of the method as he caught two ducks within minutes.

Other ingenious methods used by the volunteers include bows and arrows, traditional rope snares, rat traps, thermal imaging devices, and even hunting dogs.

However, slingshots have proven to be the most prevalent weapon. "We saw the news and decided to drive from Xiaoshan district first thing this morning," said a man surnamed Han, who, along with his two friends, successfully caught a duck each using slingshots.

"We had a good haul. It took us over an hour, and the ducks were flying quite high, making it a bit challenging. But it was a unique experience, and it felt rewarding," Han said.

Another volunteer, surnamed Tu, who also wielded a slingshot, remained empty-handed. "We practice target shooting regularly, but catching ducks is a different story. It's definitely harder," he said.

As of Thursday, few ducks could be found in the fields. Bu said that while ducks had initially congregated in the paddies, the growing number of people aiding in their capture had made them wary and cautious.

On Wednesday, all the ducks took to the air and have since dispersed to nearby hillsides and ponds, making it challenging to locate them in the rice fields, Bu said.

While Bu expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support, he acknowledged that the ongoing task of catching the remaining ducks, along with preparing for spring plow, has kept him occupied.

"In the past three days, we have probably caught about 100 ducks, with a few flying away," Bu said. "Based on the current situation, the spread-out ducks are no longer a significant threat to our rice crop."

However, Bu remains cautiously concerned. "If the number of volunteers catching ducks dwindles, the ducks might regroup and return to the fields, which could still harm the crop," he said. "My hope is to catch as many of the remaining ducks as possible before the rice planting begins in early April," Bu said.

"Because the remaining ducks are more vigilant and dispersed, we will need even more skilled duck catchers to assist us."