The Days When People Put
Poison in the Lake

Did you ever do something that you didn't mean to do? You're not alone. For many years, hunters on Lake Puckaway poisoned the lake that they loved. Lake Puckaway has been a favorite hunting spot for many years. Hunters have traveled long distances since the days when there were no cars, to visit what was once known as one of the greatest waterfowl areas in the midwest.

In 1882 a hotel was opened by some hunters from Chicago. They called it the Ne Pee Nauk Lodge. Ne Pee Nauk is an Indian word that means, "home by the waters." Today, hunters are only allowed to shoot a limited numbers of ducks or geese, but in 1882, there were no limits or wardens to watch them. Hunters took advantage of this. An old book found at the lodge tells of a time in 1883 when one man shot 139 ducks and one goose in just three days! There were no laws, and some kinds of waterfowl have disappeared from Lake Puckaway.

Hunting has changed since the days when millions of ducks lived on Lake Puckaway. Probably the most important change is that today, hunters use pellets made of steel in their guns. Up until the year 1977 the hunters used pellets that were made of lead. Many did not realize it, but lead shot was very harmful to animals.

We all know that often a hunter may shoot many times before they will hit their target. Do you ever wonder what happens to the pellets that don't hit a duck or goose? They fall into the lakes, rivers, and wetlands. They sink to the bottom and stay there for many years. The animals that live in these area find the lead shot and mistake it for food. When they eat it, this causes the animals to get sick and die. This is called lead poisoning.

Scientists began to notice that many ducks and geese were dying near Lake Puckaway and other popular hunting lakes. In 1981, 3,000 geese died on Lake Puckaway. The scientists knew something was wrong. They collected soil from the bottom of the lake, and after testing it, found that there were thousands of lead deposits in it. In one acre, they found 118,000 pellets. Lake Puckaway is 5,039 acres big.

The lead that was used for more than 100 years on Lake Puckaway will still harm some ducks and geese for many years to come. Luckily, today there is a law that says that hunters must use steel pellets when they are hunting. Today, you can still visit the Ne Pee Nauk Clubhouse and learn more about the history of duck hunting on Lake Puckaway.

Source: Wheeler, William E. "Lead Poisoning in Canada Geese in Wisconsin: A Continuing Legacy." journal article in press, March 1995. Contact Oshkosh DNR for info.