VAN HOUTEN M (2020) Snaring Ruffs Philomachus pugnax for science. LIMOSA 93 (3): 138-141.

In the archives of ethologist and evolutionary biologist Johan van Rhijn the author found a description of an unknown method for catching Ruffs for scientific research, that is described in this short note. In the late sixties and early seventies Van Rhijn used snares made out of nylon fishing lines at the lek sites of Ruffs. This was based on snares made out of horsetail hairs, as had already been used by hunters and poachers for centuries in the Dutch province of Utrecht, for catching Ruffs for consumption. Eventually Johan van Rhijn was able to snare 100 Ruffs at the lek sites in 4 years, during 53 catching days (Tab. 1), excluding retraps. This contributed to his PhD-thesis and the Ruff monography he wrote for Poyser.

[pdf only for members] [dutch summary]