What is a harp gun?

A harp gun is a multi-barreled firearm that was used for hunting ducks, geese, and other waterfowl in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It typically had between four and ten barrels, each of which was loaded with a cartridge containing a number of small shot pellets. The barrels were arranged in a horizontal row, and when the trigger was pulled, all of the barrels would fire simultaneously. This made the harp gun very effective at killing large numbers of birds with a single shot.

Harp guns were especially popular in the United States, where they were used by market hunters who would sell the birds they killed to restaurants and hotels. They were also used by sport hunters, who would use them to compete against each other to see who could kill the most birds.

The use of harp guns eventually declined in the early 20th century due to concerns about the overhunting of waterfowl. In 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed, which made it illegal to kill or possess migratory birds without a permit. This law effectively banned the use of harp guns, and they are no longer used for hunting today.

Harp guns are still occasionally used for other purposes, such as pest control and animal euthanasia. However, their use is very limited, and they are not as common as they once were.