# 'We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.' **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 24, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701 "2002-10-24T15:34:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/1 "2002-10-24T15:34:50Z")
‘We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.’ WHAT ON EARTH does this mean? Apparently the sniper wanted the police to say this phrase publicly. WHY??? What does it mean? Do you think this John Allen Muhammad and his step-son worked together to do the killings? Will they now stop? [http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/24/sniper.shootings/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/24/sniper.shootings/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/2 "2002-10-24T15:42:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by autz \* > \*\*‘We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.’ > > WHAT ON EARTH does this mean? > > Apparently the sniper wanted the police to say this phrase publicly. WHY??? What does it mean? > > Do you think this John Allen Muhammad and his step-son worked together to do the killings? Will they now stop? > > [http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/24/sniper.shootings/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/South/10/24/sniper.shootings/index.html) \*\* The reference is believed to come from [this fable](The Rabbit, the Otter, and Duck Hunting) and as they are in jail I think it is safe to say the two won’t be shooting anyone from jail. I think from the sounds of things the evidence for them being the Sniper is growing pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/3 "2002-10-24T15:46:12Z")
Your link is dead. What fable is it? ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/4 "2002-10-24T15:54:41Z")
[This one…](http://tsalagi-l.net/rabduck.html) , I think. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/5 "2002-10-24T15:56:39Z")
I guess it’s a Cherokee fable. Here: [http://tsalagi-l.net/rabduck.html](http://tsalagi-l.net/rabduck.html) Basically, the rabbit boasts that he can do anything better than anyone, so the otter bets him that rabbit can’t catch a duck as easily as otter can. Otter then swims out to the duck pond, grabs a duck, and holds it under till it drowns. Rabbit swims out, and throws a noose around a duck’s neck, but the duck takes off, lifting rabbit off the ground and making him cling to the rope for dear life. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/6 "2002-10-24T16:02:05Z")
Yet Another Link [UPI link](http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021024-034003-7658r) “The story “The Rabbit, the Otter, and Duck Hunting” revolves around a boastful little rabbit that lassos a hapless duck, but the duck eventually triumphantly escapes from the snare and gets the best of his foe, and the rabbit ends up eating his own fur for perpetuity.” I’ve no idea why the suspected sniper is using this fable. ---
**Author:** ![Riboflavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Riboflavin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riboflavin)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/7 "2002-10-24T16:53:59Z")
I think the idea is that ‘you think you’ve caught me, but I’m going to cause you more trouble’, judging from your summary of the fable. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/8 "2002-10-24T17:35:21Z")
Well it looks like they’ve caught him. Does anyone think there could be more to this as in somebody else …? Or is this just another way to mess with heads? ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/9 "2002-10-24T17:49:50Z")
Well the fact that the arrest was made so quickly after the “duck noose” statement does lead to the suspicion that this is some kind of elaborate game being played by the killer. It seems the police are still being cautious about saying that John Muhammad is the killer (though the Maryland prosecutor seems to be confident that the shootings are over). Hopefully the next Chief Moose statement will clarify things. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/10 "2002-10-24T17:55:35Z")
Since there are two of them, do we call them **Duck Duck Noose**? ---
**Author:** ![ElJeffe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ElJeffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElJeffe)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/11 "2002-10-24T17:55:55Z")
I heard from source that I can’t remember at the moment that if you take the first letters from “like a duck in a noose”, you end up with “Ladin”, presumably short for “bin Ladin”. Of course, this assumes that the “a” doesn’t count as a word. I grant this story about as much credibility as the average story of its kind, but I thought it was kind of interesting. I think the rabbit story sounds more plausible. Jeff ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/12 "2002-10-24T18:50:24Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** There doesn’t really seem to be a debate here, just general discussion and idle speculation. I’m going to move this thread to, um, hellifiknow, MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/13 "2002-10-24T19:09:00Z")
It is a typo. He has been caught like a duck in a **m** oose – Chief Moose, naturally. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/14 "2002-10-24T19:33:48Z")
I thought he was setting him up for some kind of extended rap lyric that would continue in tomorrow’s press briefing We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose. You think you are so clever County Police Chief Moose. (to be continued) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/15 "2002-10-24T19:47:01Z")
I think only one question remains unanswered: Is this the same duck that was nibbling Judge Sauls to death during the 2000 recounts? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/16 "2002-10-24T19:51:08Z")
“Moose sound bites can be quite nasty.” ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/17 "2002-10-24T21:56:04Z")
Sounds to me like he meant that the cops had so much trouble catching him - unlike the otter. The rabbit was bragging, but when it came down to it, he had a lot of trouble snagging that duck. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/18 "2002-10-24T21:57:40Z")
Riboflavin sort of had it. In the old tale, the rabbit doesn’t really have the duck; the duck has the rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/19 "2002-10-24T22:00:54Z")
My armchair psychology: power trip. Everything about the guy screams power trip. Making the chief of police recite a bit of doggerel that he thinks is actually a deeply significant cautionary tale germane to the situation that he “gets” and the chief doesn’t, is proof positive to the killer of his own superiority. He thinks making a puppet do a dance, and only he understands what it means. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701/20 "2002-10-24T22:03:10Z")
Hm. Let me clarify: “He thinks that he’s making a puppet do a dance, and that only he understands what it all means.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-have-caught-the-sniper-like-a-duck-in-a-noose/133701.md?page=2)