Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-07-21
Ran Shooting.
THE BEST GROUNDS FOR sroRrsMEN IN THE UNITED
STATES.

THE BEST GROUNDS FOR sPoRrsMEN IN THE UNITED
STATES.
[From the American sportsman
Probably no river in the United States affords
better grounds and of easier access for rail
shooting than the Delaware from Bordentown
southward to Port Penn, the shores are over
grown at intervals with dense growth Of reeds
or wild oats, Lzani Clavulosa, the fayorite food
of this bird, countless numbers of which take
possession of the flats and bars early in August,
long before the seed ripens.
September 1st ushers in rail shooting and
there are few sportsmen of Philadelphia and Its
surrounding towns that do not enter into the
sport with more or less zest. By far the most
numerous spcies of ralldR, or rail, frequenting
the Delaware il the sora, Rallus Caroinus, the
Virginia or red rail. Iiallus Nirginirns is by no
means rare, and can be seen in every bag Of So
ras; the great red or king rail iallus eegans. Is
occasionally shot and always considered prize
when secured; they are comparatively scarce,
however.
Tie salt water mud hen, Rallus crepitans is
often hoated farther down the river nearer the
bay, and seldom wanders to the regions of fresh
water The writer killed one year or two since
on Chester island, in the Delaware. and have
heard of numbers being shot near Wilmington,
farther south. OF the other branch of the rail
family, the common coot or hen bill, Iulica nigra
is often met with, and have known of the COM
mon gallniule. Gallinula galeata having been
shot as far north as Pennsylvania, and it is on
record that i'll lsiS the purple galinule, CALI
nua martinica, was killed OH League island at
the mouth of the Schuylkill by Mr.. John kIider,
of Philadelphia.
The favorite points from which the sportsman
salles forth i'll quest of the rail are Bridgeport,
Fort Penn. Marcus Hook, Chester and the l4az-
arctic, and at all these places pushers or pole
men can be secured at price ranging from
three to i've dollars per tide and score Of boats
/ start from these stations during the season.
| Thirty or forty rail to boat is considered an
average bag, but seyonty-ve to one hundred
are often boatcd and last September at Port
Penn, during very heavy tide, Mr.. Kerlin, OF
Chester, SHOT two hundred and twenty-six, 5bt
largest number ever known to have boon bagged
! by a sll Gle sportsman in day.
The boats used by the rall-shooter arc of
build peculiar to the Delaware, and are mad,
pounds they arc modelled sharp at both boy
and stern, 'cnker built, and are partly decket
over at the end where the pusher stands whit
propelliug the skill through the reeds. In from
of the shooter luare receptacle il CONSTRUCTED
where lie can lay his ammunition box or cartridges
and reach them readily for rapid loading ani
firing.
BY the twentieth Of October, at which time "
generally have a sharp frost the rail all NOV
routhward and the shooting ceases.
Myrad= Of reed birds claim the same feedn
grounds during September, but willie in pnisui
Of rail they are seldom disturbed, for each boa
is striving to bag the greatest number of rail t
be displayed on the return, and great honor
attached TO the high boat.
Mallard. summer duck. green and blue winge
teal, are often met with iii the reeds, ard it
advisable always to be provided with some can
ridges loaded with larger shot than No. 10.