Evening star., 1886-08-14
THE SHOOTING SEASON.
Gunners Getting Ready for the lst-
What the Game Laws Saw.

The gunner has already begun to look after
bis gun and spends some time each day polish.
ing 1t and preparing his ammunition so as 10
be ready for action by the 1st OF September,
which is now only about two weeks Off That
sporting men In this city, who will start out at
daybreak to slay the reed birds and ortolaI
that have gone unmolested since the breaking
up of the last cunning season, which ended
January 31st. During the first ten days of the
season the marshes in the Eastern branch and
the river are thick with gunners from sunrise
to sunset, and scarcely season passes without
killed. The 1st of September also begins the
season for shooting snipe, plOver, wild ducks,
wild geese and wild brant, but the latter birds
are not looked after much until reed birds and
ortolan are driven away by the severe cold
weather, or killed off by sunners. Woodcock
shooting is permitted in the District after July
ISL. Partridge shooting Is not permitted until
November 1st For violating these provisions
OF law penalty OF So for each bird is imposed
on all persons who are caught shooting the
birds or having them In his possession. The
law also provides penalty of 81 tor killing or
having in possession any OF the following birds.
at any time during the year: Turkey buzzard,
wren, sparrow, bluebird, humIning-bir,i, bluo
jay, robin or migratory thrush, song bird, mar
ten, mocking-bird, swallow, oriole red or cardi-
nal bird, wood or song robbin, cat-biid, pewit,
Whip-pOor-will, gold-finch, sap-sucker, hanging
bird, wood pecker, crow, blackboard or any other
insecu !orous bird. Under the gaming act it is
violation OF law, unless done in the necessary
prosecution of farming business, TO rob or de-
stroy birds nest, under a penalty OF 81 for
eaSh each nest. Section y OF the gaming act pro
wild duck, wild goose or wild brant with any
other gun than such as are habituaily raised at
arms length and fired from the shoulder, and
provides . penalty of $25 for such violation.
The use OF a trap, net or snare and the killing
OF birds in the night are also prohibited. Deer
meet or venison cannot be sold in the District
rom the first day of January to the 18th day
OF August, under penalty of 20 cents for each
pound now sold.
are of more importance to the District gunners
than those of the District, differ considerably
from the District laws.
THE MARYLAND LAWS.
No person shall shoot, catch, Kill or have In
possession, any partridge between the oath day
Of december, said day included, and the 1st
day of November next ensuing, nor any wood
COCK between the 1st day OF February and the
10th day OF June; nor any pheasant between
the LIST DAY Of January SAID day included and
the 10Th day OF August; nor any rabbit between
the loth day OF January and the 10th day OF
October; nor any wild fowl between November
LIST and March 31st, in that part Of Chesap peake
bay and its waters lying north OF a line from
Turkey point to Spessitic island There are
laws which hold only lor the counties. In Prince
Georges and Anne Arundel counties it is un-
lawful TO Kill Ortolan, rail birds except
between the 9th ol september and the lst of
November; partridges between October 18th
lawful to Kill partridge between DeceIn ber 9TH
and October 10th; woodcock between January
LIST and June 10th, ana pheasant between Feb
ruary LIST and September LIST.
THE VIRGINIA LAWS.
The law forbids the killing of partridges be-
tween the first day OF January and the fifteenth
OF October in each year; wild turkeys between
the first day OF February and the fifteenth day
OF October of eacn year; woodcock, between the
nrst day OF February and the first day of July
OF eacn year; pheaSants, be tween the first DAY
OF February and the first day OF August OF each
year; deer, between the fifteenth day OF Decem-
Der and the fifteenth day oil August of the next
succeeding year. The law prohibits the killing
OF any wild water fowl, in Fairfax and AleSan-
dria counties, between the Iirst OF May and the
first OF September OF each year; any sora, reea
bird or black birds, between the first OF January
and first OF September OF each year; rabbits or
hares, between the fifteenth of January and fit-
reenth OF September OF each year.
The possession OF any prohibited bird or deer,
within the prohibited period mentioned in this
act Shall be held prima facia evidence OF its vio
iation and subject the person in possession to
Its penalties.