The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-15
NlfCK. DUCK

Although the season is open and several
parties are out the good sport is only just
beg inning, and will not be at it's best
until Nov. l. Many Of the duck
shooters of this city are members of the
different duck clubs. These clubs own por-
tions of the best shooting grounds ard have
club rooms supplied with all OF the luxuries
of town life. A few years ago the duclling
grounds were open to all corners, but now
all of the choice locations have been pur-
chased by the clubs and are reserved for
their members. The clubs are regularly
organized stock companies, and several of
them have prospered so that their stock
which was originally worth $500 a share, is
now valued at $1,000 per share. The clubs
keep a number of skilled attendants in
readiness to take members our, and have
complete supplies of all the necessary ap-
parauuS and equipments. Among the best
known clubs are the Currituck, the Accom-
ack, the Machipongo, and the Narrows
island. There are great many small clubs
at Havre de Grace, along the shores of the
Chesapeake bay. at Carrituck sound, North
Carolina. and at Barnegat. Some of the
best points on Long Island are taken up by
clubs and private individuals. Sledge
island, at Barnegat, is owned by L. w.
Warner of New York. He is a great duck
shooter and takes party of friends down
with him nearly every week during the duck
season.
The members of the duck clubs and other
sportsmen who have the means, keep a
small arsenal of guns and have elaborate
outfits. Their guns are of the latest Lon
don make and cost from $l00to $500 apiece.
| They are breech. leaders and carry extra
| cartridges in magazine In the stock. By a
simple movement the empty shell is thrown
out after discharge and full one put in
| its place automatically. For general shoot
ing l0-gauge gun is used, and occasionally
an S-gauge is employed. The gunners from
| the rural districts of Connecticut, Long
Island and New Jersey, use ali patterns and
sizes of guns from 16-gauge
to a 10-gauge. Professional shoot
ers on the duck grounds use nothing smaller
| than a l0-gauge gun and some of them
| employ au S-gauge gun for distant shots.
| They even resort to punk and swivel guns.
which they loaf with several ounces of
| powder and a half pound Of shot. These
| guns work terrible destruction, killing a
hundred ducks at a shot With a swivel
! gun mounted in the bow of the boat and
fash light thousands of ducks are shot at
night. The boat is propelled to a spot
| where The ducks are thick on the water, the
| light is turned on, and the gun is discharged
| raking over whole flock al killing large
portion of it. These methods are contrary
to law AID prevail only to limited extent.
Most Of the clubs protect the birds from
wanton slaughter, and do all they can to
attract them to their grounds instead OF
driving them away. The Narrows Island
Club is one of the most progressive clubs
and has gone further in these matters than
the other clubs. Ithas It of rules pro-
tecting the birds and covering the method
OF shooting Ordinary gunpowder is pro-
hibited, for the reason that it makes loud
discharge and produces considerable smoke
The new smokeless nitro-compound powders
| Ia t,lxy rNs,nS eaI ok
light report and no smoke at all, and thu
avoid frightening the birds. This powder
shoots as strong as the other powders, and
although it has been used in this country
only a couple of years has become very
popular. 1t is being adopted for trap shoot
ing and was used by the winner Of the
championship contest at Cincinnati three
weeks ago. The size of the shot used ranges
from No. 5 to No. 2 for ducks. and from
No. 2 to threble L for geese and swans.
Nearly all OF the Sportsmen now have
breech loading guns, and carry loaded car.
tridges with them. Many use tho machine
loaded shells because they are cheaper, but
other sportsmen will use only the best hand
loaded shells with noiseless powder These
cost from "a to So per hundred. Some
sportsmen have their guns scientifically
tested by experts and the exact charge nee
essary for best results determined. They
then have the cartridges loaded expressly
for the gun in which they are to be used.
The killing range of the lO-gauge gun is
considered to be about sixty yards, but
birds are often dropped at eighty yards and
sometimes at 100 yards if III a flock. The S
and 4-gauge guns kill ut eighty yards and
sometimes as far as 100 yards From one 10
a dozen ducks are killed at shot accord.
ing TO the distance and the number of birds
together Rapidly in firing is as impor-
tant AS accuracy in aiming. Some sports
a
When one becomes heated from quick firing
the other is taken up.