The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-19
DUCKS AND DOVES.
Game Birds Which Are Fast
Becoming Extinct.
A Game Law Wanted Which Will Protect
Young Mallards and Doves That Are
Nesting Shooting

There are number OF sporsmen OF this city
who are strongly opposed to the game law as it
reads In relation to the killing of ducks and
doves.
The former are not protected at any season Of
the year by statute, and result the malard
ducks which few years ago were so plentiful in
the adjacent marshes and rivers emptying into
the bay are now rapidly becoming extinct.
well-knOwn sportsman who will certainly
represent The SpOrtsman's Protective Assocla-
tlon al the next session Of the Legislature. said
yesterday:
at is shame and disgrace to the State that
the grandest of our game birds are not protected
by legislative laws. California is the only State
OF the Union In which mallard ducks can be shot
at all times OF the year. Last winter these birds
were selling at Sc and 81 dozen in the markets,
whereas few years ago maIlards brought only
So per dozen.
POOR REPRESENTATIVES,.
" Sportsmen who were supposed 10 represent
the game interests of the State at the last ses-
sion OF the Legislature gave very little attention
to this matter, which Is of great interest to all
lovers of field sports and as a result the game
fowls. especially The grandest OF the duck
species, have been slaughtered by the thousands
during the breeding season, which is. OF course,
The summer months.
The killing OF a female bird 10 the months of
MAY, june, july and August means the loss OF
probably dozen birds to the State. Last sun
day week happened to be In the vicinity Of
Baden, returning from Il fishing trip, when 1
heard several reports OF shotguns coming from
the marsh. Inquired the cause OF the shooting.
thinking IL a rather strange locality for dove to
visit. a farmer Informed me that four hunters
had been shooting regularly every Sunday both
old aud young ducks for several weeks and that
as the law did not protect the birds al any sea-
son they did not anticipate Interference from
game-h eeperS or Sp0rtsmen's clubs.
WHY DUCKS ARE HIGH.
ut was The farmers OF Cousa aud the adjoln.
Enn ffnG Tho in hi
passed TWO years ago which gave hunters title 10
shoot ducks at any time. The result is that
those who fancy roast duck must pay hand
sOmely for their game. 1t is the wideeOn, a MI
gratory bird, that annOys the farmers In the win
ter months, and " the game laws should be al
tered so that malaTd ducks would be protected
between April and September Of each year there
would be no anxiety among the sportsmen as TO
the future of the muchprlZed biped."
The same person criticized severely the law
which gives hunters The legal right TO kill doves
on the LIST of April.
~ have studied the habits of these BIRDS"
said the sportsman, land mud that their breed
ing months in the counties adjoining San Fran
cisco are May, June and July. The sportsmen
OF Marin County have discovered this fact and
the killing OF the birds until July. The game
law OF this Stale needs a revision, and 1t VIII be
attended to at the next session OF the Legisla-
ture"
POINTER WITH WOODEN LEG.
There Is man now in the north Of France who
lives at an out of-the-way village on The coast,
says a correspondent 10 The Shooting Times, and
shoots for the market, who has 4 most eXtraOr-
binary pointer, one with wooden leg. This is
the near hind leg. which, 1t appears, was RIM
over by cart two or three years ago, aud had TO
be amputated. l he dog was then years old,
and rather than destroy his faithful and inValu-
able companion lie appealed to the local doctor,
who fitted a wooden leg 10 the stump. At
first the dog wanted TO gnaw the wound, but
eventually lie recovered and now lakes no notice
of his UNUSUAL appendage. He has seen him
work. The dog goes al a trOt with very slight
limp, so slight as 10 be hardly noticeable. The
bottom OF the artificial leg is ntted with round
mushroom head-shaped iron ferue. rather
broader than the wood, and so far as work Is
concerned the dog, who IS prague, Is 10 no way
impeded. lie is as fun as rock on ILLS points
ana retrieves marvelOusly well.