Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-29
THE DAINTY REED BIRD.
Hunters Getting Their Guns aud skins In
Readiness

| Readiness.
| TIE SEASON WILL OPEN NEXT TUESDAY AND THE
| CRACK OF TIE SHOTGUN WILL BE HEARD IN THE
| MARSHES ABOUT THE CITY SOME SUGGESTIONS
| TO sPoErsNEN.
Next Tuesday morning long before Washing
| ton has taken its last forty winks, two mysteri-
Gus bands of armed men will leave the city by
different routes One will move silently across
the Long bridge, the other toward the Eastern
branch. The early risers viii not see them, but
they will hear The rattle of musketry." 1t is
the opening of the reed bird season, and the
mystic forces which only few hours before
left the city are the Washington hunters banging
away at Mr.. Reedy from skiffs or wading waist
deep in the marshes about the CITY,
THE DAY LoSoED FOR.
The 1st Of September is the day most longed
fer by Washington hunters, for the reed bird
and ortolan which usually abound in the neigh
boring marshes are the only game the local
sportsncn have chance at. So it ia that az
the first day Of autumn draws near the guns
are taken out and cleaned and ammunition is
prepared for the celebration or rather the
slaughter, Of poor little 'reedy," whose plain
tive chirp, chirp, chirp. SO unlike that of other
birds. is already getting to be q familiar sound
in the marshes
WHERE THE REED BIRD FEEDS.
The vicinity about the city is well supplied
with marshes, and the large quantities of wild
oats which abound there is the favorite
food Of the reed bird. Here he feeds.
flying from one to the other, catching
hold of the delicate perpendicular
stalks and picking the grain which hangs in
profusion from graceful tops, resembling
plumes. trip to the marshes before this
beautiful plant is destroyed by the gunners
| who tramp it down will be greatly enjoyed by
the lovers of nature. The tall. graceful plumes.
| bedecked here and there by a reed bird sway
| Ing IN the breeze, make pretty picture. The
wild oat crop this year is fair, although it does
not come up to last seasons, which was con-
| sidered the largest in years.
BIRDS COMING IN PLENTIFUL NUMBERS.
| Tie birds are arriving in plentiful numbers,
and If they keep coming in the same proper
tior as they have the last three days We will
have plenty of shooting. Several daring pot
hunters have already commenced shooting the
birds, which readily bring 81 dollar per dozen.
| Its risky business, however. as it is illegal to
| hunt before the season opens, and any one
! caught IS liable to a fine of 81 for each bird
| found in his possession. There is any quantity
| OF biackbirds there always is. Already they
have made themselves known in the market.
| and may be had at 40 cents per dozen. But
| they cannot compare with the delicate reed
| get SO obese around here that when shot they
often burst open when they fall). are truly dc.
| ilclous and when served correctly make q very
dainty dish.
/ HOW TO SHOOT REED BIRDS.
There are several ways to shoot reed birds
One is by the use of a light skiif propelled by a
| ''pusher"-a man stationed in the stern with a
long pole having a Y-shaped end. which lie
pushes in the mud and impels the skiff through
the high grass Inc gunner sits in the bow
gun in hand. When the game is sighted the
pusher squats and urges the boat forward from
| that position. When within range he draws in
his showing pole and locates the game. As
| soon as the smoke has cleared away he pushes
up to where he has marked the bird, and, il
lucky, picks it up. He is lucky if he finds
it, for a dead reed bird is about as
hard a thing to find as a needle in hay stack
In the first place, the bird itself is no larger
| than a sparrow. and if you do not mark the
| exact spot where it fell it's ''dollnrs to dough
| nuts, as the betting man saws, that you won
find it. The marsh all looks the same and its
| the easiest thing imaginable to get confused.
| Shooting from a sklff is what the pot hunters
| very properly term sport shootin';' that is,
it is only INDUCED in by those who don't care
| to inconvenience themselves by getting wet,
and who have plenty OF money to pay for the
| services of pusher.
| THE WAY OF THE TRUE HUNTER.
| The other way, and the one usually followed
| by the true hunter, the man who is willing to
| go to any inconvenience to get his game, is by
wading. True, this way is ten, ave, a hundred
| times, harder than the other, and is fraught
| with danger. but the results are better. for n
wader can go where a skif cannot, and that is
| usually where the birds thickest There Is
danger in this method and too much care can
| not be taken. The great danger is in being
| shot accidentally Hidden i'll the high grass
you cannot see any other hunter. and unless
you make YOU presence known occasionally
you are liable to have handful of shot &c
singing past you or else spend itself in the sea.
OF your trousers as you are wading all doubled
up on the game.
| For the first few DAYS of the season the birds
are not very wild and the largest bags are
| taken then, but 1t don take the little fellows
| long to learn where danger lies, and when they
know this they get as wild and cautious as the
proverbial crow.
| AwADERs OUTFIT.
| Every wader should have dog and change
of clothing. for if there is anything in the
world disagreeable it is to return to the city in
| wet clothes Care should be taken about your
| wading suit. Any kind of pair of trousers
| will do, provided they are tough. They must
| be securely fastened about the ankles. A pair
of hose and pair of light shoes, preferably
rubber-soled canvas slippers, should encase
| the feet. The coat should be of stout cloth,
| able to withstand the grass. and as near
| gray in color as possible 1t should have large
| pockets and plenty OF them. As all of the
| shooting is done before noon il is not necessary
| to take any lunch along. There is one thing.
| however, you will find indispenss BILE i'll the
| marsh, and that is raw tomato. 1t quenches
thirst and is very filling.