The morning call., 1893-12-03
GUN AND DOG.
How the Storm Will Affect Duck.
Shooting-The Kennel.

Among local duck hunters th ere Is gen.
eral feeling that the recent rainstorm has
knocked the cream of the shooting, which
sportsmen have been having during the
past month, on the head. 1t Is certain that
if the rain which has fallen during the
past week has not been entirely absorbed
the shooting near home will be very mate
rally affected, as the binds which have
fingered on the marshes bordering the bay
will take wing to more pleasant quarters.
where their solitary repoSe will not be dis
turbed By a continuous popping of breech-
leaders.
AS general thing the first rains of the
season disappear In an exceedingly dry
soil, which has been baking for months
under warm sun. therefore it is reason
able to presume that after weeks fine
weather the birds, which will have left the
marshes for new fields, will return to their
old haupts and afford local sportsmen
another few weeks of good shoe ting be-
fore taking final departure for the inland
grainfields.
ln connection with duck-shooting there
is one thing certain and that is the flavor
OF the birds killed from now on will not be
to the fancy of the epicure. This will
result from feeding upon the new grass
which has sprouted since the storm.
Ducks are great gormandizers, and noe
a, treat TO the migrating bipeds which the
good farmer is p0werlesS to prevent.
In Colnsa County numbers of men are
employed during the winter months solely
for the purpose of paradiEg the large fields
with shotguns and rifles and keeping the
large fiocks of ducks away from the lands
on which wheat is sown. The damage
done hy the wild fowls to young gram
during the time the sun is smiling upon
other climeS is something more serious
than sportsmen have any idea. A foreman
of the Glenn ranch, that is before it was
cut up into subdivisions, remarked some
years ago to prominent grain merchant
hat the destruction of grain caused by
ducks and geese during the winter season
amounted 10 over $4,000 year. AS the
herders were powerless to keep the birds
of the fields at night bOnfires were tried,
but the cunning geese soon "tumbled" 20
the scheme, and it is said lat on real stormy
nights flock Of educated houkers were
known 10 parade up within warm distance
OF fire and dry their feathers before set
Ting down 10 hearty supper.
Quail shooting should be much better
alter TINS last storm. Sportsmen must ex-
tend their trips, however. farther than the
hills within radius Of fifty miles of this
city TO get real good shooting, as the con-
stant pursuit of these birds by hunters
since the season opened has diminished
their numbers considerably,
The Paclhc Kennel Club will hear the
Scnell- Huber trials tomorrow evening. At
the last meeting only two officers were
present. and as the president wisely con-
cluded that five heads would prove better
than two IN an important case of this
kind, he decided to postpone the meeting
SO tnat the five officers, namely, Fred
Webster, Horace Orear, Fred Butler, E.W.
Briggs and Clarence Haight, would be
present To hear and decide the celebrated
CANINE clntrDypraV The safisfapfiop n
the club. The distinguished counselors-
at-law and noted authorities on dogs In
general. Messrs. Quail. McGreggor and
Charles Wesley Poetus Kyle, will handle
the Intricate part of the celebrated dog
case and show up things in such de-