Evening journal., 1893-09-16
BIG WORK FOR NATHAN
Gunners Say the Law Against
Shooting Quail Will Be Broken
THE D. e.P.A. WILL BE POwERLE5s

The Rigors OF Last Winter lid Not
Apparently Diminish the Number of
Quail and Partlidges-R Rabbits Are
Numerous and the Hounds are AL
ready on the Scent.
The cunning season in this state
will open on November /. The gun.
ners do not look for any extraordinary
sport, but there seems to be a feeling
to disregard the law passed BY the
last General Assembly, and shoot all
the quail and partridgts which get up
within range.
They say that 1t was foolish law,
passed to make law breakers aud not
to protect The birds. Ia the first
place IL is asserted that the hardships
Of last winter did not kill off the birds
IN such numbers as represented, and
they are just as numerous as ever.
In the second place, gunners who 90
out ostensibly for rabbits or squirrels
will bag every partridge or quail they
can get shot at.
The Delaware Game Protective Asso-
citation is not believed to be In a posi-
| tion to ferret out such acts, as they
will be general. The one officer at
command will have his hands full should
he try 1t, and the more numerous the
arrests the more obnoxious both the
detective and the law will become.
The woodcock season hereabouts has
been poor. The birds are never plentiful
IN this locality, but especially scarce this
year On the Eastern Shore of Mary
land great many have been bagged,
/ but the dry season has made the c0ndi-
tions unfavorable even there The
absence Of surface water has compelled
the plump and delicate game bird to
make his home IN distant and inaccessi
BILE branches and bogs. The big shoot
ing was done early In the season.
The dove is not considered game bird
ia Delaware and many gunners have
strong conscientious scruples against
shooting this beautiful harbinger of
peace. This is not so in Maryland, how
ever There six or eight gunners sur
round a ssubble field In which large
numbers Of the swift-winged birds are
feeding, and II is a very fortunate dove
which gets beyond the circle. Others
shoot them while circling over seqnest-
cred watering holes, or running on the
banks
Yellow-legged plover are found in
large numbers on the shores OF the
black water pools Of the marshes along
the Delaware river and bay. Delaware
City, Woodland Beach and Rehoboth
are the objective points for gunners who
want the yellow-legs
Reed and rail birds are scarce and shy.
II is almost impossible to get within
range, they have been shot at SO much.
The cold nights also have had a tendency
to keep them away.
The reed bird travels az night, and
hundreds Of them are heard passing
over this city at all hours. Down
East" it is the bobolink; here the reed
bird and In the South the rice bird of
the Carolinss It's easiest time is
down East" where it Is a songster, but
after it reaches here 1t Is a highly
priced tidbit.
In this locality the wild duck, goose
and swan are seldom seen, and gunners
who want such big sport must go to the
lower Delaware or Chesapeake bay.
The trim little gray. squirrel is now
regaling himself on beechnuts, with an
occasional cut at the green husk Of the
hickory nut They are about as
numerous as In previous seasons AT
, present the foliage is so thick that they
are hard to see. and it requires hours Of
patient waiting and watching TO bag
enough for a meal They are in prime
condition, If one may judge by three
seen by an EVENING JOURNAL reporter
yesterday. Few Wilmington gunners
have either the time or inclination te
hunt sfor them.
Nearly every man who owns rabbit
hound is training it for the active work
OF the season Every spare moment IL
spent along the branch. and among the
brush heaps. The dogs jump the ''cot-
ton-tails" and run them until they Rrs
tired their owners encouraging them BY
shouts Of Hike 'em out. Tige Hike EN-
outl'
"Cotton-tails" are unusually numer.
Gus, Brandywine hundred being espec
tally blessed in this respect.
Rabbits hain't game bird" said
D well known Wilmington sportsman yes
terday Nobody but niggers and poo
! whites hunt the rabbit"
l This opinion is very radical, and, II
the main, incorrect 1t must be ad
mitted. however. that the best hound
on the Peninsula are owned by colores
men, whose first delight is water
a million patch. with a "hunt fur jim
! Dry" as second choice It is astonish
, ing how many white men Of characte
and social standing ssponge" onj tn
negro for the lean Of his hounds.