The morning call., 1893-11-05
THE GUN.
How the BIOod-fiOrse Meeting Dis
aDDointed the Duck Hunters.


appointed the Duck Hunters.
There can be very little said concerning
the gun this week, as the longed-for change
in the weather has not yet arrived, although
some heavy buffiDg has been done recently
by that celestial spirit who has charge Of
the strings that when pulled will be a
signal which duck hunters will readily
take advantage of.
At recent meeting of the Gumboot Gun
Club the president remarked that ali that
was really necessary TO guarantee the
arrival of birds that invariably come with
a rainstOrm was the opening of tn e Blood
horse races.
BE came very close to hitting the nail on
the head, as the weather looked decidedly
omiuous to racetrack patrons when Presl-
dent Williams sauntered out from the
judges compartment loaded down TO the
guards with heavy Chicago macintosh
and announced TO his flock of horse lovers
that the meeting was now open and that
the races would go. rain or shine.
John Burgess and few of his friends
who are prominently connected with the
Tamapais Gun Club smiled blandly at the
words of the great equine prophet, and re-
tired to the "WaTm-up'' house TO drink the
health of the duck shooting season.
Even Long Bob" Woodward and his
shooting pard, Billy Pot. chuckled and
rubbed their little hands in anticipation OF
a big snipe shoot on the Country Climbs
preserve. 4 few members of the Tue
Belle Club became so stupidity enthusiastic
over President Williams wet-weather az
pearance that they actually left the
grounds before the first race was run, and
engaged hack to take them to the Oak
land ferry, where they took passage for
the great and only Suisun duck swamps
It is hardly necessary to say that great
surprise on The part OF the duck and snipe
shooting fraternity has followed, resulting
from the continuation of dry weather since
the inaugural days meeting of the Blood
horse Association. In fact, Sportsmen, and
duck-nunterS in particular. are wondering
what California is coming t0-One week
of hOrseraciag and no rain yet. Certainly
there must be screw loose somewhere.
and hunters are looking suspiciOusly at
every blood horse" man they meet who
is without macintosh.
Judging from the NUM- Der of ducks now
on the hay there should be excellent shoot
ing in the marshes just as soon as the first
good storm strikes" the coast.
As stated in last Sundays CALL the
morning and evening shooting on the So
noma marshes north Of Black Point is
good. After the fist heavy barking of
guns" the birds become decidedly suSpi-
ciOus OF the marshes ana wing a hasty re-
treat to the bay, where the surrounding is
such as to prevent dangerous approach of
hunters.
Last Sunday morning Billy Williams. an
old-time opponent of Phil Crimmins, shot
between three aud four dozen ducks on
ponds adjoining the Alameda County
Sportsmen's Club preserve, ID Sonoma
County. Williams on his return home was
explaining some of the hard shots be had
made. He said that the cartridges he used
were loaded with 4drachms Of powder and
~ ounces of No. shot.
On the following day (Monday) Williams
presented an old friend, who. by tie way,
is an experienced hunter, with half
dozen duck. A note descriptive of the
sport accompanied the game present.
when the duck were being enjoyed at the
table and being commented upon by the
family in the most favorable terms, the
head of the house stopped masticatng
very suddenly and removed from a tooth
that had seen many years of good service
a grain of shot.
Looking quickly at the little ball of lead
he muttered something which his good
wife understood TO be: Williams you're a
Dandy"
Carefully putting the shot away in his
inside pocket be resumed work on the
'preserved' bird and gave no further at
tentiUn to the matter until the next day
when he addressed the following note to
Mr.. Williams, viz.
Ny Dear Friend Billy: Your descriptive ac-
count OF that grand duck shoot on the SOnOma
marshes was as interesting to me as was the
eating OF The delicious birds. What | de-
sire 10 know is this. IL you shot the birds Won
so kindly sent me on Monday last with, as YOU
stated, No. shot, how could il be possible thai
] came within an ace of losing my pet mOar
by heavy contact with Il No. 4 peIleT
Enclosed you viii find the grain that snook
my optic nerves, and although my suspicious
are great IL may possibly be, after all that sbor
will swell when il remains too long time IN the
breast OF a marsh duck. l understand, how
ever, that the professional duck-hunters OF So.
noma County ale using No. shot this year
Yours truly.
Now, that the bright moon is fading. a
decrease in the number of teal duck,
which recently arrived from the Mount
Eden marshes, is very apparent.
a large consignment of sagehens, or
fool chickens, was received by CLAW street
game butchers last week, and sold for a
dollar pair to people who did not know
the difference between Sagehens and
grouse.
Robert Woodward of the Country Club
is authority for the statement that mud
hen is a decidedly palatabe bird when
properly cooked.
Tommy Irving will try his new gun in a
Irving enjoyed grand shoot at Suisun
not long ago. He was stationed by pro-
fessional hunter an hour before daybreak
e at favOrte pond, and just as light
dawned upon the marsh 1rvlng's gun
spoke" and spoke" again.
He continued shooting for half an hour,
when silence came Al last, to the great sur
prise OF bis COMPANIONS, who were wonder
ing what kind of game Irving was shoot
ing at When there was sufficient light to
siZe up" the situation lrvng's partner
Jonathan Sammie. caught parting glance
of his friend as ne was making fast tracks
toward Sulsun loaded down with game.
Irving was the proudest man in town.
He bagged thirty-ive black duck, which
arrived in this city ON the following morn
ing by express. His friends were not for
gotten. They all received a share of the
toothsome game, and as a return compli-
IDeDt, few OF the ones most kindly re-
M ,vl, Ill