The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-18
ILLEGAL FISHING.
More Arrests Made at
DunCans Mills.
Spearing Steel Heads in the Olema
Creek-A Country Club Member
Scores a Lucky Shot.

L
Reyes yesterday, but it is reported that
some people rugged up spears and gaffs.
and, with these implements of torture.
they killed quite number of large fish
that were fighting their way up the Oema
Creek. 1t is hoped that the au horities
will teach those who slaughter fish by un-
lawful means lesson. The anglers who
obey the law, and who fish with rod and
line at this time of the year in tdewater,
do not approve of the barbarous system as
employed by some alleged anglers for
salmon.
Al Wilson Of the Fish Commission made
a very clever arrest last week near Dun
cans Mills.
1t will be remembered by sportsmen that
last year the Fish Commissioners, after
long deliberation, decided to stop the lille
gal netting of fish at the mouth of the Rus
Sian River. The commissioners were in a
Quandary, however. as TO how they were
TO go about the difficult task of arrest ting
the transgressors of the law. Only one of
The deputies, then under pay of the COM
mission, volunteered to arrest the men
who we're breaking the law and who were
known as being hard customers 10 deal
with. Al Wilson was the only representa-
tive of the staff of g0od-for-n 0thing officials
who did not hesitate to answer in the afr
ma i've when asked il he would undertake
the job.
Wilson and the chief of the fish patrol
who had to go or lose his position-jour-
neyed to Duncaps Mills. and, after laying
in wait" all night on the banks of the
stream, they captured the nets on the fol-
lowing morning, aud afterward arrested
some OF the men who were engaged in the
act of SEEMING the river for sIeeheads.
Wilson was subsequently fired upon by
some unknown person Ia ambush while he
(Wilson) was examining one of the boats
used by the illegal fishermen. but fortu-
nately the aim of the rifeman was bad and
the deputy escaped injury. The trial,
which took place at Santa Rosa. ended in
favor OF the Fish Commission, and, as a
result. the illegal capture of steelheads al
the mouth of the Russian River ended for
the season, and the result of the good
work as performed by Deputy Wilson was
The stocking of the Russian River and its
many tributaries with innumerable small
fish which afforded the residents along the
river and anglers In general splendid sport
last yeal-that is after the 1st of April
and uatli the angling season had closed.
About two weeks ago word was re-
celved by the Fish Commissioners that
some people residing at Duncans Mills
were stopping the run of fish up the river
by drawing the stream near its mouth,
wilson was again detailed to inquire into
VIZ h0SsS1s oG0 OCluB CuuulUR dS the
proverblal fox he mapped ont scheme
which threw the poachers off the track.
Instead OF going to the station nearest
the place where the netting was being
done he journeyed farther up the road
and, as consequence. had TO walk Ten
miles back on the railroad track until he
arrived at his destination. He slept in
his blankets, as before stated, On the river
bank and was rewarded next day for his
pains by the capture of net and the
people who were depicting the river of
Its fish. One of the people arrested runs q
hotel at Duncans Mills.
The trial came up at Santa Rosa last
Saturday and resulted in the conviction of
the law-breakers. which places another
feather in the cap OF Deputy AL Wilson.
1t is presumed now that hereafter the
residents of Duncans Mills and vicinity
who have been accustomed to slaughter
1sh by illegal means will turn over a new
leaf and obey the mandates of the law.
1t is reported that dynamite is being
used 10 kill fish in Sonoma Greek. Some
of those people, who probably consider
their actions quite smart and safe in this
particular. Will be brought up with
sharp turn when they least expect it.
The Mallard Gun Club and the sports
men of Solano County have engaged the
services of two attorneys, who will file an
answer 10 the injunctions that were levied
upon the spor;smen who have been tres
paSSinP upon 7IBe preserves OF the Zeal
and Cordelia clubs. The cases of Iloyd
Eaton and Charley Dietz, who were ar
rested a few weeks ago for trespassing
upon the Teal Club grounds, were tried
last Saturday in Benicia. The jury brought
in a verdict of acqui:tal.
Robert Hewson caught three n ice fish at
Scheleyille last Sunday and j. B. Walker
was lucky in landing one large fish. Louis
Rondeau was the only angler of large
number who landed a big fish at Point
Reyes.
Last week a sportsman shot a white
English snipe near Novato, and yesterday
William Kttle of the Country Club shot a
white mudhen near Point Reeves 1t is
presumed that the next strange thing that
Will drop to shot will be a red horse,
The duek-shooting of last Sunday on the
Sonoma marshes was poor. owing to the
calmness of the day. The bay shore. how
ever, was lined, so to speak, with birds,
principally spoonful, canva shack and sprig
unck. Good shooting, however, was the
result at Suisun and along the Sacramento
river Ii tie weather should turn stormy
| sportsmen can count upon great shooting
on any OF the nearby marshes. as thou
sands of duck can be seen now resting on
! the pay and about 400 yards from shore.