The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-16

over them are what are termed pot shots, or. In
other words, they wait an opportunity until the
pond Is literally covered with birds and then
they blaze away, and this Is what some people
call preserving g me. Last Sunday Dr.. DAVIS
who is one OF The leading members OF the Cor
della Club. knocked over nineteen canvas ba ok
ducks at single discharge of his gun. and
being true sportsman, according 10 preserve
ethics, he took both pleasure and pride in re-
iatlng TO Ills friends what beautiful shot ne
had made.
The numbers of smokeless powder companies
that ar now in the laud of the living will tend
10 bring about strong rivalry in this partcu-
VIII certainly place the black powder IN Inc
shade in dry weather shooting. but so far as
duck-shooting Is concerned the black powder IS
certainly he most reliable. One the smoke
less cartridges become damp or exposed 10
damn atmosphere they lose their power OF
penetration and become decidedly unreliable.
Tie black powder, on he other hand, has stood
the test for years, and will continue to be used
by sportsmen who prefer duck. shooting 10 any
other branch OF held or marsh sport.
Otto Scbwaner OF 100219 Valencia street re-.
turned from Noyato last Sunday with nice
mess OF English snipe, among which was an al,
most pure white snipe, which he has had
mounted and placed in his show-window.
Henry Venker, DR.. Harding, George Hokie
and j. Samml had stormy time last Sunday at
Suisun. The marsh was literally sheet OF
water, and the wind, which was blowing a
whlsker gale. carried TWO hunting sloOps sew
eral hundred yards from their moorings dfiv-
Ing terror into the hearts of the occupants.
Under the conditions duck shooting was out of
the question. and the party, with the exception
OF henry Venker, returned home minus any
game. Mr. Venker remained over, however,
unlli The following day. when he strucN 1t rich.
having had grand shoot which richly repaid
him for his poor luck on Sunday. His bag
amounted TO something like seventy birds.
Billy Patched was al Byron last Sunday. He
laughed at the wrath of old Boleas, and at
tempted to reach his favorite duck pond in
what hunters call "tue-spltter." which is
more commonly known as a double ender.
Mr.. William had not gone from land more than
few hundred yards when zephyr" hit The
little craft nd 1t was sent whirng about like a
top. That was enough for little Billy, who put
for shore as fast as possible before another
blast could catch the little shell, which, TO say
the least. is giddy thing on calm day.
In recent number of Forest and Stream ap-
pears the following article on 1.-The Gun and
ROD: We can all remember in our child
hood the popular poem OF the "Oid Oaken
Bucket" in which the poet sang, "How dear TO
my heart are the scenes of my childhood" so al
THIS time IN respon ding TO those magic words
that have been assigned as my subject permit
m to say that il that poet had ever felt the
| thrill of he communion with nature that comes
10 every true sportsman afeld and atoat, in
stead OF singing OF THE Old Oaken Bucket" he
would have sung of tie sports of his childhood.
and then should have had embalmed in
song tie love of natures enthusiast for those
true companions OF his hours of leisure, the gun
and rod.
The reds OF our childhood of which we all
nave clear, distinct, and sometimes tender rec
elections. were of many kinds, but principally
OF Deech, birch and irOnWood, used While we
toed The line, and were the bait that was
whipped upon the line, while iraIe parents and
schoomasters welded the rods. But even such
misapplied use of the rod did not cause a final
separation and absolute divorce between the
rod and ourselves, for we all lovingly remember
those hacyon days, when with bent pins fol-
hooks, wrapping Irvine for line, and ash OF
hickory SDrout for a rod, and worms for bait
we strOlled along the banks OF brooks for
clubs, dace aud the bpauIful brook trout, or
perched upon the remains of old trees that had
fallen into ponds or lakes, caught strings OF
more satisfactory than W. have ever caught oil
pass ana trout In our maturer years.
The Joy OF those early days with gun and rod
Will ever linger as the brightest on memOry's
pages, and ought TO be embalmed in holiness.
because we were then TOO young 10 know any
thing about that satire upon fishermen, in
vented by some bend tncarnate, who said, 'All
nshermen VIII lie." and al that period Of our
ilVes We knew nothing OF the license granted "a
"nsh STORIES" and lnnocently tried TO tell the
truth about our exploits on land and water.
While we were willing TO verify the aIemeht
tina the Sportsmanlike use of the gun ana rod
makes better citizens Of their owners yet there
are some pre1udlced persons 80 benighteu tina:
they VIII deny This and boldly affirm the con.
trary. 1t was my fare 10 attend lecture given
by the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty to
Animals, where he lecturer had such a great
love Tor the animal kingdom that h. was willing
TO lecture for the socie Y in their behalf at
large annual salary, and at the lecture he ut
tered this libel upon sportsmen. He said:
You may take your most upright, truthful,