The San Francisco call., 1895-10-16
TRUCE FOR SPORTS SAKE
Birds Were So Numerous That
Keepers Did Not
Interfere.
THE SLOUGH STILL BLoCKADED
The Shooting Was Too Good to
Spare Time to Attack the
Distractions.

The war cloud has passed. The dawn of
yesterday did not see serried ranks of
hunters fighting their way to the duck
ponds on the preserved Suisun marshes
through rows of keepers. Huron Slough
is still blockaded to be sure, but the in
vaders made no assault on the barriers,
but merely went around them, and aristo-
cratic hunters and plebeian boys shot over
the same marsh, and there we're ducks
enough for all.
The bearers of $400 hammerless guns
were not molested, at their fayorite
grounds, but the outsiders ranged along
the sloughs and got all the sport there
was out of outlying ponds and ignored
puddles.
As rule, the aristocrats refused to be
cognizant of anybody but their fellow club
members and their guests. but as the out
siders were hunting for ducks and not for
social recognition, they did not mind
being ignored.
The ducks were too plentiful and the
sport too good TO spare the time for quar-
rel, so a truce was tacitiy declared and
while neither side gave up a foot both
postponed a collision and shot ducks.
There was only one arrest for trespass
during the day. This was on the San
Pablo marsh. where a couple of hunters
were taken into custody, Even the Justice
who fined them dod ged the issue by find
ing them guilty of trespassing on ground
stocked with terrapin, oysters ami clams."
OF course the law couldn't see anything
funny in the idea of two men lying behind
| a blind with double -barreled shotguns
waiting to bring to earth the first terrapin
fz,
a double on a drake clam or greenhead
| oyster flying by in the misty morning.
| They were on land stocked with these
young wild fowl, and that was enough for
! the Justice. 1t was not even charged that
! the sportsmen were sneaking up to
ground sluice the terrapin and shell fish
before they rose from the ponds.
The slaughter of ducks on the Suisun
marsh was enormous. The birds came in
at the first glimpse of day in thousands.
Chinese New Year was quiet, peaceful
| incident compared with the events of yes
terday. At times the firing was SO fast
that separate shots could not be recog-
nized, but were blended in a continuous
roar. 1t was the rattle of musketry"
the war story writers are SO fond of de-
scribing.
Charles w. kellogg, president of the
Cordeia Club, and ]. f. Whittier, presi-
dent of the Teal Club, and Harry Emeric,
Monday evening so as to be up bright and
early yesterday morning to join in the
! serenade to the ducks. Mr.. Emeric left
| his friends at San Pablo and the presi-
dents of the two large Suisun preserve
clubs. with the members and guests, con-
! tinued on to the swamps.
! There were also among the passengers
who were out for ducks some of the mem
| bers of the Mallard Club, who, by the way,
! did not fear in the least any disturbance
! from the keepers OF the aristocratic shoot
| ing clubs.
Mr. kellogg and his friends left the train
| at Teal station, where a steam launch was
waiting to convey them to the ark White
| Wings, which is lying about three miles
west of the station.
| Everybody anticipated great sport on
| the first day of the season and their an
ticipations were fully realized as wild
ducks were flying in thousands.
on the warpath until sunrise, but
their neighbors of the Ibis Club
were pumping hot shot at passing
| feathers Just as soon as there was light
enough in the eastern horizon to detect a
passing streak. The incessant cracking OF
guns kept the birds well on the wing, and
when there was sufficient light to enable
sportsman to draw good bead on a
greenhead or longneck, both of which
are surprisingly numerous on the marshes
this year, a battle royal was declared in all
quarters. Birds flew and fell thick and fast
| until about 9 o'clock, when strong gale
came from the southwest, which made the
shooting more difficult owing to the speed
attained by the broadbills when travelling
with the wind.
Every sportsman had birds at the end OF
the days shooting. During all the firing
the keepers of the preserve clubs were on
the marsh contemplating the slaughter,
but not interfering with the shooters. One
outsider dropped duck right at the feet
of Cordelia Club keeper. The keeper
stopped to pick I'D the bird.
Don't trouble yourself, thanks" said
the hunter, II can get him."
And he did
The only challenge that any of the al
legged trespassers received was from a
Keeper IN the employ of the Ibis Club, who
, eventually withdrew when he was salts
he'd the outsider would not interfere with
tpe sport OF the members. The Cordelia
ana Zeal Club shooters bagged respec-
tlVely nine sacks and one large hamper
fuil OF BIRDS, which were shipped to this
City last evening. Ten men did the work.
The Ibis and TuIe Belle Club members
also 6agged considerable game, notwith-
standing that their shooting was in the
major part wild. The Mallard Club mem.
bers did very well considering that thew
had to take potluck over some of the dis
carded ponds.
On Saturday and Sunday next the Mer.
ced marshes Will be alive with duck-shoot
ers VINO are fond of sport that is not by
any means clean, but is very exciting al
times.
|