The San Francisco call., 1895-07-20
GUN AND RIFLE.
Why VenIson Is Sold In Restaurants.
A Law That Is Not Enforced.

A Law That Is Not Enforced.
Sportsmen who returned from short
outing in the country report that owing TO
the excessive heat of the past week deer
hunting was com pletely out of question.
A few hours in the morning and evening,
before sunrise and after sunset, had to be
taken advantage of for hill-tramping after
big game.
Sportsmen who had the privilege OF
shooting on lands that margin the coast
had the good fortune of seeing quite
number of deer and enjoying the cool
breezes from the ocean. The Country
Club members are said to have done very
WELL considering that there are but few
among those who hunt who can handle
rifle with any degree of accuracy.
1t is fortunate, however, that the Coun-
try Club has among its employees few
keepers who are excellent rifle shots, and
they know where to place their hands on
monarch" whenever venison steaks are
wanted. Although half dozen or more
members of the Tamalpais Club have been
securing the hills west of Sausalito since
Monday for 'bucks" no horns of any kind,
not even those OF the William goat, have
put in an appearance on this side OF the
bay. 1t is the general impression that con-
siderable buck fever is paramount this
year among the deer members of the
Tamalpais and Country clubs.
E. Ladd exhibited in his store on Third
street the first male deer that arrived in
this City last Monday 1t was killed near
among the disciples of Walton as the
champion fy-easter of the San Andreas
Lake.
Although game dealers and hunters are
supposed to be well acquainted with the
game laws there are, nevertheless, some
men among the number who buy and sell
game whose memory on a point of law
governing this question is in need of lit
tie shaking up. The Fish and Game Com
missloners and the Game Warden of this
county are evidently derelict in their duty,
as venison steaks can be easily had for the
asking in many of the eating-houses. Yet
there is law which says that deer meat
must not be sold at any time. Section 626
of the game law reads:
Every person who in the State of California
shall at any time buy, sell or offer for sale the
hide or meat of any deer, antelope or noun
tain sheep, whether taken or killed in the State
of California or shipped into the State from 1,
nothing in this section shall be held to apply
to the hide of any of said animals taken or
killed in Alaska or any foreign country shall
be guilty Of a misdemeanor.
As the law relating to the sale and pur-
chase of deer meat now reads, any person
who feels like smacking his lips over a
nice venison steak must either go into the
country and bag his own game or rely
upon friends who are not too lazy to hunt
to furnish him with little venison. But
unfortunately for the deer family there ap-
pears to be no one in this City who will
see that the law is observed. The Fish
Commissioners contend that they have
their hands full in looking after the fish
hatcheries, and that it is the County Game
Warden's duty to look after the game side
of the question. However, any person
who desires venison steak will not find
it hard task to unearth restaurant
where a game chop can be always had,
although the word venison may not ap-
pear on the bill of fare.
Clay-bird shooting is rapidly becoming
very popular in this State, and inanimate
target events are OF daily occurrence wher
ever sportsmen's clubs exist. In England
the manner of shooting at the clays is
somewhat different to the American sys-
tenn. A very interesting letter from an
himself on the other side of the water
gives a good idea of how English trap
shooters conduct their championship
events. He says:
Inanimate target shooting has not been
recognized sport in Great Britain until within
in favor that 1t now ranks among the popular
pastimes of the land where outdoor sports are
loved, respected and encouraged. Clubs have
been organized everywhere to advance this
form of shooting, and once a year a great
championship meeting takes place, where low
ers of the gun gather to determine their su-
periority IN this art. It has been my good for
tune to have attended this, their third annual
championship meeting, which took place on
June 8, 2 and 8, at Wembley Park, Middlesex.
station some twenty minutes by rail from
London.
During this meeting about eighty compet-
tors took part, and out of this number perhaps
a dozen were awarded prizes Last year seven
Americans took part, but none were successful
in obtaining . prize. This year one Ameri-
can contested and won for his country its first
prize at this national meeting. OF the gentle
men from the United States who shot here last
year several of them enjoy national regulations
st home, and it may be of interest to trap
shooters in America to know why they failed.
The conditions are very different from ours.
Here they use both barrels. This, am sure
will strike the American target-shooter unfa-
vorably, as 1t did me, but after becoming used
10 it came to the conclusion that it was the
best arrdpEemeut, as It traiua one to use his