The San Francisco call., 1895-11-26
THE GOVERNORS POT SHOT
How Mr.. Budd Failed to Bag Four
Fat "Cans" in a Club
Preserve.
Spor tsmen of Solano County Who
Refused to Lease Property
to Clubs.

The Cordelia and Ibis Club members
were well represented on the Suisun
marshes yesterday as it was expected that
good shooting would result owing to a
stiff north wind which has been blowing
for some days past.
Members of the Mallard Club were out
in strong for ce also and returned with toll
erably good bags Notwithstanding that
their shooting was hampered considerably
by gamekeep pers who remained near their
stands and shot blank cartridges at birds
that were coming direct for the ponds
~ was greatly amused by watching a
member of the Cordelia Club pot shooting
birds that dropped into pond over which
he was shooting, 'said Mr.. Harrier. "While
I was thus engaged reviewing the water
sluicing cannonade, I failed to see a bird
shot on the wing; this may be called true
sport, but | fail to see it in that light. 1t
is no wonder then that the club mem bers
who have the privilege and opportunity of
raking the grain-fed ponds returned with
large bags of game There are. however,
some very good wing shots among the
members, but as rule they do not kill as
many birds as the gentlemen who kill on
the Sit
1t is said that Cap Chittenden of the
Cordelia Club has concocted new scheme
which may cause considerable annoyance
to the unlimited sportsmen. The cap"
is very ingeni Gus, and his latest scheme,
by which he hopes to destroy several pairs
OF rubber boots, is to place barbed wires
along the paths generally traversed by the
so-calied poacters.1 The wires are covered
from view by layers of tuie and, strange to
say, the first man to get caught IN the
Caps new trap was one OF the gillies
employed to herd the poachers.
The alleged poachers state that all is
fair in love and war, and If the clubs will
continue to resort to such unsportsmanlike
measures they will return the compliment
IN some way which cannot be construed as
malicious mischief.
The Teal Club has had a small winter
cottage erected within close proximity to
the slough, which is blockaded by q fence
composed of heavy piles and cable-ropes.
Within this shanty is a keeper, who has
orders not to let any outsider pass this
formidable barrier to navigation. He is
armed, but the 'poachers" look upon this
scheme as game of bluff, and they have
passed the sentry and refused to recog-
nize the command "halt" when so ac-
costed by the keeper OF the little red house
on the marsh.
The sentry is doubtless placed in this
uninviting castle to guard the fence and
water blockade and to report any person
discovered in the act of destroying prop
erty. The attention of the Federal
authorities will be called to the obstruc-
tions in the sloughs and in all probability
some Of the officials will visit the marsh
this week on a tour of inspection
During the high tide of last Sunday there
was over foot of tidewater on the lands
which are partially fenced in by the Teal
Club and OH which are situated the Whit
tier ponds. Although sportsmen are
warned not to trespass on those lands, they
are nevertheless welcome to shoot over the
property of Mr.. Pierce and Sheriff Ben
Rush of Solano County. These two
princely fellows have refused to lease their
property to men who fancy that the game
OF the country should belong only to those
who were born with silver spoons in their
mouths.
Governor Budd was guest of the Teal
Club last Saturday, and enjoyed very good
sport. The Governor is an excellent shot,
and grassed or watered, more properly
speaking, twenty birds without having
missed a bird. The only poor shot he
made was at four canvasbacks, which
dropped unobservedly in the center of
his decoys. His Excellency could not re-
sist the temptation of a pot shot, and hav-
ing missed he stood amazed at seeing the
royal birds take fight as if nothing more
serious or extraordinary than the report of
keepers gun had happened. The birds
understand by this time what the report
of keepers gun means, but those leans"
failed to see the Governor.