The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-20
- The Gane-Haun'ed Region Of the
North Carolina Sounds.
Many suRpTuous SHOOTING CLUBS
One Hundred Miles of Reach covered
by their Game Pr"servc>.-Ilow aive
e Dccoss;nrc Used Life a, the Clubs
q Dream, OF Delight To Sp"rtsmcp-
Some Distinguished Hunters.


mans paradise. 1t Is a section well
known to all who love spor with the
gun and rod and ii lies among the reeds
) and sedges and foylorn marshy sand
& banks OF the North Carolina coast.
: Spoittmen have not Keen SOW to recog-
ssn1ze this game-haunied region as the
most acce sible. and al the same tine
Ef.Gtful shooting district on the Atlantic
sscoast. and .he entire beach from The
Ideal Club, two miles south of Virginia
4 Beach. Is dotted with club hcu es and
+ for one hundred miles or more 10 the
southward. there Is an unbroken eX-
panSe OF game preserves owned by these
same clubs. These preserve: contain
* from one to five ',houslDd aces each.
s5PRESERVES ARE GUARDED.
They are constantly guarded. summer
& and winter by watchmen. who armed
81 with Winchester rifles, patrol regular
II beats and keep off poacher:. They are
i not called upon often. however, 10 use
8 their guns o. to exercise their authority,
& for the simple beach dwellers and small
y farmers who lnhabj the surrounding
country know the genial fellows, who
with their dogs and all the parapher-
Y malta of the chase. come down from
4 philadelphia, New York. Baltimore,
Wa: hineton and Norfolk. and they ie-
spect their rights and would themselves
sSgladly guard the preserves against un-
< lawful trespass. They sell butter eggs,
n and yege'. able; to the club. and often
times guide the sport men through the
fmbra;ifes and labyrinths of marsh boz;
2 deEed channels of the dl:,:2ict. They
s. k1ew where the 81 me loves best to feed
aid when Il become: nece sary to move
the blinds they always know where to
1 take hem. So the, rough fishermen and
he wealthy sportsmen fraternze and
sfhey both enjoy It.
CLUBS ARE EXPENSIVE
There are dozen or fifteen OF these
SScluhs scattered from Virginia Beach to
Cur r!tuck Inlet. They are all heavily
sscapitalzed and stock in them is worth
N lsthe waysfrom $500 20 $500 per share.
4 according to the executive charac er of
IS the club. Besides the ownership of the
stock members have 10 pay an annual
E assessment, and they also pay per
i diem rate while occupying the club
house. Membership in one OF these or
organizations Is. therefore. quite an en-
Il pen 1--WE LUXURY.
sper!sive luxury. but their members ere
7 for the most part wealthy men who can
well afford the cost of their sport They
come down In private cars and aboard
+ elegant steam yachts. All parties bound
4 ZOE the preserves must OF necessity pass
through this city. and here they are usu-
ally the guests Of the Virginia Club.
s Al pEt sot the; s?ortsmen go to Virginia
~ SEQ CHI by train and from there drive
i over the firm sand of the beach to the
clubs sThnae.4 however. who come down
. on their yachts. may reach the shoot
s ing inE. e rounds via the Albemarle and
3 Cflssapeake canal,
Life at one of these clubs Is a dream
Il ol ael,ght to the average man who loves
10 shoot You rise at O'Clock, breakfast
~ tf.si n-'t~ft and then away 20 the
Il blinds. These are reached by one of the
z ..rlW llttie boats with which every club
Is provided. The guide. who is in the en-
K ptoy OF the club. will pilot you to the
4 most advantageous location. and he will
4 also spread out In V shape from the bljnj
Two long strings of hive decoy durts
held captive by light cords secured hon,
i one foot of each bird. The unwarv
y GpcRs and brant VIII soon Join your can
~ I've decoys, ana the position in which
they are anchored gives you an oppor.
y tunity to shoot between them. yon az,
your lunch in the blind and return m
Inc l,iis mouse IN time for O'Clock dinner
F1hese dinners are marvels OF the chef's
s. All inefe is game of every variety
,s..tl. products OF nearby farms.
q supporting Nimrods gather in the COSY
s anaWlns-room and recount experiences
Wnann would make Munchausen Jealous
81 GREAT CAT VARIETY OF GAME.
e A,.Greater variety of game 10 n ha
: round In these preserves than anywbora
{ else on the coast. Canada geese and
4 snow geese are both found in great
s abundance. as are swan ana bran,
& every variety of duck known to orni-
3 lhology is also to be found here Tharo
sEsare canvass back, red head w,deaon
sprig tall ruddy. black butter, mallard
sSDiue and green wing teel, bald face AM,
~, her species. Jack snipe are also found
8Beach birds, such as yellow legs curlaw
sswlllett, golden, whisting and grass
y ployers also furnish good Sport.
CLUBS ELEGANTLY ApPo1>rrrn
AT the clubhouses are kent dors on3
Il ell paraphernalia for the snort Guidas
& are constantly in attendance. The ms,
I'M porIant or the clubs are the follow.
ing: The Princess Anne Club lformerIv
y LITE lsiand), the Ragged Island CIub
& me u, SurTituck Sound Shooting Club. the
s. s.ul n, met cub. Swan Island Club
ys sNnu Booles Island Club. Perhaps inc
largest In point of membership is the
X iRoanoke Island Club The average men,-
Z eership or the organizations Is thirty.
i've members each. 'i'i -
DISTINGUISHED CHESTS
S5s The Ragged Island Club wbjo, IL
2bitualeo seventeen miles south NJ VII
& gina Beach. In Middle Bay. hae an.ar-
5 famed during the past two wears tuo
4 sflef "a Magistrates of the United Stars
Toward the close OF his term ex. preeI.
4 oent Harrison spent a very entovsb he
week cunning there @"'e
sss - -, PRESIDENTIAL NIMRoDs
* ihTse times has President Cleveland
ssyisEed the section and on sevare, oooa
ssipns he was entertained at the cinh-
L noHse. II was within eight of Bodies
ssslsiand Club. which is also q savorita
i smoothing ground of the President'e tho,