The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13
WILD DUCKS AT BARNEGAT.
OPENING OF THE SEASON AT,A
D. NOTED JERSEY RESORT. as

Birds brought Within Reach fthe Gunner
by the First Cold Observation-Disclosures Of
the New 1Tnpimerlesn Guns-Guestp ana
stations Mt Chndwick's-A New Drinis.
For some weeks past tho mouths OF tho Wild
fowlcrs In New York and it's vicinity have been
watering over the reports of great crowds o.
ducks ut nearly all tho favored places within
easy reach OF the metropolis; but while the uus
equnllcd weather OF the Indian summer lhsted
right up to the close OF November. the experts
knew that II would be time wasted to try to re-
near them. Even the passing of a sailboas
within three or four hundred yards rendered.
them uneasy. Ind rs soon as the boat turned
nearer UP they rose; while ms for the decoyp.
there were so many OF their own species around
for gossip that they had little use for strangers.
Food too. was plenty: so the first signs of frosthnd
hard winds which should bring the birds fikhb
down to their oats were eagerly looked for By
the hunters. The frost and the cold winds came
all right. ard tho desired change took place
inside of forty.oight hours. Instead Of wild.
Independent fowls In large focks and GaKgles,
oil the desire was for shelter. Broken mp into
patches, scattered by dozens and odd ones here
and there. the hungry and tired fowls with The
ambition Knocked clean out OF them, sought for
shelter and food. The gunners literally swarmed
after them, kicking because IL had not been
their luck to have the hard weather about
Thanksgiving, and the population of the Greaf
South Fay resorts went up like that OF an eic0-
ton district in old times. -
Many Of the more experienced gunners LOT
the Great South Bay alone for the time being,
knowing from previous years of the rush Of
amateur shots. They will stay away until the
weather gets 80 hard and cold that only the
hardened fowler will care to venture out. Asa
type of the curious people that go out at times
may be mentioned the young man at the Shin
necock creeks last week who was proudly SHOVE
ing a gun, the butt OF the stock OF which was Of
steel and had IN II n receptacle for Japanese
carbors for heating the hand. thus making the
stock OF the gun keep his hands warm when in
the blinds. Next one may expect to see hunters
sitting with charcoal pots under the skirts Of
their MacKinnw coats, as II they were italian
market women In Europe.
A dozen or so well-known wild fowl shots
paid the necessary $3.50 railway fare for Bar
ncEat, and Mt S? a day for board. So q day for
extras, they knew thew were In for a good thing
II the fowls tanned down at all. They found 10
still the same old Barnegat. beloved among the
old timers ever since the day when Bill Chad
wick set up his shanty at Island Beach, and de-
velopcd IL into the most comfortable duck
shooting centre of the eastern coast. Away
back to 1910 dated the old register, and the
pages would form the nucleus OF a valuable
album to-day. Tn. celebrities of the
laTN sNNS rSf- ~ 49, NNA
settles and stiff chairs, the apple flip 10
even said to be n counterfeit, but the
tired gunner still finds rest and comfort
around tie old spot. Chadwick's and the old
timo corn-husk beds are the real thing for the
true gunner. After the guns have been pol
ished. the supper eaten, and the o!d-time yarns
and stories told, one by one the guests climb the
narrow staircase and turn in. to he lulled by tho
never-ceasing lullaby OF the combers on the
1,r-l nfA and tiA .A,tlA - . h .-.. -f~A
round the caves. Just as ones eyes are closed,
1t seems. comes the rat-tat-tat OF the caller and
all stream down to hot coffee. cakes, and mo-
lasses; no efIete ounce honey is tolerated with
cakes down there.
All are clothed in heavy woollens, rubber
waders. and thick cheviot garments: sweaters
well up to the throat and Tam o. Shanters or
close fitting caps. Each carries a heavy ten or
eight bore gun well choked and plenty Of am
and some wear heavy Scotch woollen
but those who bring home some Of the best bags
Will be found still using the old-tine hammer
guns wtich drop the hammers below the line Of
for S45 where two years ago they would have
cost 500. That neat little safety catch on tho
the warmer uplands. but down in the home of
n"rtheasters fingers are apt to get very numb,
with the side % the palm instead OF the fingers,
and the cute little safety is at q discount.
at this season were the duck SO thickly feather
ed-a sure sign, II Is said. of hard weather 70
come. r our uTbInb Oh powder Is now DelnR
used in the eight-bore guns. with an ounce and
n ih!f 81 NOD shot for preference. though
ment that il is easier to driv. a needs point
than the point of IA brad-awl. The fallacy OF
tbs argument has been pro.ed of late years by
other small bore rifles. II Is possible to load y
duck up with enough No, 8 shot to sink the
body, but most Of them will be found only to be
just beneath the skin. and unless the head or an
exposed joint is hit. the duck will keep going
FAR enough before 1t drops To be a lost bird.
Down AT Barnegat there is no fayoritism. The
best stations are held hy the hotel. the guests
draw slips for stations. and each knows the
station he is to occupy. To one goes the hump.
TO another the humtnOCk one gets the old gray
boulder-a andmark to old hauds-another the
black ledge. Woe 10 linn who draws the mud
bank, unless he ponies Up an extra, dollar or
iTSa ara IrIe %" OK ioa "a rf1lk c 9a th INTO nF the %Sd Of a tnS
sitting there with his head on q level with the
mud. covered by a dGP SG9lored nm pm6rsl!S and
and only an enthusiast win banker after II
tho sedge is high and still plentiful.
The sudden cold snap seemed to rattle the
Sunday they were . wittering" as the natives
say Of n crying child in all directions; a niser:
of the weli-fcd birds. Widgeon went whistling
past, mingling their notes with the weird cry OF
the nnmberless waders, and the lluarse trumpet
ing OF what the professional men said were
four days stay, Then the gray. sullen, sky was
broken by slowly stealing fingers OF. Light, the
sthles suddenly became so realistic in the hair
light that one felt inclined 20 pIaZo at them.
and then like harbingers of the dawn
came n flock o: ten widrron m plain
sight against the glowing, background. an6
three whistles from the boatman swerved
them right up 20, Inc boat with mat swooplng
curve ana dropped legs that look 50 enhancing
when seen over the gun sights, Fang! Down
came Two; aud n the second ha're! q third
dropped Swimming along the water. Then. az
they faded awnv into the gray to niGbtwaTd,
still another came sllthcrinG down along the
surface. as II the water were indeed ice. II was
the first shot ut the season and was n hummer.
Bang. bang. went guns along TO the southward.
telling that Tho flock lad run tho gauntlet
Thus the sport began.
\ visitor 81. Monday undertook TO make o
drink that proved to be a peach. and this is how
lie made it. \ quart OF ale mos beer was put
on the stove to he heated until it rreamed. In
n bowl were beaten up three egg. with a table,
spoonful of ground ginger, aud this mixture
was then beaten up with a wiu"slasNiul of cold
alr. slowly added. and two tahlespoonfuls Of
st'led white sugar. Then the hot ale, which
had not been permittcd 10 boil, was slowly
stirred into the mixture. with II wInegiassiul
of old Jamaica rum aud n tuuSpupnful OF some
thing from ihn strAuppr'- nUgbEt unEk. and the