The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-18
GUN AND DOG.
About the Deer-ShootIng Season
and the Hunters.


Sportsmen are now taxing advantage of
the opportunities offered in some of the
counties of this State for deer-shooting
The Supervisors of some counties have
shortened the season because of the scar
city of deersin the localities where they
reside.
Generally speaking, it can safely be said
that a sportsman who will shoot at and
kill deer for the pleasure of the sport in
a county where the Supervisors have cut
off the open season altogether will not be
molested, because there Is no general OBJ
lection on the part of the Supervisors of
any county to prevent any person from
killing one or two deer occasionally.
The object of a close season is princi-
pally to protect the deer from extermina-
ton and it is a good law.
The sporting editor of THE CALL. in an
interview with a prominent member of
the Ukiah Sportsman Club, learned that
the Supervisors of Mendocino County had
shut down upon an open season because of
the rapid slaughter of deer, both male
and female, by professional hunters. The
sportsman did not hesitate TO say In
answer to question that any man who
shoots deer for his own private use in
Mendocino County will not be molested,
and if he should happen to be arrested by
some fresh constable Tor having venison
in his possession, his acqulttal would be
certain to follow, as there is not Judge
or jury in the county that would be in
favor of Furnishing him.
Some of the members of the Country
Club had good success on the opening day
of the season. William Kittle got one
splendid buck and another member
brought down buck yesterday. A letter
written at Inverness, a pleasure resort
near Tomales Bay, to the sporting editor,
states that on the 14th inst. keepers of the
Country Club went outside of their juris-
diction and ran their dogs through the
canyons near Inverness with the inten-
ton of driving the deer into the club
demesne. If this report is true the club
should bring the keepers TO task.
The sportsmen OF the Tamalpais Club
had excellent sport on the 18th inst. A
party, composed of Johnny Berger, Will
liam Berg. J. Carrigan and w. Domerjue.
bowled over three bucks-one a spiked
horn and two forked horns. Each men,
Der of the party killed deer excepting
Carrigan, who did not get chance to try
his eye and nerve. Another party, con-
sisting of Frank Lacost, Billy Brown, J.
Osborne, II. ]. Wicker and Achille Roos,
was not so successful. Lacost was the
only representative who bagged game,
and to his credit be it said that he brought
down the finest specimen of the deer
family that the club has seen in years. 1t
was a forked horn which, when dressed,
scaled 135 pounds.
One OF the dogs of the club ran down a
coyote and a battle royal ensued. The
coyote stood his ground well until the
pack arrived.
lied for several deer-sh ootinR expeditions.
Tomorrow being the first Sunday of the
open season there wall be cracking of rifles
al libitum all over the country.
The Alameda County Sportsman's Club
will hold clav-bird shoot to-day at Ala
media Point and tomorrow Sunday the
Lincoln Gun Club will meet in strong
force at its own grounds in Alameda. The
prizes offered are all first class and gala
days outing is promised. The Golden
Gate Gun Club will shoot at the Pacific
Tourney grounds tomorrow and the Cali
fornia Wing Club will assemble at San
Bruno, where live pigeons will be used.
The following letter from Marysville to
the sporting editor concerning the differ-
ences of opinion that exist between attor-
neys and journalists relative to the game
law and the Supervisors will prove inter-
esting:
Quite discussion has been going on be-
tween the local papers as to the right of hunt
ers to shoot doves in Suffer County before July
Is, the date established by the Board of Su per-
visors OF that county for the commencement
of the open season. The Appeal claimed that
it was legal to kill doves on and after July L.
The Democrat declared it was not District
Attorney Mclaughlin and Attorney A. H
Hewitt of Suffer County were asked for an
opinion and they decided in favor of the APP
peal as follows:
new section (626B) was added TO the Penal
Code by the Legislature of 1895. Said section
reads as follows: "Every person who, in the State
OF California, between the 18TH day OF February
and the LIST day of July in each year, shall hunt,
pursue, take, kill or destroy, or have in mis- pos
session. any dove doves, shall be guilty of mis-
demeanor." The Legislature clearly intend ed that
that section should be general law and since the
passage OF tn section no law has been enacted
pervisors 70 shorten or extend the close season,
and II stands the statute-books of State to-
day a general law.
The only authority that a Board Of Supervisors
2912 Of the county government act and section
636 of the Penal Code. which passed two
years previous to the Penal Code section SOB
The Penal COde section above referred to was a
portion of act OF the Legislature amending sec
ton 626 of that code relating to game.
Section II OF the act last referred TO provides
pressy that all acts and parts OF acts in confii ct
with the provisions OF said act are repealed. Con-
sequently section 29;a of the county government
act and section 636 OF the Penal Cole must have
been repealed, as they were in confiict with the
general game law AS the game law stands
no Board of Supervisors has the power to shorten
or extend the close or open season.
The Appeal now asks the editor of the Demo-
crat to acknowledge his error or cause the
arrest of some of Suffers legal lights who have
been shooting doves sincesthe LIST and make q
test case of 1t.
The question as to the power of the
Supervisors TO make changes in the
general game law should be easily
answered according to section IL of ar