Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-18


satisfying quantities. Moose are so plenty
in the northwest that the state authori-
ties OF Minnesota have allowed five days
OF open moose and caribou shooting. Nearer
home. woodccck and partridge are reported
plentiful. the conditions OF The spring and
summer having been favorable 10 their
northTsard migration. Along the coast
one hears of the noble promise of all kinds
of duck; and on many private preserves
the shooting of imported English and Mon
solian pheaSants will this season be fol-
lowed a scale never before possible
Altogether the year is widely pronounced
an extra good one in the matter OF game"
Thus spoke DIR. ]. q. knowlton, well
known from the Hudson to the Rio Grande
as crack wing shot and enthusiastic all
around gunner Or. knowl;ou has just re-
turned from a preliminary campaign among
the woodcock in Sussex county, y. j.
His home in New YOrA l. filed with
trophies Of the chase ana looks Ike a small
arsenal, 50 crowded = 1t with al, sorts OF
firearms DIR. knowltCn is 4 ;reat belle. er
N tIe theory that AEner-e;sa sport is
steadily improving. Leaving the subject Of
plentiful game to discuss the topic OF Amer
ics: $ growing greatness as 4 game country
ana the n"w things of interest to sportsInen
this Year. he sad:
Despite any statement to the CON
trafy. the American hunter Il today is
a bettes sportsman AMI u bett1r Shot tn n
his predecessors of former .,Eerl,.ons In
fact, each recurring; season greatly beae-
hts the conditions surrounding aElaJ-tr
game sl-Oting- a revolution as 2ralJaI
as II - sweeping HIS been taxing place
during The past few years in The gentle art
o. VeEery. ana in particular IL that part of
Il connected with for!!Hs-pieca ana rifle
Our game laws are better than t.ye- ana
eacA year sees some new re-tric lion against
lhti-Ser inmate shooting. or some 1eg. leeis-
lation for the preservation OF old or The
importation of new species. oar spo-tsn.eu
are better because they checrfUlly and for
the common good submit to these laws
Our guns and cartridges are II-uuaSfj7n.
ably better Let u take the game laws
without which sport might as well he dead
Wise legislation has done wonders and n
the concerted movement now on foot
among synpdthiz IN several staJes,
should come 10 aUght, much more will fa
accomplished For instance, in Ney Jer-
seE just now there Is Il Str1IE agitation
afoot to shift the opening Of the wooIcock
season from July 10 August IT,
Some New Game Laws.
This has already been done in New York.
with the result that the failing Supply of
woGicock has begun TO increase appre-
Gladly. Another projected reform strong
ly aSitated. is the adjustment of spring
shooting for ducks. geese. etc. A duck sea-
son from September to January ought to
be satisfactory enough. But n rule the
lIis'3 E'-'I improvements is
most encouraging. For instance, the ad-
mirs54e law which allows only two deer an
nu2liy 10 each individual in New Yo-l, can
not be too highly commented. In New
YORK. 100. the pursuit OF deer with dogs is
prohibited nor is the hunter allowed 10
stalk deer by means of noa-:ng-i. e. by
hunting them at night in fiatboats and yxitb
lantern lure Such methods if continued
= could not fail to eXtermin;tIe our d,.,.r -
the buffalo has been practically extermI-
mated
As regards the breeding and preserving
of birds, remarkable improvements have
taken place. Formerly our sportsmen had
little choice in feathered game In fact
they were about limited to ruffed grouse or
partridge, quail. woodcock and the differ
ent sorts of duck. Now gun clubs all the
country over are experimenting and i'm
porting from abroad. English and the Nom
golian pheasant have been brought over in
large quantities. and apparently thrive in
our climate. The English pheasant is a
most desirable game bird but his rearing
requires care and considerable discrimina-
ton in the matter of food.
Quail by the Crateload
Quail. too. are being carried north in
crateloads from the southern states. where
they swarm. In the matter of duck breed
Ing. some wealthy clubs with property
along the coast have recently been devot-
ing much time to the duck in his various
manifestations. Some very curious cross
breeds have been produced. A mixture of
the mallard and black duck has resulted In
a type. singular enough to look at, but
excellent from the standpoint of the gum
ner. The great majority of the ducks thus
bred are destined fer use as live de-
coys. The first joint Of the wings are clip
ped while they are still fiedglings, which
effectually prevents them from strayng.
As decoyS they are anchored on the waters
surface. and an ingenious device has been
evolved for their comfort, TO remain forci-
bly, stationary in the water. II is COM
posed primarily of a small stand or table
upon which the body Of the anchored live