Evening star., 1897-10-29
SPORTSMEN ALERT
Gunuers Preparing for the Approach
ing Quail Season.
MONDAY is OPENING DAY
Local Laws in Maryland Counties
Worth Remembering.
GENERAL INTEREST Ev1NCED

the quail season opens generally in
Maryland and North Carolina Eext Mon
day. In Virginia it is illegal to kill quail
or partridge until 1S.s&. Sportsmen in WASH
| irgton who know the delight of following
a dog through the ragweed of the stub
BILE and the underbrush OF the creek bot
toms are preparing for an onslaught next
week For the past two or three years.
up to the present time. the covers in Mary
| land have been almost denuded of birds
4 The reports during the summer have been
l favorable, and from every quarter there
| is news OF many coveys, and consequently
every man who owns a gun and dog is
| eagerly expecting the opening of the sea-
| son. William Wagner, the veteran sports
man. who knows most about things relat-
ing to guns ard birds. talked with Star
| reporter yesterday.
1T seems like cid times" he said Every
man who eyer shot at quail in this sec
tion seems to be making preparations to
| go OUT TINS year. There is going to be an
| exodus down into North Carolina, and. so
lar as Maryland is concerned, it seems to
| me that there will be q gun for every bird
have been kept busy loading shells for
| men who are going quail shooting. 1 have
mad enormous demands from city people.
| unusually large orders from North Care
| lima, and just now I received an order for
| a thousand shells from a man in South
Carolina 1t is very much like the reed
| bird season. when everybody shoots
feel sorry for the birds, because / am
| AFRAID that the general intention on the
part or gunners to go out this season will
lead to great scarcity in the future"
Suggestions to Shooters.
Many inquiries have been received by
The Evening Star regarding the laws gov
erning the shooting Of quail, pheasants and
| rabbits In the country contiguous to Wash
ington. So far as quail is concerned, vir-
gtnfa is closed territory until October
81: 1873. Next fall gunners may shoot in
| virgin Ia to their hearts content but this
year the season is closed throughout. In
Maryland there is a diversity of laws. The
Senerai state game law allo Us the shoot
| Ing OF quail from November 1 to December
-. inclusive; of woodcock, from November
10 to December "a. inclusive; Of pheasants
| from August p to December Is, Inclusive;
OF rabbits. from November 1 to December
| "a. inclusive.
| There are, however in the several counties
| connecting regulations. which 1t is well for
prospective visitors with guns and dogs
10 remember. In Anne Arundel county the
| open season is from November 10 to De-
| cemher 10, inclusive. 1t is unlawf for a
| nonresident to shoot, kill. trap or destroy
quail or partridge. woodcock OR rabbit,
| under a penalty from SO to $50 for each
| offense. one-half of which goes to the in
| former A land owner may extend the
| privilege to shoot on his own land to any
| person.
/ Charles and Prince GeorRe,s,
In Charles county a nonresident is sub
Ject to a fine of $40 for each quail rabbit
| or woodcock killed. as well as the for
| feiture of his gun and ammunition. The
law provides that the latter articles shall
be sold. and one-half of the proceeds shall
be paid to the informer The possession of
any of the game specified is provided bv
| Inc law to be evidence that hay Lin
ed by the possessor. Land owners have the
| privilege to invite non-residents to shoot
| over their own territory
| In Prince Georges county the anep saa !.
son of quail is from November i to De-
cember "a. inclusive. 1t is necessary to
get license in Prince Georges county for
over $40, as well as to obtain permission
from the owner of the land shot over For
each quail killed without these REQUIRE
ments a specific penalty of $25 is incurred,
one-half OF which goes to the informer
In Queen Anne county licenses to shoot
are necessary to non-residents and unless
| man has one he is subject to $50 fine for
each bird killed, which is payable to the
| school fund.
Posted Land I'm Montgomery,
Out in Montgomery county there is no
| law regarding the shooting of non-resi-
| dents. but owing to the scarcity of birds
| within the last three or four years and the
| stock the covers, there has been a general
agreement to prevent trespass upon the
| land. and the consequence is that strangers
who go out into Montgomery county next
week will find it difficult to shoot over the
| land OF any farrier in the county.
me deputy game warden of Maryland,
DR.. George w. Massamore who has given
| such time and attention to the preserya-
ton of the fish and game in Maryland and
who has devoted SO much energy in this
direction, has instructed his deputies
throughout the state to be rigorous in their
watchfulness during the bird season. and
the result will undoubtedly be that any
man who goes into Maryland without the
risk of being arrested and made to answer
Tor any trespass he may make either upon
the laws or regulations now in force in
that state. DR.. Massamere and the au-
thorfties associated with him are deter
| mined. so they announce, to see that the
game laws of Maryland are enforced to the
letter as well as in the spirit. 1t will be
well, therefore, for prospective gunners to
make their arrangements for shooting trips
into Maryland in accordance with the sug-
gestions made above.
The gentlemen who are going to shoot
during the coming season are making great
preparations for it. North Carolina will get
big contingent. Many sportsmen have
already made their arrangements to go
down to the state. Mr.. James NJ. Green
will go to his usual shooting ground, which
is Greensboro. Campbell Darlington will try
his luck down the Scotland Neck country
In North Carolina, where the birds are said
to be plentiful Clay Ward will shoot In
the vicinity of Rocky Mount. Arthur Mat
tingly and L. K. Devendorf wifi probably
be found in the same vicinity. wi!iafA
Wagner will go to North Carolina in De-
cember. Dick Jones win probably shoot ia
the lower counties Of Maryland. ClaY
Browning and a party are making arrange
ments to shoot in North Caroltga.T. =
Giving the Birds . Chanre. q
There win be an exodus Sunday for nesr-
by points In Maryland Of those who have
shooting privileges Of posted lands. There
Is an understanding among gunners that
coveys will not be decimated. 1t is thor
oughly realized that considerable charity
must be exercised toward birds IL there is
to be any future sport insured, and canse-
quently even IL a man II allowed to shoot
over a territory where there are quail, he
will be relieved of the nriYilexe=in Mar,,.