The San Francisco call., 1897-10-01
GUNS begin
TO POP TODAY
Extensive Preparations for
the Opening of the
Hunting Season.
Sportsmen of Every Degree
Sally Forth After Ducks
or Quail.
Recent Changes in County Game
Laws That May Lead to
Some Difficulty.

From stores, banks and offices there will
be a general exodus to-day. The clubs
are already deserted to such an extent
that the stewards and their assistants feel
that they are having a sort of holiday.
The trouble is due 10 the opening OF the
quail, duck-and mudhen-season, the
greatest event on the calenda" IN the
opinion of every true sportsman.
The gunstores were thronged with nlm-
rods all day yesterday. The Bernal
Heights youth with a large round dollar
in his pocket which he was snxlous to ex-
change for powder, shot, wads and caps
Tor the old single barreled gun eoowed
the millionaire who was inspecting the
latest model OF the guns NTH s art. The
talk was confined strictly 10 birds and the
weather, the furry of rain causing many
a heated argument on the relative merits
Of water and upland shooting. In this
respect the devoiees OF the latter, al
though it was generally conceded that the
moist ground would make 1t much easier
10 get within gunshot OF quail, were IN
the majority ana many whose first in
clination was to strike out Tor the nils de-
cided to take 20 the swamps.
Then there was the old talk about pre-
serves, anu all The arguments pro and con
were gone over time and again, the tor-
tunate member OF a shooting club defend
ing his right to exclusive shooting over
marshes he and his fellow mem bers bail
and care for T. roughout the year, While
the lie fortunate sportsman as stoutly
maintained that nobody had exclusive
rights TO tide or State lands.
Al the leading sporting-goods establish
ments IL was the unanimous opinion thai
the present season Will prove better than
4, z.,rNs
OF the State come reports OF an abundance
OF game, and the only thing that worrie,
the sportsmen is the fear of running
afoul of some county ordinance that ex-
tends the close season beyond tie time
fixed by the State law. Several cOuntie:
have made changes in this respect very
recently, and outside the bay counties no
body seems 10 have very definite idea oi
the county restrictions.
Another thing the dealers agree upon is
the increased sale of higher grade FIRE
arms ana equipments. Trade Is reported
10 be much better than for several years
and they argue that this is a certain indi-
cation of returning prosperity. A man
can do without a shotgun, or get along
with his old one better than he can with
almost anything else. In consequence
dealers are about the first to feel a finan-
ciai de preston.
MANY reports have been received oi
open ami con tinued violations OF the game
laws Ii is stated that in the vicinity OF
SoIedad ducks have been plentiful for sew
eral weeks, and for fully a month loca
sportsmen have bean bringing in large
bags OF young mallards without the least
| interference on the part of the law Off
! GERS.
One of the most enthusiastic sportsmer
in the Stale is Governor Budd, who has
already stationed himself on Sherman
/ Island. He is provided with an ark. o.
! house boat, in which he resides, and hi
! gun will be one of the first TO bark at The
! fiat bills this morning.
w. w. Foo is another ardent sports.
man. who will be Il participant in tn'
opening voiley, He provided hlmsel
Wi an outfit yesterday that would do fol
u journey TO Dawson, ana started Tor The
| marshes last evening.