Evening star., 1898-10-05
SPORT PROSPECTS
A Great Time Coming for Gun and
Dog Lovers.
QUAIL EVERYWHERE PLENTIFUL
indications Of Illegal Shooting in
This Section.
POINTERS OF ALUE

Only a short four weeks must elapse be-
| fore the real shooting season of 1898 be-
| gins, and for the first time in many years
| there is ardent and eager anticipation
| among the votaries of the double barrel
\ and the sporting dog. This is due to the
| fact that there Is an unusual abundance
of quail in all sections of the country
where Washington sportsmen follow their
| pleasure For the well-to-do men who
have plenty of leisure North Carolina is
the favorite hunting grounds, and inquiries
made by The Star have resulted in excel
| lent reports being received from that state
particularly in the territory near the
| coast. Reports from Rocky Mount. clear
| down into the Scotland Neck country, are
| to the effect that quail were never more
| plentiful and that they seem to have al
| ready attained their growth owing to the
| early breeding this year, while there are
| seemingly countless second coveys that will
| assure steady shooting later on. The
agents of the Atlantic Coast Line at the
| various stations in the shooting territory
have been instructed to promptly answer
all fnterrogatories regarding the birds the
| accommodations for gunners and dogs, and
| TO supply all other information desired by
| sportsmen, and this enterprise will doubt
| less be taken advantage of by many who
| wish to have good sport and plenty of it,
| In Virginia and Maryland.
| TO those who have not unlimited time
| and means at their command Virginia and
Maryland will afford fine shooting this
| year. 1t will be remembered that quail
| shooting was legally prohibited in Virginia
| during the seasons of 1896 and 1897, and
the consequence is that the covers of the
| old dominion were never so thickly popu-
| lated with birds. The lands in almost every
| part of the state, however, are rig1dly post
| ed, but gentlemen sportsmen will find no
| 1illculty IN securing permission to shoot
| FROM Maryland similar good reports come
! ard the same condition regarding posted
| land also holds good there In Montgom-
cry Prince Georges, Anne Arundel and
| SAID to be remarkable. The writer recent
| ly. In trying brace of young setter dogs
| started four big coveys OF birds, nearly full
sroWn' IN two adjoining stubble fields with
| III the PERIOD or an hour and a half and
| another, bigger than any of the rest. on a
| sumach hillside within 200 yards of the two
| sluboles In the five coveys there were
| probably between eighty and ninety birds
| Their flights were unusually short and
| they singled well along well-covered branch
| bottoms. while one flock scattered In an
open piece of woods. A rare days sport
| could have been enjoyed in this small area
| without difficulty.
| A Talk With the Veteran,
Old veteran William Wagner, who nroh.
ably keeps batter posted on game conditions
| tran any other man In this neck of the
| woods, was visited this morning hy The
Star reporter
| Everybody seems to be confident Of
| splend1d quail shooting this fall" said Mr..
| wagner. Men who gave it up seven or
eIsht years ago, when birds began to grow
so scare. are showing the vim and vigor CT
treir old days again. I have sold more
seod guns In the past two or three weeks
| IMAM nave for ten years at the sana time
| or year, and from all over Virginia Mary
| land and the south am getting unusually
| large orders for shells. This is the very
pest INDICATION OF the prospects for good
| sport. Maryland Is a favorite ground for
| our fccal shooters. and I think every ona
OF them should provide himself with a copy
OF the compendium of the general and local
game ana hsh laws of that state, compiled
and issued by the Maryland Game and
| Fish Protective Association. 1t includes a
| synopsis of all the laws including that of
1888. The proceeds from tile book are all
ue'oIea 70 the protection OF fish and game
| In Maryland. A number of copies were
sent to me to dispose of at twenty-five
cents each, and I'll be glad to help the
good cause along. OF course, there's no
| profit in it for anybody.
| There's no doubt" CONT aued Mr. wae-
| ner that quail are now being shot In the
| District, and sold here, and also in nearby
MARYLAND and Virginia. There should be
| put at work. If the pothunt ers know some
| Dody Is out watching to ca ch them they'll
Keep themselves and their guns at home
| The fact that game warde as were nut on
| the Eastern branch before the ortolan and
reed bird season opened this year made the
| FORE "
Laws in MnryI and.
! A persual Of the book issued by the
Maryland Game and Fish Protective Asso-
! citation shows ba 1aw
rabbit. pheasant and wcodcock in the
Maryland counties contiguous to Washing
| ton TO be as follows together with license
| fees where required:
Frederick county-Quail, pheasants, rab-
DTS, closed season from January 1 to No
vember l. Unlawful to transport any game
| out or county under a penalty of $50.
| Anne Arundel county-tluail pheasant
ana rabbits, closed season December % to
| November 0, inclusive. Unlawful for nom
| residents to shoot, but lane owner may ex-
| tend privilege on his own land.
| calvert county-Quail, closed season from
| January II to November l.
| carroll county-Closed season, quail and
| inclusive.
! Charles county-Quail. closed season, De-
cember "a to November 1; rabbits, January
| 10 to October 10
Howard county-Quail, pheasant wild
turkey, rabbits. closed season December %
| to October 81, inclusive.
| Montgomery county-Quail, closed season
| from December Is to November 1 rabbits
| February l to September l; wild turkeys
February l to November 1; pheasant, Feb
| ruary l to September l.
Prince Georges county-Closed season
! quail and rabbits, December "a to Novem-
| ber l; unlawful for non-residents to shoot
| without license
| st Mary's county-Closed season, quail
December "A to November l; rabbits. Janu-
| ary 10 to September / unlawful for non
residents to shoot without obtaining Ii
| The general state law of Virginia permits
| the shooting of quail from November 1 to
January 15, but the statutes in many coun-
| ties vary 'h
| In Alexandria county The open season be-
| gins October Is and closes January 10 The
| same is true of Fauouier In Loudoun the
| open season is from October Is to January
!, and in Culpeper and Fairfax. November
| to January 10.
Deputy Wardens mt Work.