Evening star., 1898-08-20
SEPTEMBER SPORTS
Gunners Getting lRaeady for ortolan
and Reea Birds.
TIE MARSHES NOW GUARDED
Suggestions Yaltde to Prospective
MarshHunters.
P ROPER EQ IPMENTs

Experts and amateurs, owners of ham,
fhefiess guns ana all the appropriate ac-
oouterments Tor ene proper enjoyment of
srort in shooting and those VINO rcvel in the
| possession Of archaic single barrels and pom
derous muskets, are looking forward with
blIssful anticipation to the opening of the
| marsh-hird season a week from next
Thursday. Owners of Eastern branch skiffs
ara tarrfng UP seams after due care in
eauIking them, and down on the Patuxent
and other favorite ortolan and reed bird
haunts they are doing the same thing. IT
has been customary in years past for
great many individuals who own guns. as
especially those who shoot for the market
and ara gathered under the generic name
of pot hunters" to begin marsh shooting
two or three weeks before the legal season
opens. good many innocent persons go
out also This year anyone trying the
marshes of the Eastern branch which hay.
been the favorite places for before-season
shooters, will be liable to make a Journey
to the Police Court. There ara only three
kinds of birds that may be legally shot in
the District at this time.
Wise Precautions.
These are blackbirds, woodcock and fly
up-the-creeks, the latter being worthless
member of the marsh bird family.
Some people, great many OF them in
deed, believe that plover and snipe may be
legally killed at this time in the year. but
the close season for these birds, which are
quite plentiful, so far as the former are
concerned, does not end until September
/. On and after that day plover kideer
and snipe may be shot at will, well
ortolan and reed birds. Newspaper warn
ings such as the above seldom have any
effect on those who disregard the
game laws, SO 1t will be gratifying
to real sportsmen to know that Ma
jor and Superintendent of Police Rich
ard Sylvester who is a real sportsman
himself, has appointed Mr. John Peyton,
another real sportsman, as deputy game
warden to watch the Eastern branch
marshes Next week several other officers
will be assigned to duty in the same SER
vice. Mr. Peyton knows nearly every gun
ner in Washington, and is acquainted with
All the market shooters. He is on duty from
daylight to dark, and the man who starts
out to do any Illegal shooting on the East
ern branch or that vicinity had better. take
collateral along with him.
Some Reed rirds Here.
This admirable arrangement of Major
Sylvester will prhventgeneral shooting be-
fore the season begins, and this will assure,
it is believed. plenty Of sport for those who
shoot legally. An examination of the
marshes between the new bridge and Ben
| ming, which are the best ortolan grounds
around Washington, shows they are in
about tha same, condition as in former
growth of oats. I fsaw fa reed % birds are are al :
ready heard on1Ithese marshes, the first
comers being noticed Thursday. The reed
bird supply is usually excellent, but the
weather has great deal to do with the
marsh population in ortolans. A dry Sep
tember means plenty lof birds From the
recent heavy rains the chances are that the
month will be dry. 61n wet weather the
ortolan cares very little more for the marsh
than he does for the meadow or the corn
field. or any moist places. 5s.
Uncle Billy Wagner, who will inaugurate
his fory-fifth year on the Eastern branch
marshes on the first day of the coming
season, is the leading authority on marsh
shooting, as, indeed he is on everything
else connected with the sport of shooting
in this section of the country. A Star re-
porter had talk with him this morning
The Experts Advice.
yes" he remarked. "a dry September
means plenty of ortolan on the marshes.
When l was boy / lived out there on 10th
street northeast, and down back of where
Jeuneman's old brewery used to be was q
low, swampy place. When it was wet in
September / was always able to find orto-
ian there plenty, but when It was dry
there were none, because the birds had to
roundings.''
How should a man proceed who wants
10 get the most fun out of ortolan shoot
ingg inquired the reporter
well, in the first place he wants to get
a good pusher. There are many men who
own their skiffs and make a business of
pushing shooters through the marshes
during the o. tolan season. They can al
ways be found at the Navy Yard bridge
and Benning bridge The best way to get
one is to go down the day before you are
going to shoot and engage him. good
pusher Is a man who not only knows how
to push skiff shiilfuiiy through the marsh,
but who is also able to mark down the
birds that are shot. A good shot will some
times have three four ortolan down at
once, and he's liable to lose them if his
pusher isn't keen eyed and able to locate
where they fell The best load for ortolan
is IL drachms of black powder-or its
equivalent in the sort now almost exclu
sively shetland an ounce of No 10 or IL
shot Ortolan can be only shot success
fully when the tide is up, and a tide usual
ly lasts for shooting about three hours. A
shooter should ordinarily take from 100 to
$50 shells with him for a tide. II birds are
very plentiful 200 would not be too much.
On the opening day of the season puSher
usually asks from s. to 81 for his skiff and
services, but after the opening day he
will push for less money"
How many shells do you load during
the marsh bird season."
Uncle Billy smiled.
Away up in the thousands, ne repled