The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10
PROMISE OF GOOD BIRD SHOOTING
Quail and Partridge Plentiful in Connecti-
cut-Woodcock Scarce.


LrTcHFIEID Conn., Sept 9.-There is pros
pect of some excellent sport in quail and partridge
shooting in Connecticut this fall, but woodcock
are likely to be very scarce. The law on bird
shooting is of" on Oct. this year, having been
changed at the last session Of the Legislature from
oct. Is. This change was made because of the
general complaint concerning the old statute
that it prohibited woodcock shooting until most
Of these long billed birds had made their Southern
flight This year the bird shooting season will
end on Dec 10. The new law specifies that only
six cartridges may be bagged in one dag and
thirty six in season. Partrdges are, how
ever the only birds thus limited
1t is interesting 10 note the various reasons
which have operated To make some birds
and others plentiful this fall Quail every
where abundant. especially in the northwestern
part Of this State which is literally filled with these
whistling birds Last fall the heavy November
snowstorms kept the hunters out OF the woods
Consequently last spring opened with lots of quail
in the fields \ perfect breeding season followed,
dry early summer, that none Of the young
persisted from rains, as is frequently the
cartridges are also fairly abundant for the
same reason Partridges haunt the thick woods
and swamps in the autumn and are not out in the
| open after the fashion OF the quail The Novem-
Der storms shut the hunters out and consequently
| season has been as good for their breeding as il
| has for the quail One cause is likely to operate
against good partridge shooting in this season
this fall and that is the thickets Of leaves
which. in consequence of the early opening Of the
season will still cling to the trees and hide the
movements of the game After a few shots OF
this sort have been missed in piece of woods the
hunted birds become alert and wary that il is
next to impossible TO get enough to kill them.
| woodcock are scarce and will be scarcer it is
| thought because the prevailing dry season
| has so parched the meadows and their favorte
feeding places that they do not To stay here,
trusting to better feeding grounds along the line
Of their flight In most cases throughout the State
! the beds of the county side streams as dry as
dust and not drop Of water is TO be found in the
| shallow brooks 1t is only where springs abound
that there any water at all aside from the larger
streams, and as woodcock feed largely from in
sects and worms found by boring in the rich black
| mud Of the swamrs their table is by no means
well provided fact Of which they seem to be
| fully aware
| There is no doubt that but that limited amount
| of game poaching is going on in the State but
| viulators OF the law il stands very
| careful Where any violations are suspected,
notifications are sent 10 the county game warden,
| and as he receives $40 and travelling expenses
for every conviction, he is apt to exercise the ut
most diligence in capturing the offenders
The closed law on deer in Conntc1cut is oper-
| ating very bcnehcially. Several young deer
have been seen in various paris Of the State