The San Francisco call., 1899-10-07
SCARCE
ON BAY SHORE
AND PRESERVES
When Birds Do Come In From the
North They Are Expected in
Countless Thousands.

Only the novices were disappointed at
the poor sport provided by the ducks last
Sunday on the opening Of the season.
Men experienced in the ways and habits
Of the waterfowl knew they would not
he found on the marshes in any numbers
when the climatic conditions were so ad-
verse. 1t needs rain and frost and
heavy wind 10 drive the migratory birds
down from their northern haunts. Those
now on the marshes are chiefly the birds
bred here.
Although the opening day was in a de
gree disappointing the season promises
well. 1t is the opinion Of experienced
shooters that twice as many ducks will
be killed this season as in any past year.
This prediction Is based on the fact that
sprig. bird from the far north, is al
ready plentiful. although not easy TO
shoot Its presence is something quite
unusual at this time Of the year.
One reason given for the small num-
Der Of birds secured on the preserves was
the excessive zeal of the gunner. They
shot at everything within range Of their
vision regardless as TO whether il was
anything near the range OF their guns.
This OVeTeXube will not be so much
in evidence hereafter. and birds will ut
least be permitted TO approach the ponds.
A considerable area OF the various pre-
serves is still dry. This resulted in the
men being more closely grouped than they
The members of some clubs near AL
varado did not see a duck flying on Sun
day. The biggest bag exhibited on the
train Sunday evening consisted of four
teal and one sprig. The members Of the
Suisun Gun Club were more successful,
the total being Isl birds. divided as fol-
lows: Perkins. 50: Murphy, 46, Robinson.
Il: Lloyd Eaton, DietZ and Boyer, joint
bag of &c; Keyes, 6; kinsey, is, and An
derson. 16. The men drawing the best
blinds naturally showed the best results.
10 ShnoTiupr va
the members of the Black Jack Club Sc
curing only IA. OF these the majority
fell to Johnson.
The members of the Teal Club waited
until Tuesday for their opening shoot. W.
+. Whittier Jr. was the most successful,
securing. 81. The remainder OF the party
averaged Is each
Otto Feudner was high gun among the
Pringle Club men, his total being 80.
Howard Black enjoyed the quail shoot
ing on the Mason TanCh, the preserve of
the Olympic Gun Club. He used his new
l6-gauge gun and killed eighteen birds
Mr.. Black heads the list Of men who
have drawn positions on the Olympic duck
preserve for tomorrow. The remaining
members Of the party are: Fred Feud-
ner. ". A Marshall. L. W. Hartin, Dr.
+. J. Lane. II. Z. Rose DR.. G. W. Klei-
ser. E. Hirshfeld Ed Dubedat and George
Walker
The annual meeting of the Olympic Gun
Club Will be held on the 25th inst. A reg
ular nominating committee will be ap-
pointed at that time 70 select officers for
the ensuing term.
A party Of gentlemen of this city have
recently returned from an extended out
ing in Nevada and Idaho. and bring Won
derful stories OF their experiences in the
field The party was made up OF Attor-
ney J. w. Dorsey. Judge A. A. Sanderson
G. II. UmbSen. p. X Gordon D. R Ses-
siOns. Z. a. Keil. Mr.. Tucker. Sydney
Smith, a. J. Harold of Visalia and John
Sparks Of Reno. The range over which
the party shot is owned by the last two
gentlemen and is about seventy five by
100 miles square. Il abOunds in deer an
telope. bears. grouse of every description
and ducks. Its streams are filled with
brook trout. fishermen Of the party Sc
curing 800 in one morning. They bring
back a number of stories Of the chase
The most remarkable OF these is to the
effect that VaQuerO with the party was
standing on high bluff and saw a bear
at its base He dropped huge rock on
his 6earship, killing him instantly. Judge
SanderSon Nouches for this narrative al
though he says he did not lose any bears
himself and did not seek those reported
in the vicinity Of the camp The bears
are cross between the grizzly and the
cinnamon. They possess all the ferocity
OF the former with the speed OF the lat
ter. In rough going they can travel faster
than a horse.
E. G. Rodolph and Judge Evans laf,
yesterday for the Eel River country. They-
go chiefly for quail, but will also avail
themselves or the fishing offered in that
district.
A large number of gunmen opened the
duck season al Johnsons near Brent
wood, and enjoyed excellent sport There
are no preserves on what is known To-
cally as the Old River hence its popu-
larity. The exact opening of the season
was not observed. as the shooting co..
menced on Friday and was continued SAT
urday.