The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-31
SEASON IS CLOSED
Partridges, WoodCock and Quail
Are Now Protected From the
Hunters Gun
THE LONGEST SEASON
FOR MANY YEARS
J. N. Smell, Levi RedfieId and Fred
BuCklin Have Had Good Sue.
cess in the Brush

Yesterday was the last day of the
shooting season. The protecting arm
OF the law reached out at midnight
and for several months win shield mar
tridges, woodcock and quail.
1t has been a successful season from
sportsman's standpoint There has
been 1. large slaughter of birds. which
is principally due to the openness of
the season. Despite the cry that there
are not as many game birds as in for
mer years, many good bags were
brought into the city during the sea-
son. Conditions for hunting have been
good. This has been especially true of
December, and among sportsmen De-
cember is acknowledged to be the best
month for shooting The codness of the
weather makes the birds a trife slower
IN starting than earlier in the season.
ana they can't get away from the gun
so fast. The absence of foliage of 9nv
description enables the hunter TO get
better shot~af bird which also helms
in bringing them down.
Inc season Just closed has been the
longest hunting season for years If is
a long time since the month of Decem-
Der was as open as this month has been
The opening of the Shooting season was
not as early as in other years as the
leaves remained on the trees a longer
time, due to lack of frost and rain.
put the openness of December more
than atoned for the few DAYS lost on
account OF the leaves remaining on the
trees.
j. N, Smell was the champion hunter
during his stay in Worcester. He left
several weeks ago, which was fortunate
Tor many bird. Smell was probably
the best brush shot In Worcester and
had knowledge of covers second to
none other He started out at the be-
ginning of the season with the intention
of
BAGGING OVER 400 BIRDS,
and, had he remained in this citv bic
chances of doing the feat would have
Deen good. Nobody except himself
knew how many he brought down. but
several days before he left the citv he
mad more than 150 birds to his credit
He hunted largely with Levi Redfeld
VINO was another good man in the
prush. The pair hold the record for a
day hunting, bringing in Is birds, Is
pdrtrldges and one woodcock, as the
covers
Fred Bucklin didn't spend as much
tlme IN the brush as Smell, but is fairly
emitted to high place as a successful
brush gun. He is. steady as a rock
When ne holds on a bird and doesn't
miss many shots. A party of three, in
Whlch ne was the leading spirit,
Drought in the largest bag of birds for
single days hunt. They killed IT, one
more than the bag which Smell and
Reoneld secured, but the party was a
man larger
There has not been much hunting
curing the closing week of the season.
Inc weather has been too cold for en-
Joyinent during the last few days and
early IN the week hunters had not got
ten over the holiday observance.
Inc agitation over stringent laws to
prevent the decrease of game birds
nasr been very effective in this city
There is an undercurrent of sentiment
among sportsmen's organizations in ia
Vor Oh the proposed measures and
sportsmen are about the only ones who
make much of
A FUSS OVER THE GAME BIRD
question. The men who hunt to any
considerable extent in the covers are
strong in denunciation of the measure
which proposes to prohibit the sale of
game, being perfectly agreeable to the
proposition to shorten the season. In
fact, they are willing to shorten it far
more than was proposed at the gath
erlng OF sportsmen in Boston.
Market men who will be affected by
the prohibition measure, if successful
ly carried, are determined in their Oh
position to it, while laymen who
haven't any special interest, take sides
against the sportsmen One of them
who talked with The Spy man yester-
day voiced the sentiments of several
when lie said:
1 am not hunter, Tn not market
man and | don't have game birds to eat
every day in the open season. / can't
shoot a gun at least l never have to
any extent. I never sold a game bird
in my life and | can't afford to eat
them very often, good beefsteak being
more substantial and within more easy
reach of my pocket. l haven't made a
special study of game birds. whether
they ARE on the increase or decrease, I
but believe the latter is true from what
/ read If the decrease has been so
great that measures are necessary tol
protect the birds, then | am in hearty
sympathy with any movement that will
protect them. l am willing to sacrifice
the few / eat every year and not have
any
Now If we are going to protect birds
let us protect them. l don't for the life
of me see why we should make any
laws that will protect birds for sports
men to shoot. Let us protect them
from everybody. can't see why few
crack shooters who band themselves
together and call themselves sportsmen
have any special privilege to kill game
birds. If they are not necessary for
food, then it certainly isn't necessary
to protect them for
THE SPORT OF KILLING THEM.
This talk of protecting birds is rub
bish They need protection from these