Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-25
QUAIL IN ABUNDANCE
sportsmen Aainasd Over Prospects
Of the Coming Season.
CHEERING REPORTS FROM COVERS
indications Point TO Excellent Field
Shooting This Fall.
P DIN rs OF INTE R E T

sportsmen are looking forward to the
general opening of the quail season Novem-
Der l with interest more animated than
for several years past. for the reason that
reports from all sections favored by the
renowned game birds are to the effect that
the covers are unusually we'll supplied.
The effects of the memorable blizzard
were very disastrous SO far quais were
concerned, as well as otherwise, and it was
at first believed that it would require years
for them to become plentiful again. Last
spring year ago hundreds of pairs of
quails were secured in the west and brought
to the Storm swept east in order to increase
and multiply. Very few couples, however,
appeared to breed. and last fall and winter
shooting in the vicinity of Washington was
scarcely worth the seeking Owing to the
poor returns for time spent in the field
few men attempted to enjoy sport, and
consequently what birds there were in the
covers were eft undisturbed to very large
extent.
COveys Bred This Year.
That the imported birds bred progenies
this year Is an undenable fact proven by
many instances. One gentleman secured ten
dozen qualis, equally divided as to sex, in
May, 1899, and liberated them his coun-
eiy pace III h'tTyldnO. DlilSent hunting LOT
a couple of days last November failed to
find more than twenty quails altogether in
the covers where the birds had been let
out. This summer, however, young coveys
became prominent by their number, and
recent trip of investigation with two point
er dogs lasting a forenoon resulted in eleven
fine punches being found. Similar condi-
tons have been shown in other places
where the Kansas birds were released last
year, and apparently disappeared, proving
that they have bred this year beyond doubt
The coveys are large in number and I'M
usually well developed in size for this time
of the year The spring and summer could
not have been better in climatic sense for
the birds. not only in the immediate vicin-
ity of Washington, but in Virginia. Mary
land and the greatest of all quail centers
North Carolina, as we'll The dry summer
was particularly good for the quails, and
sportsmen will also reap benefits from it,
the cover is not so thick formerly and
movement in the field will be easier for
both men and dogs.
Reports from all sections of North Caro-
lima are to the effectrthat cov"ys are more
numerous than ever known before, and
from points on the Atlantic Coast Line and
Southern railroads the news comes that
the supply is apparently inexhaustibe.
Both railroads have appreciated these con-
ditions by issuing books especially for
sportsman. replete with information of
value to those who anticipate shooting in
the old north state. -
Some of Those Who VIII Shoot.
Local sportsman however, will not go so
far away until late in December or during
January, although a few may make earlier
trips Messrs. James NJ. Green and Rich
ard a. Johnson will probably be among
these. They will also go later when the
larger exodus takes place, which will in
clude such field sport devutees Arthur
Mattingly, Rev. Randolph II. Mckim, Rev.
Arthur S. Johns. DR. Henry ID. Fry, Con.
Dodge, Henry Gulick, Joe Hunter. George
HELEN, John. Sidney Webb. William Wag-
ner. n. Jenen. j. De Witt Arnold, DR..
Walter S. Harlan, Myron " Parker and
host of other votaries of this most delight
full pastme
Pointers Have Preference.
Sportsmen seem to be better supplied
with dependable dogs this year than for
many seasons past. Two years ago it was
a noticeable condition in this section that
one could almost count the really good set
ters and pointers on his fingers. Large
sums were paid for dogs not high class
when 1t came to field work by any means.
The attention so generally called to this
dearth of dogs led to a general movement
on the part of sportsmen to supply them
selves for the future, and this fall will find
most quail lovers with good animals. The
style changes in sporting dogs it does
in everything else, and the setter which
was in such high favor up to a couple of
years ago has largely given place to the
pointer in the estimation of practical
SpOrtSmen his speed and stamina and abil-
ity to go without water for a longer period
than a setter being the points regarded as
superior.
The 2S-bore gun will be found this season
in more sportSmens hands than ever be-
fore but they will necessarily be the hands
of experts who are able to give quail the
center of the load nine times out of ten.
The average sportsman will continue his
loyalty to the 12-bore, which has no rival
among guns when it comes to all-around
shooting.
Abundance of Rabbits.
While quail indications are altogether ex-
ceient the rabbit supply is simply tremen-
dous. There is scarcely "A thicket in the Dis
trict nearby Virginia and Maryland
where c man with a hound or a beagle. or
any old dog who will run a cotton tail, for
that matter, cannot be sure of starting two
or three Dummies in the course of an hour
Ducks are already appearing in fair num-
beers the Potomac, both down the river
and up, many tiocks of black mallards hav-
ing been seen in the past few days.
Some excellent bags of snipe have been
made recently in the Eastern branch marsh
es and adjacent meadows, the long bills
having been more numerous hereabout this
autumn than at any previous similar pc
Rod in the past ten years.
1t will be seen, therefore, that the sporting
Johnny may get his gun ready for the ides
of November with every confidence of
pleasing recompense in brush and brier and
rag weed and branch bottom.
Suggestion to he Considered.
The laws governing shooting in Maryland
and Virginia differ considerably in various
counties. While the quail season opens in
nearly all counties November l. the others
have Octobers Is as first day. There are
requirements in several, especially Maryland
counties. where licenses are required and
other conditions imposed upon non-resi-
dents. Consequently it would be well for
those who are unfamiliar with the regula-
tons in such localities where they may in
tend to go shooting to make inquiries re-
garding them from county clerks at county
seats. By SO doing prospective hunters will
simplify their plans, and be enabled to es-
cape unpleasant incidents which might
otherwise happen.
Status of Contract Surgeons.
In the case ofW. II. Block and seventeen
other acting assistant surgeons, United
States army, bhe controller of the treas