Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-12-08
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SOUTH CAROLINA CAME BIRDS.
Efforts to Prevent the determination Of QualIs
and Partridges.

and Partridges.
In order, says a Charleston dispatch,
to protect game birds, which were
threatened with determination in this
state, the legislature Of South Carolina
at it's last session passed a law prohib-
iting dealers from selling or Offering for
sale, partridges or quails killed within
the state for a period of five years. The
law does not attempt to stop the sale
Of birds brought in from other states,
and the act has just gone into effect.
It has caused many complications,
and among other things has opened a
blind tiger market for birds, which in
measure will equal the blind, tigers
where liquor Is sold. The hunting as
sociations and game preserve clubs
recently organized, have undertaken to
see that the law is enforced. The deal
ers in Charleston and the managers Of
restaurants will be watched, but par
tridges are still being served and sold.
Dealers who are asked about the work.
ing Of the new law say it does not in
terfere with their business, as the
birds are in constant demand and for
that reason they have to keep on hand
large supplies, which are ordered from
Georgia. It is evident that the law Is
not giving the, greatest protection to
the birds, but that they are being killed
as usual, and the blind tiger market is
thriving.
In recent years the frequent storms
along the coast have thinned out the
partridges to a remarkable extent.
Floods caught the young birds and de-
stroyed them, and instances are known
where two broods in one season have
been entirely destroyed. Higher up in
the state the same cause Of destruction
did not operate, although from one rea-
son or another the birds were being
killed off.
The greatest enemy to game birds In
thisstate, is the man with the trap. Ne
groes in the coast country who knew
that good prices were paid for birds,
found it rather a poor plan to go out
and shoot them, so they revived the old
plan Of trapping. For Il long distance
Leading to the trap line OF corn would
be carefully put down, and this would
run right up under the cage. The
birds would go under the cage without
hesitation, eat the corn and then find
that they could not escape because they
never tried to sneak under the edges
of the trap, trying instead to climb
or fly out Another form Of trap would
spring and fall when the covey was
under. With little or no trouble the
Negroes could catch an entire covey,
and the profits were large.
Hunters who find these traps demol-
ish them with the greatest satisfaction.
Not long ago a Charleston hunter while
out one day followed his dog when the
latter had pointed. Going up cautious
ly he saw the cage: He kicked over
the trap and allowed the birds to fly
for their lives. With the two barrels
he caught four birds, which was good
record considering the fact that the
covey scattered in a dozen directions.
The same hunter, while out on a three
days hunt, smashed IA traps In a
very small territory. ..,..
There is another class Of hunters who
try to find q covey huddled up In a
heap. Frequently the birds run togeth-
er before being flushed, and man
with a good eye can find the covey and
kill almost every bird in 1t with SIN
gle barrel. This unsportsmanlike busi-
ness has helped to decrease the stock
This season the hunters say there Is
a good stock Of birds. notwithstanding
the onslaught made on them in the
past. There was dry weather during
the Matching season, which was propi-
tious, and the young ones were not
drowned this year. With proper pro-
lection for five years the stock can be
put back to its former fine condition.