Evening star., 1901-11-05
GLAD TIMES FOR GUNNERS
UNUSUAL INTEREST BEING TAKEN IN
FALL SHOOTING.
Quail Are Plentiful, Likewise Rab-
bits-GoOd Prospects for Ducks
Demand for Dogs.

That Washington men are becoming more
and more addicted to seeking sport with
dog and gun is shown emphatically this
year by the intense interest being taken In
the fail shooting. Dealers in guns and re-
pairers Of them report more sales and more
putting In shape of these necessary imple-
ments than at any previous season. while
the demand for shells is equally great. The
prevailing dry weather has made finding Of
quails by even the best settlers or pointers
difficult indeed, but even under these ed
verse conditions excellent bags have been
made, showing that the supply Is plenti-
full Where ten or twenty birds fell to
gun on the opening days Of last season in
the immediate vicinity of Washington, by
which radius of twenty-five miles Is
meant, the same sportsmen have gagged
eighteen to twenty-five in days shooting.
Good Rain Wanted.
A good, soaking rain will make sport all
the better, as the birds will come out In the
stubbles instead of remaining in the thick
wood branch bottoms where they now are,
and their scent will lie instead of being i'm
mediately dissipated by the dryness. I'm
less breeze is blowing in such dry weather
as we have been having and dog can wind
a covey at some distance it is possible for
the same dog to range within few feet
of a bunch Of birds and not catch their
scent.
There is an unusual demand for stanch
reliable, well-broken dogs, and they are
difficult to procure. 1t seems to be failing
with many lovers of quail shooting to let
their dogs go into other hands at the end of
a season. They do not seem to care for the
bother and expense of keeping dog from
one season to another and consequently
when the shooting time comes around again
they are without this most necessary ad-
junct to the sport Then again when they
proceed to secure dogs they seldom wish to
pay the price a first-class animal is really
worth. 1t is difficult to buy a really de-
pendable setter or pointer for less than $780,
and this sum staggers even the most ardent
Settlers Regaining Popularity.
The setter is rapidly regaining popularity
among local sportsmen over the pointer. In
open country where there are few briars
and thickets the pointer for his speed and
stamina is preferable, but in the country
around Washington, where the covey's first
flight almost Invariably takes 1t to scatter
in briar-bushed branch bottoms or thorn
filled thickets, the setter is far and away
the best. The setter, too is a surer and
steadier animal than the pointer taking
dog for dog, In nine cases out Of ten, and
in the same proportion has more tender
mouth In retrieving. Then a setter is more
tractable, more obedient and takes more
kindly to control. The pointer can go
longer without water and that's about his
In speed. Not one pointer in hundred can
stand the laceration Of briars and keep his
mind his work.
Rabbits and Ducks.
The same dry weather has made rabbit
trailing by beagles and hounds as unsatIs-
factory bird trailing by settlers and
pointers, but there is an abundant supply
Of the cotton tails and those shooters who
incline toward this branch of field sport
have done very well so far and are praying
for the rain that will improve their op-
portunities SO greatly
Reports from the estuaries of the Po-
tomac, such Mattawoman, st. Mary's
river, Occoquan creek and other streams
as well as the ever-fayored Patuxent indi-
cate good season for ducks. Numerous
mallards have been already killed. to say
nothing OF the slaughter of the earlier COM
ing blue wings, and red heads and canvas
backs have been noticed in small flocks on
the Patuxent. Altogether the season prom
ises to be most propitious for gunners.