Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-30
FALL CUNNING SEASON
Land Owners Give Warning
to Trespassers.
LAW ON THE SUBJECT
SPoRTsMEN READY TO BEGIN
OPERATIONS SATURDAY.
Reports Indicate That Birds and
Ducks Will Be Plentiful-The
Outlook Promising.
mo treSna ssinyn

mo trespassing."
If this sign attracts the attention of gun
ners who are to take advantage of the
opening of the fall season, which will be-
gin Saturday morning, 1t is the advice of
the police authorities that the warning con-
tanned In the two words be needed. There
has been a noticeable increase in the num-
Der of such signs displayed about the Dis
trict during the past few weeks, due to the
approach of the opening of the cunning sea-
son. On account of the comparatively small
amount Of agricultural land in the District
most of the gunners will have to seek
sport in Maryland and Virginia If they ex-
pect to meet with any success, for with the
exception of few quail and rabbits there
is not much game within the boundaries of
the District to be killed. Most of the land
in the District upon which there is any
game to be found is used as truck gardens
and the owners object to men and boys
tramping over their property
Inc law on the subject of trespassing is
explicit and the penalty is severe enough to
make an impression. Under the law a per-
son who trespasses upon the land of an
other for the purpose Of hunting shall be
maple to the owner or occupant in exen-
800
Must Give Due Notice.
1t is incumbent upon the owner or occu-
pant to give due notice against trespassing
Such notice, the law provides, shall be
given by erecting and maintaining sign
boards. at least eight by twelve inches in
dimensions, on the borders of the premises
and at least two such signs for every fifty
acres; and any person who shall malicousy
tear down or in any manner deface or In
Jure any such signboards shall be liable to
penalty of not less than s. for every sign
board SO torn down, defaced or injured;
and in default, to be imprisoned for a
period not exceeding thirty days in the
workhouse.
1t is provided in section seven of the game
law that there shall be no shooting or hav-
ing in possession in the open air the imple
ments for shooting on Sundays. A penalty
not exceeding $40 is provided for a viola
ton of this section. The law also says
that wherever in this act possession of any
that the said birds fowls or meat were
killed or captured outside the District of
Columbia shall constitute no defense for
such possession.
Reports ENCOURAGING
Reports from neighboring states is to
the effect that birds will be more plentiful
this season than they have for a number
Of years. Sportsmen are making greater
preparations this year than usual, and it
be unusually large. Several hundred Of
them will probably take advantage of the
opening of the season. While most of them
will wait until Monday to try their luck,
quite number will undoubtedly appear on
the field Saturday. Those who are going
any distance from the city will leave here
Saturday afternoon or Sunday, and in this
way save a day. Trouble may be expert
enced by some of those who go to the states
because Of the variety of laws in force in
them The same laws do not apply to the
different counties, and this condition Of af-
fairs Is likely to prove confusing In some
counties gunnprS must a license while
in other counties in the same state one may
go cunning as the guest of resident.
Opening of Duck Season.
Saturday is also the opening of the duck
ing season. and good sport on the water is
promised for those who are willing to spend
hours in the blinds and brave the cold
winds. 1t is stated that the law has been
violated in Virginia during recent days and
that a number of ducks have been killed.
In Maryland and Pennsylvania, where there
are many big marshes and celery beds upon
which ducks feed, more attention has been
paid to the strict enforcement of the law
and no violations have been reported. The
season for sink boX shooting on the famous
Susquehanna flats, where thousands of
gunners go annually opens November L.
| according to law, but shooting is permitted
only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
until January 1, after which time shooting
| on Saturdays is permitted until the close
| of the season. These flats are visited by
many Washingtonians, as well as by sports
men from all sections of the country.
Ducks are to be found on the water about
| this city, but not in large numbers, al
| though a number of miles down the river
| they are usually plentiful enough to insure
| good sport Local sportsmen who are an
| ticipating ducking trips down the river are
busy making the necessary preparations.
The change in the weather bids fair to get
the birds in good condition and assist in
driving them near the shore, where they
will be in good shooting distance Of the gun
nerS
Usually the first day OF the season men
who do shooting for a livelihood are the
first upon the grounds, and they obtain
whatever advantage there is to be gained
in the matter of locations. Sportsmen, as
a rule prefer to make a start little later
In the sea son when the birds have recOV-