The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-19
HAVE FALL sNIPE GROUNDS.

-lPaTAa.tI IidIlti. E
HAVE FALL sNIPE GROUNDS.
have referred at another time to the
o cupation and ownership by clubs Of
many of the marshes IN America which
ara frequented by the ducks. and here
is an excellent suggestion for the turning
of a part of these preserves into an e1-
caient fall Snipa ground. There arc al
Jays more orsless snlpe about the duck
rl4arshes. usually upon the narrow rims
Of mud about the ponds. but the birds,
although abundant on the preserves. are
much scattered. and there Is often no
good snipe shooting. l was discussing
Ills matter one day with a member OF
the Ottawa. Club. when he pointed ont
to me an excellent piece Of snipe ground
across the river which had been made by
turning In some pigs. He said he be-
iieVed those animals made even a better
sGlpe ground than the cattle, but on this
point l have my doubts. I did not shoot
in the pig yard. ! have never much fan
cied shooting when a flock of pigs fol-
lowed on behind as witnesses. 1t occurs.
TO me IS / write these lines that upon
s%vtral OCCASIONS the snipe have been re-
ported abundant upon small tracts near
distitleries in Ohio and Kentucky, where
there were many cattle, and am quite
sure some undesirable sloughs and wet
lands can be converted into good snipc.
grounds by the nse of these animals.
4nother method which has been tried
With some success Is the burning of the.
grass when 1t is Very dry, and l have
recently seen it stated. 1 forget now
where. that the frost seems to come out
of the ground earlier where the grass has
been burned off, and the suggestion was.
made that the blackered surface took
more kindly to the suns rays. Any.
place. especially desirable by reason of
tie frost being out of the ground and
the food abundant. will, of course. attract
TIE birds upon their first arrival and
| held them until their departure. provided
| they he not too much prosecuted. There
should be at all the clubs certain rest
| DAYS for the birds each week. such as
are provided by law for the ducks in
Some of the States tOho and North Car
Dina. for eSalnplef. when, under the club
| rules. the birds could remain unmolested.
| L pom preserves where there is both slipe
| nru duck shooting, certain days might
| be open for each. and When the preserves
are very extensive. tracts might be
/ closed for both birds On one or mora
! davs of the week. besides Sunday.
| The size Of the bag should. Of course.
! he limited by law and supplemented by
/ club rules as occasion may require, so
/ that the killing Of three hundred and
| forty Of these birds in one day will no
/ longer anywhere be tolerated.
/ THE USE OF DOGS.
! Lewis does not regard dogs as Of much
4 account in snipe shooting. Perhaps, he
saws because he has never had a par
/ ticularlv good one for this sport. eSce2t
1 = letrievr.'' lie admits. however. that
shine frequently lie we'll and suffer g
,,aa to approach within a few feet OF
4 them. Although have made my largest
1 oay of SHINE without dog. am salts
4 feo i would have done still better with
one I would have recovered some birds
| winch We're lost, besides saving the time
y los, in looking for them. and the dos:
Il would have saved me many steps Owe:
| ground so bad that every step counted
4 j an Very much in favor Of the use OF
4 c, :s-pointers, settlers or spaniela Tho
4 walking is always difficult in snipe shoot
/ ing even when the birds are found as
4 tl.Iv often are in the spring in the UPS
! land coyrsfields. The ground must be soft
4 a,r,a soft ground sticks to he shoes. The
Il s;a.ters or pointers should be fast but
i .stcasS AND careful, and should have noses
Il sufficiently good 10 enable them to point
4 tac birds at long distances. More thar
sIhnlf the pleasure in field sports is found
~ the observation of the dogs, and the
4 syn, ts,,ln Who has used them much hard
j AZ cares to lake the field without them.
4 Srapiels are often used in cock shooting.
! as these merry little dogs skip about in
4 the cover and give tongue when they
i fush the birds. I never used them for
i shine. except on the occasion above re-
/ ferred 10 in Michigan. and once in 1lli-
/ no:s. The two bright little spaniels at
4 the dairy farm rushed out Of the house