Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-09-04
HUMTlRs OUT N FORCE.
The Open season 10 On For Chickens
and Ducks.

= : q . 4
and Ducks.
Humboldt, Sept. o. Yesterday marks
the open season in Iowa for shoot.
Ing OF ducks and prairie chickens.
and from scores Of towns in northern
and western Iowa, including Hum.
boldt, hundreds OF men well armed
and supplied with ammunition and the
best OF hunting dogs have been hurry
ing forth for the hunting fields IN the
stubbles and along the shores OF the
iakes. The prospects are for good
sport, for It Is claimed by experts
that the feathered game. ducks. quail.
snipe and other small birds are more
plentiful in Iowa this year than for
several years past. This Is especially
true OF northern Iowa where the best
hunting grounds have been found tor
many years.
This is not SO much true OF the
chickens, but they are more numerous
than last year. It has been reported
that chicken shooting will be nothing
ut all in Iowa this year, but the first
four or Ave days will furnish good
sport. Sportsmen from a distance, II
they intend coming, should wait until
later in the fall. II they come early,
unless they are well posted on the
conditions of the country in which they
70 before coming, they will be dis
appointed. It will be hard to find the
birds without a good guide, as they
are badly scattered. Another thing
which is more evident this year and
that is after the birds have been loca-
ted It will be hard to get permission
from the land owner, as he will be
careful whom he allows to shoot hls
coveted flock of birds.
There is one feature OF chicken
shooting little known to the outside
sportsman and not generally to the
local shooters. After the cool wealth
or has already come along, about the
week Of October Is, the northern birds
from surrounding states migrate 70
northern Iowa where they spend the
winter months and when spring re-
turns fly back to their nesting grounds
again. It is in October that great
sport Is to be had on these birds, II
one Is lucky enough to get In their fly
way large bags can be made. The
birds leave and come in very uneXc
pected manner and many q sports
man has wondered where they all
come from.
The duck shooting promises to be
as good II not better, than last year.
Teal and other small ducks have nest
ed In the state in good numbers.
There is plenty Of water. Cornfield
shooting on mallards will probably be
fine.
Quails promise quite crop. The
season does not open until October
first, but there is already much inter-
est being taken in the matter OF sup
ply. The quail is the Iowa bird and
seems to live here better than any
other bird. The shooting will be fair
all over Iowa. The farther north the
better the shooting with this bird. :
Snipe and other small birds are to
be found in good numbers where
sloughs and lakes abounds. 4
The fishing season in Iowa did not
start very good, but along the Des
Moines river it has gradually become
better. This is undoubtedly brought
about by the destruction of the fam
gus Bonaparte dam, thus allowing the
big fish Of the Mississippi to pass up
the river. Many large fish have been
caught. black bass of five pounds and
under have been taken and near Hum
boldt an eighteen pound cat was
taken, pickerel of twelve pounds and
better and so on the list could be ex-
tended.