The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-15

The season during which ducks may
be killed within the law will open this
morning, and a host of sportsmen will
be on the marshes at dawn to greet the
feathered tribe. A list of the men who
will be out would mean a roster of al
most every person who possesses a
breechloader.
The pressure on the ammunition deal
ers has been so great, especially for
hand-loaded shells and for decoys, that
orders have been refused right and left.
1t is evident that the owners of pre-
serves expect great sport from the
preparations they are making.
Old duck shooters claim there are
more birds within the borders of the
State than have ever been seen here
before so early in the season. There has
been a desperate winter in the north
and the birds have been driven out of
their quarters. AS the storm has been
general it is supposed the birds have
come straight through without stop
ping at the Oregon lakes, as they have
done in other years.
Two fiocks of canvasbacks and many
bluebills have been seen at Collinsville,
something unheard of in other years at
this date.
There is a wide difference of opinion
as to the number of birds which will
be seen to-day at the various preserves
The unusual weather conditions of the
past few days have left the sportsmen
at sea- and they can only hope for good
sport. Had the rain held off limit bags
would have been the lot of all the
shooters. AS it is, the rain has not sent
all the birds to the green feed, so the
majority of sportsmen should be able to
show good strings tonight.
The members of the Empire Gun Club
are among those specializing on the
sport in store for them. Some weeks
since their splendid preserve in Mon
terey County was literally carpeted
with fine fat ducks. The rain has scat
| tered these to some extent, and Wheth-
| er others will take their places is the
question which will be settled to-day.
Among those who viii shoot over the
preserve are Con Roman, F. S. Judah,
DR.. G. G. Gere, c. "A. Bennett, r. l..
| White, John Pennington, J. H. burst,
Guy T. Wayman. F. Blair Turpin, ]. Z.
Hauer, l.. H. Allen, j. S. Rrownell, ].
| Peltier, Bert Patrick, Burke Corbett ].
| w. Goodwin, George A. Batchelder, s.
F.. SIade, Milton Pray, A. G. Kuhn, w.
| O. Cullen, T. c. Van Ness Jr. and L. ].
ALBERT.
James p Sweeney will shoot ducks
on his preserve at Mowries this morn
| ing and Will go to the Empire preserve
| for quail tomorrow. The quail are
plentiful in Monterey County and the
club members are assured of good sport
| in quest Of them.
The members of the Spooney Gun
| Club who will be on their Mount Eden
| preserve are: DR.. e. N. Short, L.
Brommer, L. r. Larzalere, DR.. A. T.
Merry, William Wolf, George Morse,
Rod Guyette and John Miles.
A number of members of the Family
| Club have organized under the name
of the Canvasback Club and have pur-
chased 300 acres of marsh land near
| Suisun for a preserve. They are neigh
bors Of Hermann Oelrichs and Joe
Harvey Phil Rekeart, Ned Dimond
and Mr. Titus are the leading spirits
( in the new club.
| Hermann Oelrichs has made elabor-
ate arrangements to give the ducks 4
warm reception at his private pre-
serve. Among the necessities he has
provided are 5000 shells. 1t will keep
himself and his friends busy for some
| time disposing of these.
A. NJ. Cumming, A. Roos. L. Harp
ham, Milt Unger and other members
/ of the Field and Tule Club expect good
sport on their Suisun preserve.
n. H. Hickman, Z. Courtney Ford,
Fred Johnson, William Stanford,
Frank Maskey and others will try their
skill at the Point Reyes Club preserve.
John Bourdette and L. d. Owens
will shoot over the famous Pringle
pond.
Otto Feudner will shoot as a free
lance this season. He made the rep
utation of the Stewart pond last year,
getting the limit nearly every time he
went out.
M. H. McAllister, Harry Babcock,
Colonel r. E. Eddy, the Gerber broth
ers, Henry Fortman, DR.. Davis, Mr..
Eells, 1. Upham, w. r. Whittier, w. F.
Whittier and other well-known sports
men will be on the Suisun marsh as
usual.
| E. E. Drake, w. S. Wattles, Clar-
ence Nauman and Charles Laing are
on the v. NJ. c. Club preserve this
morning trying to reduce the visible
supply of ducks.