The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-10-02
OPENING is A
GREAT SUCCESS
-
Thousands of Ducks Fall TO
Local Hunters.
MILLIONS ARE STILL LEFT
CLEAR, BRIGHT WEATHER FA-
voRs THE BIRDS.
MILLIONS ARE STILL LEFT

At precisely ten minutes after
o'clock yesterday morning a lone shot
rang out over the fats west OF Salt
Lake, and the duck season for 1904 was
On. The echo was heard for miles
around by hundreds of hunters con-
cesled behind the tulles or some shell
tering blind constructed by one OF the
numerous duck clubs. or others hidins
beneath the friendly shelter of huge
sage bushes, and still others lying full
length along the banks of the numer
Gus canals which abound in auckland.
This shot caused the army of eager
ninrods 10 fix their gaze on the dim
outline OF the Wasatch mountains IN
the east. IN hopes Of discovering there
the slightest indication of the coming
break OF day. 1t was useless. for the
solitary hunter. In his eagerness 20
get the first shot. had beaten the first
slim ray OF Old Soils brilliant glare b.
several minutes. The echo had scarce
~ died away before the sound OF a
subdued voice here and there broke
the stiffness or the night as some dis
gUsted hunter expressed his opinion OF
The man VINO could not wait for day
break.
Unattached Hunters Open Fire.
Other shots followed a few secon6s
later. The crowd Of unattached hunt
ers liH;Ug the banks of the surplus
cacsl could no longer curb their i'm
patience. and IN a surprisingly short
time the whir of ducks could be plain
- hesrd as they sought the waters O.
the ducks clubs. where commandments
had not beEun.
Ten minutes after the first shot was
fred the signal gun at Williams lake
was heard, and instantly burst OF
fame and roar of guns announced that
the hundreds surrounding that body Of
water had begun the slaughter \
few seconds later the Smith Lake club
Green River club and Black Sloushs
club sent their signals broadcast. and
a flame Of fire cast a strong contrast
with the first rays of the rising sun,
rs vet hardly discernible over the
I1ountain sky line in the east.
Sky Rockets Used as Signal.
Forty members Of the Bailey Lake
Dick club waited patiently in their
forty blinds while the resi- of the Val
ley had announced to the world that
the sport was on. All cast their eyes
I'm the direction OF blind No IS. where
4
and wondered why he did not give the
signal to begin firing Finch, however
held back until the myriads of ducks
driven from the other clubs had head
cd his way. At $50 a sky rocket was
seen TO ascend from Finch's blind. 1t
was the signal to begin shooting. and
ere the rocket had reached half way
i'm its fight a dozen guns doomed and
the ducks began to fall.
Excitement in auckland.
It was Their that a person could en-
Joy the full excitement of an opening
day in auckland. From, high or the
Bailey Lake club house the sight for
miles around resembled the fringe an
an approaching prairie fire: the sound,
the bombardment Of fortress. In the
FAR distance the twinkle Of the city
electric lights formed u strange con-
tTast with the bright red flames of the
Quick firing pump gun. The whole
country. from Murray or the south to
tho mouth OF the Jordan river on the
north. was fairly alive with the blaze
ard roar OF thousands of guns IN the
hands Of an army of hunters bent upon
the destruction OF ducks.
Splitting Guns Await the Ducks.
Within a few seconds after the bonn
barduent began the air was filled with
black objects flying here and there.
trying 10 get out of range Of the am
pushed nimrOds. Ducks flew in sin
giles. nacks were completely broken up
as the bird that likes company yainly
tried 90 reach some haven Of safety.
il was no use-whcreveF a duck traV-
eled there was always waiting gun
splitting its hateful charges of fine shot
into down and feathers OF the birds
SO rudely awakened from their slum-
Der OF few minutes before. Shot fell
like hail. ard persons 'tchng the
Grand sight merely shrugged their
shoulders az the small pellets dropped
FROM above and rltterec about like
hail in a summers storm.
Like frightened Jack Rabbits.
As the day began to tighten. ducks
could be seen falling out of the air IN
every direction 4 lone mallard. teal
or red-heaG darted here and there.
resembling the trail OF a frightened
jack rabbit pursued by a greyhound
Suddealy the duck would stop. fall
like a leadel ball and hit TIE water
with splash. The bird had come
fwithin range Of some one concealed in
the rushes OF the deadly blind Now
and then a flock OF fifteen or twenty
ducks driven from some other retreat
would come ia with a rush and swift
ly skirt ne shore Of the lake looking
Tor q place 20 alight. Suddenly one
would be seen to drop and then another
in quick succession dcnoting that the
fight had gone over some blind The
rest would increase their speed and the
same, thing would happen again BY
the time The flock had reached the