The San Francisco call., 1904-12-03
DUCK SHOOTERS
ARE HOPEFUL
Improvement in Sport Is
Expected With Cool
Weather.

1t is evident from the returns made
by the cleverest duck shooters that
conditions on the various marshes last
Sunday were not favorable for good
sport. Otto Feudner, who rarely re-
turns with less than the limit, brought
down only thirty-five. Clarence Nau-
man shot on the U. NJ. C. preserve at
Collinsville and bagged but twenty
two. Charles Long secured sixteen at
the same place. A. NJ. Shields
acknowledged the ownership of a
string of twelve. The shooting
throughout the Suisun district was
poor.
The best reports come from the vi
oinity of Alvarado, where Dan Os-
trander Carlson and others had
marked success. several limit bags be-
ing secured.
The moon now being obscured, bet
ter sport is expected this week.--~The
birds were in the habit during the
moonlight nights of coming in from
the bay and enjoying the hospitality
afforded by the heavily baited ponds.
They would then return in the early
morning to their favorite haunts out
of reach of the gunners.
The bay is full of fine canvasbacks.
guns. Those that are killed are pro-
nounced of fine flavor. Frank Mas
terson, Tom Lewis and Mr.. Barber
killed twenty-five cans at Collins
vile on Wednesday out of total bag
of twenty-eight.
Down San Bruno way and about
Vallejo and San Pablo the sportsmen
are getting a large proportion of blue
bills. The full flight of northern birds
has NOT SET in vet aN0nrdir1or IN yval1
Informed gunmen. Most of the birds
killed are not in the full plumage
usually found in birds known to have
come out of the north.
The members of the Empire Gun
Club found large number of birds
on the ponds and sloughs of their
Monterey preserve last Sunday, but
the ducks disappeared at the first shot.
Eighteen was the largest bag secured
during the day, although all the mem
bers brought home some birds. There
were sixteen guns out, including L. M.
McRoskey, j. B. Hauer, Bert Patrick,
j. Peltier, c. A. Bennett, Con Roman,
| DR.. George G. Gere, F. S. Judah, Guy
T. Wayman, F. Blair Turpin. F. l..
Houpt, DIR. Clyde S. Payne and F. B.
Surryhne. Fully as many will be out
tomorrow and better sport is ex-
pected.
A writer in Forest and Stream paws
the following tribute to duck shooting,
which will be appreciated by all
sportsmen:
You may go duck shooting and the sun may
shine and the be calm and the ducks re-
fuse to .hy and your gun be useless from
dawn to dark. Or Il may blow great guns
and the sea may surge and the old boat tug
at the anchor and the rains drive and the
ducks go to Jericho. And with one un-
toward condition or the other or both your
leave of absence may be frittered away and
your baggage checked for home and your train
boarded with never a duck TO show for IL all.
And yet shall the outing not have been fruit
less nor without Its substantial good You
come home refreshed in body and SOUL to
eat with appetite you have not known for
months, elasticity of step. a fuller ex-
pansion of the chest clearer head a keener
mind a stouter grip on the days work and
more genial feeling toward your fellow men.
II pays to go duck shooting when you get
ducks; it pays sometimes when YOU get none.