The sun., 1905-10-01
NOW FOR Wild DUCKS AGAIN.
LOyG TsIANUs sEi sOy ~ sPORT
OpENs TO-Dtf.
Coca shooting rsppIsa In view NJ the
Protection Given the spring fIiEii for
Two wear. Information for the G"n'
ner on the matters tbo,N IONS island

Two Years Information for the Gun'
ner ou the Waters tbo,N Ions island
wild duck shooting on tong island opens
October at sunrise, and while that date
occurs this year upnn q Sunday on wldch
day shooting ~ forbid or. II IL eSpectcd
that many ducks will fall before The gun
nefs before tho set II sun to-day.
This being tho sccond year of the EN-.
bnrgo upon spring duck shooting, " W es-
peotcd that the cunning this fal and winter
will le even better than II WIS last yeaf,
when tho very excelcn, sport enjoyed In
and about the waters ~ Long Island bore
testimony To tho effect the spring law had
produced There were many more birds
last fail than had bcon known for long
time around Long Island.
Naturally the guides arc against the spring
law, as II takes from them just half of the
season during which they earn from VI
10 SO daily by taking parties out after
ducks.
Governing the shooting Of ducks in Long
Island waters the laws are quite varied
Different waters have special provisions,
Sailing, for instance, which means shoot
Ing from sailing boats unequipped with
any form OF motor power, Ia permitted
only on Long Island Sound, Peconic Bay
and Gardeners Bay, Sailing is illegal In
any other waters.
Floating devices may be used in Long
Island Sound, Peconic, Shinnecock and
GARDENERS bays during the entire open sea
son, from October to December 81, both
inclusive, but they are not permitted in
Great South Bay until October 20, and then
only from Smiths Point west.
Smiths Point Is at the essterly extremity
OF Great South Bay proper, and is the divi-
ding mark between the larger bay and East
Bay, which is an arm Of Great South Bay.
In East Bay there is excellent shooting,
the birds being driven there by the almost
constant banging Of guns in Great South
Bay, which is much easier of access for city
gunners than the more distantly situated
eastern shooting grounds
No one should go duck shooting without
q guide, for the guides know all tho best
places and have besides the necessary
decoys, and boats in which to sail the sports
men to the ground. II unacquainted with
any guides, the gunner has but to write few
village he selects as his headquarters.
For point shooting the guides usually
get IS a day, from s. to $40 being the price
where battery is used A good plan is to
make arrangements to stop overnight at
the guides house.
duck for supper, and the tenderest OF
chicken, nicely fried, for the $3.50 or O. clock
breakfast.
The start is made very early, in order that
the gunners may have the selection Of the
best grounds and may be on hand at sum
rise to bag the first birds that fly,
Point shooting is nothing more compli-
m tad thoy, aat tlinu at har in thatoh royeraI
boats or in the grass, upon some prominent
point over which the ducks are known
TO fly in numbers and. with decoys well set
out, waiting for birds to fly sufficiently near
to be shot 1t requires quick eye and steady
hand to shoot ducks for they fly with al
most Incredible swiftness,
A favorite method on shooting in Long
Island Sound waters is to string out. That
consists Of placing as many rowboats as
possible in a long line, just out OF gunshot
of one another. from the shore and across
the known line of flight Of the early morning
in that way. but Of course the stringing
out has to be abandoned when the sun
gets up, for the ducks will then sheer on
upon seeing the boats.
Many of those who participate in string,
ing out anchor sailboats mile away and M
when the first shooting is over spend the
rest Of the day sailing for the ducks.
The ducks which are shot in greatest
numbers are redheads, black ducks, wild
geons, ruddy ducks, springtais and broad
Bills. Canvasbacks, whistlers, sheldrakes,
swamp sheldrakes, mallards, wood ducks
and dippers are rather scarce, but are
greatly coveted.
He'll divers. looms. cormorants, coots
and sea crows, while affording sport to the
marksman, are valueless as food and are
rarely taken home by the sportsmen. Not
a few geese are to be shot in the less fire.
quented waters at the eastern end OF the
island.