The news & observer., 1905-10-12
GAME IN THE STATE.
North Carolina Has Won
derfuI Resources.
The Proper Care OF the Bird and Game
Interests of the State Will Prove
an Unending Source Of Reven-
ue TO the State.

There is probably no State south of
Maine which has such wonderful re-
sources i'm the mhtter of game as
North Carolina Ever since the days !
when Sir Walter Raleigh's colony first |
saw the waters of Pamlico Sound, |
man has never ceased to marVel at the !
vast fiocks of wild fowl, which in
winter darken the waters Of Eastern |
Carolina.
Currituck Sound is famed far and
wide for its wild fowl shooting. The
wild celery here forms a natural food
product which draws annually swarms
of red-head, canyas-back, and the
toothsome ruddy duck. Here also
comes swan by the thousand and
great RATS of these swimming birds
al distance resemble ice flows, and
when they take wing, the sunlight re-
fected fIom their pIumage, present
spectacle of surprising beauty. The
Canada Goose is also abundant here;
i'm fact. they may be found in great
numbers in suitable localities all along
the coast. Brant are seldom met with
north of Roanoke Island, but about
cape HatteraS, Ocracol<e and Beaufort
lhey gather in astonishing numbers.
This wealth OF water-birds natur-
ally attracts TO Eastern Carolina many
hunters from this and other States.
cub houses have been built at various
marshes. wholly useless for agricul-
tural purposes, are bought at low
figure and make admirable preserve.
for the wild fowl. In Currituck county
there are seven such clubs. and the
past season an even hundred north
ern sportsmen foregathered here K
enjoy the luXuries OF fine sea air anC
good shooting. In Dare county, there
are at least two such clubs, and two
more are situated in Carteret.
The attention of sportSmen has not
been drawn to this field of investment
until Of recent years, and large areas
Of fine territory for shooting purposes
may still be had almost for Il song.
The local Inhabitants reap a rich harv-
est from the wild fowl. Scores of
them are employed as guards and
bOatmen. while hundreds make pro-
fession of shooting ducks and geese
for the market. In Currituck county
alone, there was killed and sold by
our native hunters the past winter
one hundred thousand dollars worth
OF ducks and geese.
Deer are abundant in many sections
of the State. This is the case, not
only in the swamps of the Eastern
region and the mountains of the
West but is true of a considerable
area of the Piedmont section, close
To the main lines of railway running
north and south. In fact. SO abund-
ant are the deer in some regions, that
last winter many farmers petitioned
the Legislature to remove all protec-
ton from the deer, the claim being
made that these animals We're becom-
ing very destructive to the growing
crops. There are great numbers of
land owners who have found ii profit
able to entertain trustees at their
homes and furnish them with good
deer shooting in the neighborhood
Wild turkeys have been steadily on
the increase in many counties since
the law passed some years ago MAX
ing, ii necessary for stock TO be kept
in an enclosure. The underbush quick
ly grew up as a result thus affording
more cover for the turkey. Many
hunters annually enjoy the sport of
shooting this great game bird; which,
is not by any means one CT the least
of our resources.
The roughed grouse. locally known
- pheasant. is an abundant bird in
the mountain regions, and since the
State has taken steps in the past few
years To enforce the law prohibiting
the shipment of these birds to north
ern markets there has been q marked
increase in their numbers.
The most splendid of all our game
resources is the Bob white, the par
fridge of the Carolinian, the ''qua.I
OF the Northern man. This is an
abundant bird throughout the state
with the exception Of few unsuitable
localities. Itds this bird which we all
turn out on the first of November to
hunt. and this is the bird, whose far
ringing whistle annually attracts hun
dreds of nonresident sportsmen to
the State.
1t is a common custom for interest
ed parties TO lease the shooting priVi-
lege from landowners. over an area
of ten or fifteen thousand acres. Here
the birds receive every possible pro-
lection, and are only shot occasionally
bv the lessee and his friends. In re-
turn for surrendering the shooting pri-
yilege The farmer usually has his tax
es paid Often the hunters buy tract
of land within the lease and build a
hunting lodge. This custom has espe-
cially increased during the past three
years. owing probably in great part.
To the fact that the laws prohibiting
the shipment Of quail TO Northern
markets. and the laws regarding close
season for shooting, have been more
rigidly enforced than heretofore. More