Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-01
HUNTERS NOW BUSY
CELEBRATE OPENING OF SEASON
TODAY.

Bang, Bang Bang. has resounded
throughout all the marshes in the vicinity
of this city since daylight this morning as
the hunters today have their first try at
the birds for several months, and full game
bags will doubtless be in abundance to-
night when the days sport is over The
birds are said TO be as numerous this year
as they have been In several seasons
If the Sportsmen do not succeed in kill
ing much game they will have had the fun
of hunting for the birds, and that counts
for something. The hunting season on the
Potomac. under the laws of Maryland and
Virginia and the District. opens September
j, and the hunters are now at liberty to
shoot wild ducks. blackbirds, reedbirds,
wild geese. snipe and other game birds in
the two states and in restricted portions
of the waters of the District
For the past week the hunters have been
busy overhauling and cleaning up their
guns, which were laid aside last spring, In
order 10 have them ready for service early
this morning.
In many Of the marshes the various hunt
Ing clubs OF the city have houscboats an.
chored or shacks built within easy reaching
distance OF the hunting grounds These are
used as headquarters by the members of
the various clubs, and in them many of the
men, who are in the field after the birds
today, spent the night and made the start
to the marshes with the first showing of the
sun above the Maryland hills These sports
men. II is stated have had plenty of sue
cess. but those who went into the field
later in the day have had poorer luck, as
the birds have been driven away by the
early hunters.
The fact that the growth OF wild oats and
grasses on the river marshes has been ex-
ceptionally heavy this summer has had
much TO do with bringing the birds here
early in the season. Last year for two
weeks before the hunting season opened the
marshes in the vicinity of this city were
teeming with blackbirds, and there were
numerous reedbirds also to be seen. The
blackblrds were numerous this year, but
the 1ocks of reedbirds seen in the marshes
have been small. The hunters are predict
Ing a good season. and then say that more
birds Will come later when the weather
conditions are more favorable and the wild
oats are trampled down.
1t Is said that two-thirds OF the people
fond of tramping through the marshes in
quest of the birds, have been out on the
marshes today. Under the amendment of
the game law passed by the last Congress
all hunting in the District Is prohibited ex-
cept on the marshes of the Eastern Branch
above the Anacostia bridge. and on the
west shore OF the Potomac river below the
Aqueduct bridge, and today the marshes
of the branch have been full OF hunters,
as this Is the most accessible place In the
District, although number OF the gun
ners went over into Virginia and hunted
in the marshes along the Virginia shore
of the river. AS heavy license. ranging
about so. is required of nonresident hunt
ers in both Virginia and Maryland this
has deferred many from going across the
river and the sport there was not good
today
On Four Mile Run and Great Hunting
creek the sportsmen of Virginia were out
In force. 1t was on the marshes OF the
Eastern Branch that most of the WASH
in&ton Eunners expended their energy.