The Washington herald., 1907-11-10
By EDWIN NJ. HAsBROUCK.

! the city and a certain number of miles
away from the turmoil and hustle Of q
Dig metropolis. lies the region of "just
/ beyond. II is land OF all river. all
marsh. all rice beds-a land where the
mink and the muskrat, with an occasional
otter hold full sway, and where the water
FOWL find abundant food and more or
less safe refuge on their journey South
1t is a land which the mallards. both
black and gray, dearly love. and 20 which
they cling in spite of persistent and hard
shooting, returning again and again. even
after having been repeatedly driven away.
Happy the man who. with HIS favorite
gun. can steal away for a few hours
pleasure in this favored spot. and with
/ the Odor OF the marshes in his nostrils.
sit behind his blind and watch the ducks
fly in this glorious region OF Just be-
You'd"
Those Of US who have gunned for mall
lards to any extent will recognize this
region-there are many hereabouts, and
each of US can recall some such spot.
ever held in memory as a refuge from the
cares Of business. and where an exciting
days sport has been had
The first Of November opens up the
ducking season, and the man who dis
dams anything so small as an ortolan or
a reed bird. or thinks a gray squirrel be
meath his notice, can polish up his ten
bore. look 10 his ammunition and get
! himself in readiness for five months OF
unalloyed happiness.
Many Ducks Winter Here.
] rrgcfvf.-- n.
favored In this kind of sport, for while a
vast number Of birds pay US only pass
ing visit. large number winter here. and
/ the shooting is more or less good until
! spring. The marshes of the Potomac and
| its tributaries the Patuxent river the
| backwaters bordering Chesapeake Bay, all
offer inviting fields at certain times and
seasons. The marsh that is barren of
birds to-day may afford excellent sport on
/ the morrOw-all that is needed being
! some one on the ground TO send word
when the birds have come-whjle the ex-
element Of uncertainty. coupled with the
knowledge that your shooting is likely to
| occur at any time is sufficient 10 keep
ones interest and expectancy al top
notch throughout the season.
/ DUCK SNoONiS - the itlutSL hlilQ VI
/ hard shooting for small game. and the
man who follows it must be Injured 70
: hardship, fortified against exposure 70
/ all kinds of weather. and own special
/ OUTFIT including clothing
One Of the coolest spots on earth IS
duck blind on a winters day But
heavy suit Of Undertaking, or what is
better, one suit over another. gives good
comfort The feet should be incased In
| heavy wooden socks and rubber nip
boots A cap that pulls down over the
ears, and wooden mittens. with one stall
for the right index finger, will take care
of the head and hands. and if a good
| sweater be worn under the coat Il will
lend additional warmth 10 the body. At
the beginning Of the season We do not en-
counter quite such extreme weather as
later, and all Of these preparations will
/ not be necessary.
OF course. the very finest OF mallard
/ shooting is over deCoys, but in this To-
cality. at least, they do not decoy well at
the beginning Of the season. and a good
! share of the sport viii consist in padding
through the marsh and jumping the birds
singly or in pairs where they are feeding
This affords the finest kind OF snap shoot
ing and keeps one constantly on the alert,
as a bird may jump at any moment as
the pusher paddles the skin silently along
the little creeks and CUTS that make
through the marsh IN various directions.
"I[eep Your Powder Dry"
Old Israel Putnam's warning 10 Trust
In God and keep your powder dry is
fully applicable in duck shooting. espe-
cially the last part OF it. and it is a wise
plan to carry the ammunition in a tin
bucket with a tight cover Then neither
a driving rainstOrm nor boat half fun Of
water Will give you any concern (, ? your
shells. and you viii not be annoyed with
that greatest Of curses in shOoting-a
swelled cartridge. One very important
thing never to be forgotten is an eXtrac-
tor. If a shell gets stuck in your gun
and you have no extractor, you will say
"A few things not recorded in books. es-
pecially if game is plentiful. Never go or
the marsh until you are certain that
your extractor is In your pocket II by
chance you are-eaUght without Il. a very
good eXpedient is one taught the writer
by an old hunter-rest the myzZle Of the
gun on your toe, and with a shell in
each hand. hook the rim Of the stuck
shell with the rims Of those In the hand.
This is a mighty good stunt: If il fails
there is nothing for it but TO get u shore
and push the stubborn shell out with a
stick.
It will occasionally happen that a shell
will get damp in your pocket, so that
when you want TO use 1t you will find it
too large. Don't throw il away-take your
knife and peel it down until il fits. This
may save you ammunition some tme-and
every shell IS valuable upon certain oc-
casiOns.
Seated In the bow of the sliff. at a
ready. you paddle softly along-peering
ahead at every turn-when suddenly a
duck Jumps from the grass close beside
the boat so softly have you stolen upon
him. Give It to him. All, that was a
good shot and he's a dead bird. Don't
make the mistake of thinking that this
shot has scared everything else in the
neighborhoOd. MalIards feeding this way
are not so easily frightened, and after
a few turns in the stream have been
passed be ready for another. Shooting
this way is great sport, and even after
the tide is out one can often find the
birds feeding on the mud, and the fun is
only limited by the number of little
creeks that are at your disposal
Good sport at Night.
Mallards are essentially a marsh bird
and dearly love to feed ar night-in fact.
if marsh is much shot over during the
day they come in Just at dusk and even
long after dark. feed until daylight and
HE themselves away TO safer quarters
until the following night This is Just
where the experienced gunner gets in his
good work Possibly in padding along
just at daybreak he Pushes a bunch from
their feeding grounds and marks the
spot Returning later in the day he finds
I 1e v@y- Ill. L