Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-14
HUNTERS PREPARE FOR
OPENING OF SEASON
DOVES AND DEER REPORTED TO
BE NUMEROUS
Many Local Experts Will Go North
in Quest of Big Fellows.
License Must Be
Obtained

This will be a good time, ardent nimrod, to
dig out the old shotgun and see that both ham
mers are still there and that the rust has not
eaten away all the inside workings Tomor-
row the dove season opens, and to be without
a gun will be like sleeping against the north
pole without blankets.
And along with the dove come the deer, but
they will be comparatively safe-for the first
few weeks, at least. Most of the local hunters
figure that Northern California is about the
only place to get the big fellows and the local
fields will be left in comparative peace.
This will help some, too, for the deer run
up around the Big Tejunga, Verdugo canyon
and the Santa Monica mountains have been
most stingy with their yields of late, and I'M
less something happened the deer would be
entirely exterminated in year or two. The
nimrods who can afford the trip just get
ting hep to the fact that there is better shoot
ing few miles further from home, and there
they will migrate this summer.
AS for the doves, the poor brides will suffer
for fair tomorrow and for many days there
after. They have been reported in large num-
bers during the past few weeks, and every
water hole and spring where they are wont
to congregate has been spotted for future use.
The big Fernando wash is already dotted with
the trails of pot hunters and slaughter house
sports, and every stubbe field is watched with
interest.
But whether a likely spot has been picked
out or not there ought to be enough doves on
hand to give everybody some lively shooting.
Out beyond Garvey, in the reaches of the
San Gabriel river, any number of birds are
flying, and over toward Santa Monica they
are reported in abundance. OF course much of
this territory is preserved, but the open space
Is ample for the occasion.
Many of the hunters will combine dove and
deer shooting and will leave here prepared to
take a chance at either. Lewis Stone, the
Belasco leading man, will journey up into the
Saugus country for long stay, and he will
be primed with both rifle and shotgun Bernal
Dyas will go to San Gabriel while the Tufts
Lyon bunch will shoot over their own pre-
serves.
Stockbridge Is Going
Henry Stockbridge. about the best deer
hunter in the ranks of local stage people, will
take a few short trips up into the mountains
skirting Verdugo canyon, and he intends to &c
in far enough to get to where the few bucks
still left in the region hang out. Gerry Har'
court will also take chance up that way, and
the pair should manage to bag something be-
fore the season is over.
That deer abound in the mountains surround
ing the Big Tejunga is attested by the
number of tracks to be found across from the
Johnson ranch. Any time of the year, and es
pecially just before the first gun of the season
awakens the big fellows from their fancied
security, deer tracks can be seen along the
river bottom, and from their size many large
animals hold forth in that vicinity. An oc-
casional bear track is also found, but no one
has been able to get shot at these animals
of late.
And there is one thing the hunter must re-
member-his tag. The game warden will have
his full force in the field tomorrow, and wher-
ever a man with gun is found without his
state hunters license there will be something
doing. OF course, everybody cannot have tags,
for the supply the court house ran out
some time ago, and even though he has no
regular receipts CT hand to deal out to those
who pay their money, County Clerk Keyes is
managing to accommodate all applicants with
their license
AS precaution to deer hunters who will be
securing the hills in quest of "spikes and
'forked horns 1t is suggested by old deer
hunter that every young man who will pack
a rifle through the hills on a still hunt should
don a red hat or coat of bright color If only
for his own safety or the safety of companions,
as during the past five or six years several I'M
fortunate deaths have taken place, attributable
to young and inexperienced hunters shooting at
a moving object III the thicket, which they had
mistaken for deer In several eastern states
the red cap hat is used by deer hunters
purposey to avoid accidents in the shooting
Aald.