The San Francisco call., 1908-11-08
Lack Of Rain Is Bad
for Duck Hunters
Bags Are Greatly Restricted and
the Birds Are UnuSu=
ally Poor
By J. F. O'DonneH

The long spell of mild, dry weather
Is greatly restricting the sport of duck
and quail shooting and much dfsap-
pointment is expressed by local sports
which this form of sport is tame and
generally improbable. With the eX
ception of a few days following imme-
diately after the opening of the duck
hunting season shooting has been any
thing but good on the bay shores, while
on the Suisun marsh good sport is had
only on preserves where the ponds are
well baited. In the Los Banos region
the situation is much the same as in
the districts around the bay, and while
hunting is good around Newman. Gus
tine and some other places. conditions
are unsatisfactory as rule.
The showing made by local or home
bred birds up TO date is poor one. and
although the influx of birds from the
klamath lake region and points fur
ther north continues unabated the
northern fowl are as poor and thin as
those bred on the bay and marsh areas
during the summer months. The lack
of rain and the consequent scarcity OF
suitable feed, together with the limited
number of fresh water ponds consti-
tutes a serious drawback to hunters
and plump birds continue to be an eX-
ception rather than the rule
ENTHUSIASM Is LACKING
Enthusiasm is lacking among mem
bers of the shotgun brigade, and unless
the weather bureau officials hold out
in the sport will be lax, as recent un-
successful hunts have given hunters
little or nothing to enthuse over. Re
ports from the shooting grounds differ
widely as TO conditions, and according
to current rumors many members of
the gun clubs are having poor luck,
fares likewise. About the best barom-
eter of the duck situation is found in
the wholesale commission market,
where the birds bagged by market
hunters are offered for sale. Mos. OF
the birds coming to market are thin.
being mere bags of skin and bone as A
rule, and the same is true of the bags
brought In by sportsmen In fact, thin
birds are so numerous thas many
posted sportsmen aver that the migra-
tfon of northern fowls has not yet set
in, bur the presence of large focks of
northern c2nvasbackS around the bay
explodes this theory.
The special that runs down the San
Joaquin valley on Saturday is we'll pat
roniZed by hunters of this city and
Oakland. Among those who enjoyed
good shooting In the valley at the close
Of last week We're M o. Feqdner. e.
neyed to Newman and returned with
limit bags. Northern birds were scarce
in that region. and the local fowls
ing> obliged to scatter and drive them
on sunday Feudner thought that he
had exploded the black teal joke, as
one of a bunch of teal that fell to his
gun seemed at first glance to be of a
jet color. On close. inspection. how
oughly soaked with oil. which gave it
a black appearance. The birds wings
were free, but the plumage was one
clotted mass of oil and it was sup
with the sticky fluid around one of the
pumping plants operated in conjunction
with the pipe line in that vicinity.
A FEW FAIR BAGS
b. F. Woolner of Oakland enjoyed a
most successful hunt at the close OF
bags of ducks and English snipe on
Saturday and a second limit bag of
snipe on Sunday. Other hunters in the
same region were Peter McRae A j.
j. Harland, who did good work around
Los Banos and Firebaugh. Drs. j. ST.
mon, II. L Laeoste and A. J. Wiborn
and several members of the Gustine
club. headed by DR.. Clyde Payne, spent
Sunday. on the grounds near Newman.
On the Suisun marsh shooting was
poor and most of the gun club men,
bers who returned from that region
during the week reported poor luck
though few brought In fair bags,
among them being Charles Hall, who
| brought down Il canvasbacks on
Thursday.
The light rain that fell in the bay coun
/ ties a week or so ago did not do much
to improve the situation as to quail
shooting. On the day following the
rainfall the birds were numerous in
the valleys and foothills and the few
| hunters who were out on that day Were
we'll rewarded for their trouble. The
bevies have taken to the higher timber
again, however, and it is extremely
! difficult to dislodge them. The sport
is practically off in some sections and
/ no good results are expected until rain
! and frost destroys the small feed in
the foothills and forces the birds to
! seek the sunny places in the canyons
and valleys. Few good bags were Sc
! cured during the last week, the game
proving too elusive for hunters. G. L
| Grimes and II. Coffin tramped over the
! ridge behind Point Reyes and secured
the limit by waiting around the sunny
! spots and shooting whenever the game
| ventured from the heavy cover. Down
i in the foothills west of Los Banos IN
| Merced county E. G.. Rodolph, with j
/ +. Cline and B. Archer of Los Banos
| found the hunting good. The brush in
j that section is low and scattered and
affords excellent sport to any one IA
miliar with the country.
Jockey Mccarthy, who is now the way wes
TO ride for s. c. Hildreth, suffered broken col
1erbone when Giles fell at PimlfcO few day,