Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-30
OPENS NOV. / IN MARYLAND
Just in Time for District Nimrods to
go Home to Vote"
GAME IS REPORTED PLENTIFUL
Rabbits overrun Nearby Counties
and Wild Turkeys Feed in
Virginia Barnyards.

this fall, hundreds of sportsmen are
getting their guns and ammunition
ready to begin the slaughter of the
rabbits. quail and turkeys they expect
to find in the counties of Maryland and
Virginia within easy access of the city
Others will go long distances from the
city. especially the more enthusiasts site
sports who expect to hunt big game.
In several of the counties of Maryla nd
the season for shooting will open Mon
day and hundreds of persons who are
going home to vote will take advantage
of the opportunity to do little shoot
ing on election day
Before starting out on their hunt
ing expeditions said an enthusiastic
sportsman to a Star reporter, lit would
not be a bad idea for them to look into
the laws and be sure they are right.
While most of the people of the rural
districts will devote their attention to
the election Tuesday. there will be
some who will keep an eye on r2ople
from the city to see that they do not
violate the game laws.
City Folks Their Game.
THE apprehension of violator OF
the law" he added, means much to
some of the countrymen. and it also
means much to some of the victims.
| One-half the fines go to the informer
| In some places, and country magistrates
do not always deal leniently with peo-
| pie from the city. Some of them seem
to think the city people have plenty
of money and they are dealt with ac-
cordingly.
TT is not every man who is arrested
| in the rural Districts the sportsman
continued. who can do as d resident
n nI RI in 10y loy n TO
several years ago He was arrested
and fined something like $780, and his
conduct in court was such that ne
gained the confidence of the magis-
trate. When 1t came time to settle the
| fine he gave the magistrate a check for
the amount of fine. which was prompt
ly accepted. Payment was stopped the
next morning. and the gunner found it
| convenient to keep off Maryland soil
thereafter"
Mixed Laws in Virginia.
Under the laws of Virginia the shooting
of wild turkeys, rabbits and quail is per-
mitted on and after November 1, the sea-
son closing the last of January. A IL
cense fee of SO is charged nonresident
gunners, although, it is stated, owners OF
land may invite friends to accompany
them without having to pay the tax. In
several of the counties. 1t is said, the To-
shortening the season, and 1t Is almost
impossible to become acquainted with the
laws in the different counties without
actually communicating with the officials
In Maryland the conditions are much
worse than they are in the Old Dominion
so far non-residents are concerned,
/, aportsmen say, the laws for the different
counties being different, while in some
counties different laws for the different
sections of the counties prevail. What is
To- yF,,1 IT,, .J4 s~x.
county is unlawful in others, making ii
possible for different laws to be In force
on opposite sides of road. In Charles
county the law permits the killing of rab-
bits on and after October 10. while in Cal
vert Montgomery and st. Mary counties
the season does not open until November
L. and in Prince George November .,
Howard county not opening its rabbit sea-
son until November 10. The season for
killing rabbits in Charles county does not
close until January 10, while in the other
counties mentioned it closes about Christ
mas.
The Quail Season Short.
In the several Maryland counties within
few miles of this city the quail season
is considerably shorter than is the season
during which the killing of rabbits is per-
mitted. December % being the latest they
may be lawfully killed. In Charles
Montgomery and ST. Mary counties the
quail season will open Monday next,
while the Prince George county season
will not open until November 8. In Cal
vert county it will open November ), and
in Howard, November 10. There are
numerous laws in both states concerning
the shooting of game, in Virginia it being
against the law to sell quail or to ship
| more than fifty of them from the state.
In all cases of shipment of birds the law
requires that the birds shall be exposed
to view and be tagged with the name and
address of the shipper
Game Reported Plentiful.
Reports from the Maryland and vir-
ginia counties received here indicate that
game will be more plentiful this season
than 1t has for number of years. Even
in the sparsely settled sections of the
Distrist of Columbia, it is stated, rab-
bits are very plentiful and some quail
have been heard. In the counties of the
two states near this city game Wardens
and others report the presence of large
covies of birds and thousands of rabbits.
They also report an unusually large num-
Der of turkeys. In some sections the
farmers have been feeding the wild tur-
keys to get them in good condition by
the opening Of the season.
A report from Fauquier county, Va,
tells of a tame gobbler that has been
visiting the barnyard of farmer and en-
ioying the food put out for chickens and
turkeys on the farm.