The San Francisco call., 1909-10-01
Hunters at Many Preserves
for Seasons Opening
By FRANK o'DoNNELL

The duck hunting season opens to-
day and the period of peace that the
web footed denizens of the bay, sloughs
and marsh areas have been enjoying
under legal protection is over. That
the season viii be ushered in auspi-
ciously is assured by reports of an
abundance of game in various sections,
and the smokeless powder fusillade
scheduled to commence at sunrise
should be productive of good results.
Reports that have been coming from
the preserves easily reached from the
city have been gratifying to hunters,
and posted sportsmen did not hesitate
to venture the opinion yesterday that
limit bags would be obtained with ease.
The individual bag limit is 25 birds In
a calendar day this season. as against
35 last year.
AS rule only home bred birds. that
is sprig, teal and maliard, are found
in this part of the state at the first of
the season, the widgeon, canvasback
and blue bills making their appearance
later IT is reported, however. that
wild dgeon have been seen north of Sac
ramento, and Ned Bosqui is authority
for the statement that there is a
sprinkling of canvasbacks and widgeon
mong the f1ocks around Los Banos.
Sprig ducks are thick on the Suisun
marsh and mailard are In evidence in
that region. while throughout the San
joaquin valley mallard, sprig and teal
are in abundance.
The season for valley quail and VII
there are many sportsinen who prefer
upland hunting TO w Luck shooting,
the water fowls will e in for the
most attention. The b, ., OF quail and
snipe have also been reduced, the limit
on both being 90 in one day instead of
rs as in past seasons.
What promises TO be one of the big
opening hunts of the season is that OF
the Empire gun club. A large delegs-
tion left for the clubs preserve at Elk
horn Thursday. The party included
w O. Cullen. F. f.. Connor, J. W. Dor
sey, II. +. Eliot, $. F. Earle, DR.. J. II.
Graves. Dr. George G. Geere. J. 3.
Hauer. f. l.. Hoag, T. s. Judah, George
T. Lyon. J. Peltier, w. w. Potter
James b. Sweeney. T. c. Van Ness. Jr.
and w b. Sanborns
Frank Maskey will open the season
with a three days outing at his sun
rise lodge on the Suisun marsh. Mr..
and Mrs Maskey will have as their
guests Mr.. and Mrs Jack Burdette,
DR.. Dyers and wife. and Miss Garthorn-
Tony Prior. j. +. Bond and W. E.
Duzan are at the Cloverleaf club lodge
on the Suisun marsh. The Lincoln gun
club has been reorganized and the
marsh near Reclamation.
Fourteen members of the Volante
club are on the preserve on the upper
end of Joyce island, among them being
Jim Maynard. Nat Boas and Doctor
McGettigan, G. w. Ellery and Doctor
Spriggs are at the Montezuma club
lodge near Cordelia, and Phil Bekeart
is at his new quarters near Mowrys.
Jim Hanley. Jack Kennedy, Pop
SWEET and Jack Grace of the Fusiliiers'
club are bringing EN- down at Sears
point.
The West Side and Cuisine club
houses near Los Banos are filled with
members, and for this reason no guests
have been invited for opening day All
of the members of the Alameda gun
club are at the lodge near McGilI sta
tion in Sonoma county.
The preserves on the bay shores
around Mount Eden and Alvarado
should yield good duck dividends to
club members. s the birds are more
plentiful there this season than for
years.