Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-19
ROD AND GUN

A coon and possum hunt at this sea-
son OF the year is considered by many
huhtsmen as being far more enjoyable
lhah following the dogs in the daytime
OH a trail for rabbits and quail. 1t has
, us advantages and disadvantages and is
sport that is considered far more vigor-
Gus than any other form of shooting in
! this section
Last saturday night a party of five
sportsmen started from near Bowie. Nd,
and followed the Patuxent river, starting
at IL O'Clock and concluding shortly be-
Iore daybreak. They returned with
seven coons and five 'possums. Andrew
). Boyer and William Howard OF Con-
gress Heights. John McWelsch and two
| friends composed the party,
The five gunners, with as many dogs
two foxhounds, two deerhounds and a
mongrel-left an electric car at Bowie
road. Five minutes later the dogs took
up a trail and led the hunters in the
direction of the river, where a big fat
coon was soon driven from a tree.
From that time until morning the hunt
was interesting. The dogs were on the
trail of coon or possum almost every
minute until nearly daybreak, and when
the party boarded an incoming car Sun
day morning they had all the game they
could carry.
There was no cutting of trees by. the
hunters. Each time the dogs drove an
animal from the ground one of the party
climbed the tree and shook it out. while
the others remained about the Tree, each
holding a dog. and not a single possum
or coon got away. One of the hunters
lost his balance while crossing the river
on a log and was given a drenching in
the cold water, but he did not abandon
the trip.
Its pretty sight to see a coon being
followed in the water by dog said
Andrew Boyer. 'CoonS can swim about
as we'll as fish. and, when pursued, will
make for the river, hoping to throw the
dogs off the trail
One of the coons, he said. took to he
river and was traiIed by dog. two of
the other dogs following along the banks
of the river. The cocns sometimes out
wit the dogs, but the one that tried the
game Saturday night was not so success
full.
Tonight the hunters are going to the
vicinity of Motley Hall in search OF
coons.
People residing near Motley Hall re-
port that coons are plentiful there" said
Mr.. Boyer TO a Star reporter, but they
are unable to get them because they seek
, hiding places under the buildings. We
are going after them tonight on a
wager"
Anglers think there will be very little
more fishing this season. although many
of them are able to recall an open WIN
ter number of years ago when they DID
not have to put away their rods and lines
until Christmas. On account of the high
winds the last two weeks there has been
10 fishing in the deep water about Ana
lostan Island and between the Aqueduct
and Chain bridges.
Large-mouth bass are still to be caught
in the basin, and many anglers are trying
their luck there. Catches of dozen or
more fish are reported to have been made
this week. Trouble is experienced in the
matter Of getting bait. dealers finding the
bait question a difficult problem to solve.
Pike minnoWs and roach are being used
for the large-mouth bass. smeit being ex-
ceptionally scarce, while on the upper
! river the club has taken the place of the
mad tom. Yellow perch also are being
caught in the creeks and smaller rivers
in this section.
Col" John w. Hurley. who has taken
at least one trip a week to the upper rtv-
the stock of bass in the Potomac between
this city and Harpers Ferry.
1.-The water is lower than I have ever
seen it before the bass fisherman told
Star reporter, land should sudden
freeze come l fear thousands Of the big
fish will be killed. The only thing to save
the fish. in my opinion, is plenty of rain
before a freeze comes.
lat many places where the water is
usually deep enough for boats 1t is posi-
BILE to wade from one shore to the other.
The fish are in the holes. and many OF
| these are so shallow that there would be
no protection for the fish should the river
freeze
Last Sunday William J. Sturbitts and
Col" Hurley went to Weverton to try
| their luck for bass, fearing the colo
weather would soon put a stop to their
outings. They were unable to get any
mad toms to take with them, but their
bOatman at Weverton had a supply OIL
native bait for them.
And Ghile we were on the water" said
one of the anglers, there was such q
marked change in the weather that we
thought it was our last trip for the sea-
son. The wind blew and snow fell. but
| we stuck to our game and got two fish.
"Col." Hurley landed the two fish. his
companion having been unable to coax
them his way.
"And they were big ones,'' said the
successful angler Zone weighed three
and the other two and One-half pounds
The water was clear crystal and the
holes were full of big fish, couple OF
| warm days will make fishing better than
it has been at any time during the fall
H. c. Coburn, for many years a men,
! Der of the Washington Anglers Club and
an enthusiastic bass fisherman. spent two
days on the river near Great Falls this
month, landing two bass each time.
IL fear there is not water enough up
| the river to assist the bass as far as the
| falls" he remarked to Star reporter.
Mr. Coburn recalled the days when he
could land twenty or thirty bass in a
| days outing this side Of Great Falls
| Them he says. there was some sport at
| tached to the outings.
IT remember one occasion when
| caught nine bass that weighed thirty
| three pounds" he said. II had been uI
| the river all the morning and had not had
a strike. In the afternoon I drifted to
sand bar near Cabin John and stopped to
eat dinner About five minutes after the
stop was made one of the reels made