The Washington times., 1913-09-01
THREE MEN SHOT
BY BIRD HUNTERS
One Man Wounded in Back, Two
Others in Face, by Pellets
From Sportsmen's Guns.

The first cay of the hunting season on
the marshes of the Eastern Branch and
Potomac river was marred by several
minor accidents. John Moon, colored.
t"venty-three years old, of l4l0 First
rect northwest, received a load OF
tuckshot in the back while IN the
marshes near Twenty-sixth street and
Genntng road. He was able to walk TO
casually Hospital The identity Of the
ierson who fired the shot was not
armed by the police.
The police were told that, two 1ther
.Sunners were struck in the face with
stray shot, but their injuries were rot
sunlciently serious to warrant hospital
treatment.
Thousands OF birds were killed by the
@Emy Of gunners who invaded the
marshes and flats of the Potomac and
Anacostia rivers at daybreak this morn
ing Tor the opening of the hunting sea-
son in the District
For several days .reedbirds, ortolan
and blackbirds have been seen along
the marshes, in large numbers, and
those who were out early today were
Wen rewarded for their efforts Long
before a majority of persons in--the
District had fnished breakfast the gun
ners had begun to return with filled
bags, the law limiting each hunter to
fifty birds. --
Reed Birds Abundant.
Reedbirds and ortolan were found In
abundance along the marshes. the
hunters reported. and there were also
o goodly number of bIackbirds Those
who were on the marshes early said
the large number of birds in evidence
gave promise of the best hunting sea-
son in years in the District.
Police of the Ninth, Eleventh. Seventh,
and Harbor precincts were stationed
along the cunning grounds long before
daybreak with instructions to see that
the game laws were strictly observed
and to prevent any shooting within 800
yards of bridge or dwelling.
Lieutenant Dean, commanding the
Harbor precinct had his men patrol the
parts Of the river where il was possible
70 go in motor boats, while footmen
tons. At the Benning bridge, the po.
lice paid special attention TO returning
sportsmen with large bags to see that
they had kept the number OF birds killed
within the prescribed limit.
One of the reasons for the unusually
large number of birds along the marsh
oats. 49,
M6sf 4 the shooting is being done
TTpE eaus and other small boats, al
th.5l5s there are a large number OF
sports who are content to go on
1eo. : work their way through the
EHaA4et portions of the marshes with
Taai1e hoots 3. ~ ,afa|
Best Sport On First Day.
The . ooting is always best on the
-Est 5as the season opens. because the
alrss tage not been molested during
ne tiH they have been feeding on the
~ lut after a few days shooting,
Z taey me tilnid by the constanfi re-
po-t lhotsuns and make fassrS Way
IgFtEta uth- In Maryland. the seasOn
doGs 81 open until September 10. and
1 ~ lEE me the birds in the sections
c4cs l. ne District VIII be so staese
s g ,dly make 1t worth whi.e TO
s. ate hem.
10 tici se rs charged gunners in the
IAstitcL ut IN Maryland the fee runs
3E9zE s. in Queen, Anne county TO
800 = ince George county. The new
J GdEr1l aw viii make no changes this
yer, as Z does not become operative
u1til CJ Der J.
Asiyia I constables were reported to
hs Sstz sharp lookout for any
gunner who might venture across the
line today, but as the police had put up
signs along the marshes advising the
sportsmen how near they may 90 to
the District line and bridges. II was
pointed out that there was no excuse
-OA any IN trouble Wild
the Maryland authorities, and that the
authorities of that State would probably
not be disposed to accept excuses
Thousand Gunners Out.
The police of the different precincts
said 1t would be impossible to make any
accurate estimate of the number Of
gunners out this morning, but that the
number was probably in the neighbor-
hood of a thousand.
Accompanied by members of the Har-
Dor police precinct, DR.. p. s. Palmer
and ". F. Bancroft, bird experts OF
the Department of Agriculture, made
a tour of inspection along the marshes
OF the Eastern branch yesterday. The
trip was made in the harbor patrol
launch Major Sylvester. and was for
the purpose Of observing the number
and habits Of the reedbirds, ortolan,
and blackbirds in the marshes. The in
formation gathered is to be used in q
publication of the Department
The opening of the hurting season
always attracts a large number OF per-
sons who are hot gunners 10 the Ben
ming bridge, and today. as usual.
there was crowd Of onlookers watch
ing the shooting from a distance and
examining the birds as the hunters re-
turned with their bags.
Gunners will continue to invade the
marshes in gCOdly numbers for about
a week, by the end Of which time the
birds will have become scarCe.