Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-01
OUT AFTER BIRDS
IN EARLY MORNING
Local Sportsmen Open the
Shooting Season on the
Marshes Near City.
SOME ARE ATTRACTED
TO MARYLAND GROUNDS
Reedbirds. Ortolan and Blackbirds
Principal Game-Gunners Report
Good First-Day Sport.

Fully 800 sportsmen, near-sportsmen
and would-be sportsmen were on the
marshes of the Eastern branch and
Potomac river early this morning to
open the shooting season for reedbirds.
ortolan and blackbirds. They had good
weather and splendid tide. and before
noon many of them. their gamebags
well filled, left the marshes and returned
home to enjoy reedbirds on toast.
Early gunners left the marshes in
time to dispose of their game, and by
noon the familiar sign: "Reedbirds on
toast" was displayed in restaurants.
Frank Bell and Esau Bell were the
first to report the result Of their early
morning work. They were on the lower
marsh near Bennins during the early
hours. and on their way to the upper
marsh about o'clock they stopped long
enough to display one hundred ortolan
and few reedbirds.
Scores Of gunners, fearing they would
be delayed if they waited until this
fore IL o'clock. Some slept in boat
houses and others remained in the open
and fought mosquitoes. Some of them
started shooting as early as 4 o'clock
Early Fog obscures Marshes.
There was dense fog overhanging
the branch about daylight. 1t soon lift
ed, however. made shooting easier and
safer, and gunners were better able to
find the birds they killed. An exception
ally good tide was running this morn
ing. 1t was high at $40 o'clock. just
the right time for those who were on
Irv, oIoH f1o aIrnrv NJ In
season. and who found it to be COM
paratively easy matter to penetrate the
dense growth of wild oats.
The change in the Maryland law which
shooting season September l instead of
September 10. as heretofore, it is stated.
was responsible for decrease in the
army of gunners on the local marshes to-
day. Many left last night to do their
shooting on the Patuxent marshes this
morning, and the holding of the annual
meeting of the Glebe Club today served
to attract many of the club members.
Among those who went to the Patuxent
were William A. Hettinger, A. T. Schroth
]. T. Moffett. Lloyd Brooke, w. Taylor
Birch, John A. Rupert, William F. Rob
erts, ]. p Pfeiffer, L. G. Graham, Joseph
Williams and Harry Bliss.
License Tax Required.
Washington gunners on the Patuxent
found it necessary to pay a license tax OF
81 for the privilege of shooting ON the
Maryland marshes, while clubs paid Ii
cense of 500. 1t is reported that a great
many Marylanders were on the Patuxeni
marshes this morning, many of then
shooting birds for market.
Birds were much more plentiful this
it is stated, and the oats were In better
condition than had been anticipated
Shooting on the Eastern branch
marshes this morning was a somewhat
dangerous sport, it was said. severa
persons were peppered with shot bu
were not seriously hurt.
In a number OF instances as many a:
five or six men piled into a bateau.
With so many men in one boat,
said one of the more experienced gun
ed?"
| A stray dog appeared at one Of thu
| lighthouses on the branch last nigh
| and made itself perfectly at home
break and seemed anxious to Join tn
hunters Finally party OF three gun
| ners took the dog with them. Whel
the shooting started. they said later
the dog had good time. 1t would no
| leave the boat and find the birds, how
ever, and in order to get it out of thei
way they found it necessary. TO 6
| ashore.
Gunners Who Were "out."
! Some Of those who were on tn
| marshes early in the morning wer
Norman Pruitt. J. H. Vandegrift, Dl
Wade H. Atkinson, F. B. Miller, Charlie
Howard, NJ. Kessler, j. Jett, Robert I
Bender Fred Noise, James Harper
George beavers, George Dean, Fran
Bell, Esau Bell. Francis f. Synaanos
| kie. Herbert Bohnke, William Clark
Fred Smith, Frank Curry, Paul Baul
Robert Bray, Richard Connors. Job
Nau. Robert Henault. Charles Wilson
C. H. Robertson. George H. Russell. I
Leigh, William Steele and r. T. Mel
son.
Grams. He was without pusher an
he said it was difficult for him to &c
all the birds he killed.
EFT is absolutely necessary to have
pusher," he stated, in order to hav
any luck. I killed about seventy-fiv
ortolan and reedbirds before 8 o'clocl
and if had had pusher I'd hav
killed twice as many. The ortolan ar
in better condition this year than eve
before so early in the season. The
usual and there has been plenty Of foo
for them"
Many of the gunners left the marshe
before low tide. while others RENAME
to wade the marshes. killing what the
could and picking up birds that other
had killed and could not find. Som
remained, to be on hand at high It'd
late this afternoon.
Police Boat Patrols Rivers.
The police boat made several tril
about the river and Eastern branch III
morning. A trip was made as far {
Benning bridge early in the morning. ar