Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-05
FIRES Spelling
NIMRODS' SPORT
Devastating Flames Strike
Whippany, Troy and Other
Meadows.

Special TO the Evening star.
TRENTON. Nov. 5.-Large devas-
tating CONGREGATIONS, set probably by
the hand of mischievous boys, have
been now for a couple of days de-
stroying some Of the best game
covers there are in the State Of New
Jersey. The flames that have BEEN
burning several days on the Troy
meadows have chased thousands of
rabbits. pheasants and quail off tho
preserve, as we'll as burning many 10
death. The Troy meadows are
stocked and preserved by a game
club and only for private use and
It is thought that someone started
the fire with the intention OF
chasing the priced birds off to public
property, where hunting IS allowed.
The fire on the Whippany meadows
yesterday and Tuesday was immense.
The stiff breeze that arose in the
evenings famed the flames to such
heights that the reflection could be
seen for miles. Some state that the
blaze reached a height of thirty feet
Since the State began to stock with
pheasants, the Whippany meadows,
because of the fine coverts. have
contained many of these birds. No
large quantity have been shot in any
year by the hunters, as the birds
could retreat into inaccessible places
and avoid pursuit.
Greater OF lesser fires occur here
every year. but this is one Of the
largest that has ever been started
as the long drought made the weeds
o in a
Tnable.
Nimrods throughout the State are
at present cleaning and shining Their
fowlng pieces for the season for
popular game, which opens next
Tuesday. Hunters will then be al
lowed to shoot rabbits, squirrels,
quail, grouse. partridge and only
male English or ringneck pheasants.
Abundance of rabbits and pleas
ants are reported. There are also a
good quantity of partridge. but IN
Northern Jersey the quail are rapid +
ly becoming extinct. This is 1c-
counted for, in part, to the propaga /
ton of pheasants, which, it is
averred, chase the little bobbers
away. Thousands of Southern quail
have been distributed during the past
few years, but they have disap-
peared within a few months or at
the most year was their longest :
stay.
Many are looking forward to the
time when the game distributed by
the State Game Farm, near Barne-
gat, will begin to swell the bags II
the huntsmen. State Commissioner
Stratten is at present expecting the
best results from the breeding Of
hardy quail and wild turkeys.
ban has been put on the shooting IF
the latter bird for five years in order
to allow its unmolested distribution
Owing to the dry weather during
the latter part of the summer and
fall, there have been few snipe and
woodcock shot. The snipe were
plenty in the early part of the sea-
son, but even they have now lef-
for wetter sections. Only a com.
parative few woodcock have fallen
before the hunters guns SO far this
season.
The season for all manner of ducks,
except wood ducks, opened on Mon
day. A fair rain at present would
bring many of these fowl into the
marshes and meadows, but at pres
ent there are few to be shot. There
have been many black duck seen
singly and in pairs in small creeks
and brooks, but few have been
bagged. as the sportsmen unaware
of their presence. flushed them while
ont of range. There are close to a
million ducks at present on tho
reservoir and other lakes
and bodies of water in the state.
but in all such places they are un-
available.
The season for deer opened on
Monday and closes at shutdown to-
night. There have been reports of a
few of the beautiful animals shown
in Western and Northern New Jer-
sey, but there is no confirmation Of
the reports. It is stated that four
deer were chased from the Troy
meadows by the fire there