Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-23

Gunners along the lower Potomac
river and tributaries and the Patuxent
river are at work getting the blinds
in readiness in anticipation of--the
ducking season, which opens November
/ and closes February l.
The appearance eof focks of wild
ducks and geese over the waters Of the
eastern shore of Maryland, gunners
say. is suggestive of an early winter
and an early opening of the cunning
period.
when the ducks and geese appear
80 early" said a sportsman. It's an
almost infallible sign OF the early ap-
pearance of snow or Ice. The weather
has been 80 warm during many of the
ducking seasons Of late years that 1t
was often impossible to take the fowls
homo in good condition"
It appears that the problem Of the
number of ducks Is not the only one
with which sportsmen will have to
effect that ammunition will be scarce
and that long before the close of the
season the price will soar to a pro-
hio1tlVe one, so far as persons in Or
binary circumstances are concerned.
THE price of powder has almost
to a Star reporter, while the price of
shells has advanced about rs per cent,
and even at the high prices it is diff
ficult to get large orders filed at the
factories
IT the war continues" he said, there
may come time when the factories
viii shut down on their manufacture
and sale Of what is needed to kill
other than human beings"
In anticipation of a further advance
in prices and the possibility of being
unable to get ammunition, 1t is stated,
many sportsmen have made their pur-
chases for the approaching season.
Lieut. J. E. Wilson. w. E. Holmes
Bob Taylor and James A. Myers, fear
Ing an abrupt ending of the lower river
for the season. motored to Rock Point
Sunday night and were on the river
part of Monday.
Upon reaching the resort on the WI
comico the anglers had difficulty in
finding a boatman to take them to the
fishing grounds.
TT was oyster season." said ono Of
The The. s I". I,,1,;. and the oystermen
Of bivalves to go with fisherfolk. We
found boatman, however. and about
o'clock in the morning we were on
buoy"
The fishermen took a small supply of
bait with them, expecting to increase
their supply at the lower river resort.
sible to get peelers. A few hard crabs
were obtained. they said. which en-
abied them to catch a few fish.
Myers surprised his companions by
tured in small numbers in the nets. but
1t Is only on very rare occasions that
they are caught with hook and limo.
III, Hs also caught big EEL" said
Four hours of fishing netted the
quartet forty-flve trout, a long string
Of big perch and a few spots, about
125 In all.
Residents of the vicinity of Aqua
creek and many Washington sports
men who were there on week end out
ings displayed considerable interest In
the attractive sight presented by a
flock of wild geese and several fiocks
of ducks.
Tho game was more attractive than
the fish," commented Charles r. Hol-
man, one OF the successful anglers who
sight suggested preparations for the
opening Of the shooting season"
Holman made the banner catch at
Aqua last week. 1t was a bass that
tipped the scales at four pounds.
But that was not all he caught" re-
marked one of the less fortunate
sportsmen. HE had plenty more of
bass and a string of pike.
But that's nothing unusual for Hol-
man." he added.
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward A. Strachan,
who have returned here for the winter
season. were among those who were at
Aqua creek for a weekend outing, and
they were able to bring homo string of
bass and pike.
Charles e. West, George W. Holland,
Guy e. Champion and George B. Dries
brock were members of party which
selected Benedict for a weekend out
ing. .,.
eve had been there before said a
member OF the party, land we knew
just what to expect.
"And It was not a case of the unex-
pected happening" no observed.
1t was carly in the morning when