South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-12

impocunioua, non-club belonging,
unposted territory. shooter. His i'm
mediate answer will be. emphatically
no. He will then gaze into space,
his countenance will occasionally
brighten with a reminiscent smile,
ms he In memory lives over sue
cessful hunt Of the past. In justi-
fication OF his decided no.
When l was a boy. during the
duck season." at any point you
could locate water. there you would
dnd thousands Of ducks. Then there
was no bag limit or posted territory.
Condition and environments were
propitious for breeding and there
were unlimited sections Of unim-
proved lands to hunt over. Drain
ing. thing timber cutting and cul-
tivating, have reclaimed lands.
whsre ducks lived. nestled and bred
In safety. Barbed wire. has supplant-
ed Usage and rail fences, pasture
lands, with their matted growth of
under brush in valleys, gullies,
draws and hill sides are now pastur-
ed TO the last blade OF grass.
In those days our ammunition
supply, was considered our bag limit.
Yoy can now hunt on an unposted
territory for days without getting
shot. When the campaign was
started, retaining swamp lands for
corn fields, conserving to a greater
extent the lands by the introduction
Of barbed wire VIC hedge and rail
fences, the slogan for game disap-
pearance was sounded.
The Coed old DAYS
Game will not increase, under
propagation or protection policies,
while natural feeding and breeding
grounds. are eliminated by the re-
clamation rooute. Cut out spring
shooting, farther entail your bag
limit, shorten the open season,
place quail on the list of song birds,
ducks in the insectivrous class. This
only procrastinates the inevitable.
but will never bring back those
wonderful days of duck shooting,
when dame nature, joined in team
work with feathered aces of the
air and intuitive laws of self pre-
/ servation, was their protecting game
warden. In those good old days.
/ your success was measured by your
ability accurately shoot, read the
weather, taking advantage of duck
/ habits and pecularities. IL was the
rustling, oar pulling, weather read
| ing, gun of the "river-rat" brand,
who lived in the swamps, until a
web developed between his toes,
who spoke the duck language, with
out the use of artificial or modern
/ accessories that killed the ducks.
4 Who was willing to start before day
/ light, when the self seat boat and
/ oars were ice covered. when you
were guided by the stars which
were an open book.
Weather Dictated Direction
! Wind and weather conditions,
I dictated the direction you would
| follow; whether you would shoot in
! the timber, prairie or foot of an is
4 land. Ducks and geese were float
! ing down the river, their slumber
and accompanying conversation 10
! be disturbed by the chuck! chuck!
Of my oars as they played in the
\ open locks. My faithful dog, lay
! shivering on the stern seat, cover
ed by my coat. BY my side lay the
old ten gauge Joe Manton muzzle
/ loader. charged with drains soft
coal" card board wads, a gun which 1
was certainly proud Of Birds were
with us by the thousands and could
I be absolutely depended upon TO re-
turn both fall and spring. They
volplaned the air In every direction.
/ Gradually, have they disappeared
until today IL IS an accident, when
O hunter outside accredited preser-
YES, brings 70 bag, a mess Out
siders have become skirmishers,
long range or scratch shooters, with
percentage very much against kill
I ing a duck. Forced by conditions,
20 accept every possible or acciden-
tai chance, we shoot at every bird
in sight or scratch range. This con-
tinuous barrage, chases the birds in
10 the sanctuary lakes OF the differ
ent clubs, where they secure the
much needed rest and food, pro
tected by the club against being
! frightened or molested. they con-
gregate in vast numbers, decoying
/ ENEAl DdHSlllk BAA ~ soNdAAtA INK over
the club grounds. they furnish ex-
| cellent shooting fer club members
Sapctuary lakes, under state or club
ownership are a necessity, otherwise
ducks would be forced into the
rivers. where food opportunities are
limited. Thompsons lake on the I'LL
nois river, which has been a sane
tuary for years, is now being drain
ed for farming purposes.
Game Not Increasing.
That game is increasing. I say
emphatically no from a non-clut
member angle. That the fedora
migratory game law should be re
spected I say emphatically yes. The
/ recognition and acceptance OF the
spirit and text OF the law. Will per
petuate the migratory game birds OF
America. for a number OF years
Birds killed IN the spring certainly
will not reproduce in the fall
FISHING