The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-12-31


underfoot The remaining food supply
will shorten up and the deer will take
to trailing in search of fresh supplies.
1t will mean more activity all round.
Many hunters are hoping that such
conditions will develop before the sea-
son becomes old.
Here and there have been few
light snow falls, but the snow was not
heavy enough to give ground cover
ing. In fact, it turned out to be an
other rain storm preceded by this
touch of winter.
At the camps everything is in readi-
ness, large quantities of provisions
having been shipped in and men have
bten at work for several days getting
in the firewood supply. Camp equip
age, blankets, bedding, crockery, oil
stoves and considerable quantities of
coal oil have been distributed among
the lodges and today they gave all the
external appearances of being live
centers.
Record Crowd of Hunters
Indications all point to there being
record crowd when the hunters ar
rive In all South Jersey counties the
issuing of hunters licenses this season
set new high marks. tbs is as true of
the deer hunters as of those who do
up-country shooting. In addition many
licenses have been issued to nom
resident hunters. There will b large
NV York contingnt down while Penn
sylvania hunters will swell tn eranks.
1t is impossible to estimate the num-
Der of men who will be on the deer
trails with the opening of the season,
but from what those interested in max
ing arrangements for the hunters are
giving out, it seems fair to suppose
that not less than 500 shooters will be
on hand when the season opens. Of
course, they will be scattered all over
South Jersey. This will reduce the
danger of accidents. 1t is not expected
however, that the season will close
without the usual number of hunters
being the victims of accidental shots
fired either by themselves or their
companions.
In this connection arrangements
have been made for quick service to
hospitals from all of the larger centers.
In addition the majority of the physi-
clans and surgeons will remain at
home or take turns in joining the hunt.
Many of the clubs include among their
members medical men who come to
camp prepared to render any surgical
services required.
One thing noted in South Jersey this
season is that, while in Pennsylvania
the number of hunters afoot since the
deer shooting season opened has been
greater than ever before, yet in COM
parison with this the number of acct
dent and especially those of fatal
character is seeminly below the aver
age This is due, it is understood to
the better management of the hunts
and as every prtcaution has been
taken in Jersey to awaken safety
first policp among the members of the
hunting clubs it is believed that a
smaller record can be made on this
side of the river
Among the hunters will be an in
creased number of women. During
the past two weeks sporting goods
houses have reported the largest sale
ever made by them to women. They
will come prepared to go into the tim
Der an0take their places on the sands
with the men. What kind of a record
they will make no one seems to doubt.
! 1t is to be conceded, of course, that
most of the women shooters who will
hit the deer trails have had experience
in killing smaller game and are there
fore familiar with shot guns. Among
the fugitive facts connected with their
appearance in the ranks of the deer
slayers is the preference they show for
the pump gun.
Taht steps will be taken by the farm
ers to secure closed season of sew
eral years during which the quail will
be protected against hunters is as
sured. At the recent meeting of the
State Grange a resolution was unani-
mously adopted calling for such action
on the part of the Legislature. The
theory is that the birds are needed on
the farms in protecting them against
insect pests more than on the broil-
ers of clubs and city home kitchens.
The quail kill this season is said to
have little less than exterminated the
birds. This happened despite the post
ing of thousands of acres of land by
farmers who undertook to prevent the
slaughter by excluding hunters from