The New York herald., 1921-09-04

Shore bird shooting. although greatly
enjoyed by thousands of sportsmen In
the East as well as elsewhere. is one of
the most uncertain or all sports afield !;
80 much depends on varying conditions
of wind and weather. Throughout the
entire open season--from August 16 to
November 80 inclusive in New Jersey
and New York-for plovers and yellow
legs the birds may be here to-day and
gone tomorrow, and even the wisest
baymen cannot predict with any pre-
cision what the morrow will bring to
the shooter waiting the good flight so
essential to insure the best sport. This
very uncertainty may perhaps lend
certain charm to shore bird shooting. for
when fortune favors the sport Is often
OF the rapid fire order and the bag
limit may be secured in short time.
The range Is wide. for shore birds
are to be found-sometimes in abun-
dance-along the south shore of Long
Island all the way from Rockaway
Meadows and Bay Shore down to Shin
necock Inlet and Montauk Point. the
grounds from Centre Moriches to East
Quogue. however. being mostly posted,
with possible permission to shoot in
some cases when the shooter is known
or comes well recommended. on the
Jersey shore, from Asbury Park south,
with famous old Barnegat as a promis-
ing point, excellent sport may be had
under favorable conditions: and these
conditions are always looked forward to
as among the glorious possibilities. The
Connecticut shore. from Travers Island
up. affords fair shooting at times near
Stonington and elsewhere. but the avail
able places are comparatively few in
number.
sport mt Fire Islands.
Probably the best locality in the Inn
mediate vicinity OF New York city is at
Fire Island. off the southern shore OF
Long Island. Although probably the
oldest nearby section OF celebrity as a
resort for lovers Of wild fowl and fish
ing 1t Is less frequented by sportsmen
than others mainly because IL Is not 50
readily reached, but the quaint charm
Of the islands and the resident baymen.
not TO mention the prospective sport.
will fully compensate the shore bird
shooter for taking little extra time
and trouble.
one OF the brilliant pioneers In Amer
lean sporting literature. ~. Cypress,
Jr.," In his delightful sketches under
the title OF Fire Island Ana" made
comment as follows or the Fire Islands
nearly eighty years ago: I'm brief then,
they made their irst appearance In the
country after a hard earthquake some
500 or 500 years ago on the southern
coast Of Matowacs, near the occidental
end OF Raccoon Beach. They are acres
two In number and contain in the whole
at low water, about fifty of marsh and
mud. disposed with irregular and care
less grace and scalloped into juttine
points and circling bays. The principal
inhabitants are gulls and meadow hens
The climate is saline and saiubrious
The chief products of the soil are sedge
grass. birds eggs and clans"
Tips To Amateurs.
To solve the three important problems
In connection with n prospective shore
bird shooting trip--where. when and
how--advance information Is always
desirable. As TO locality. having decided
whether the shores of New York. New
Jersey or Connecticut be preferable, the
sportsman will do well to get In touch
with some reliable baymen Of that Sec
tion, for. after all, even the expert
shooter will require advice II not active
aid OF local expert The State Conser-
walton Commission, while primarily In
terested in the protection Of game and