The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-02-09
THE WILD FOWL
COME TOO LATE
Sportsmen Want the Season
Changed To Suit Our
Climate

llNl y IL q . ~
ment in many sections OF
Northeastern North Carolina,
for a change in the open season
for wildfowl, and it all comes
about because of the climate.
The fowl are not coming south
until the bad weather i'll spring
of the year, when the hunting
season has closed.
The season for wildfowl open; Nov
cmber the lrst and lasts for three
months, closing January 81. For the
past two years, the autumuS have
been so mild that fowl have no. made
their appearance in the wate:s of
Northeastern North Carolina in large
numbers until after the Christmas
holidays. And after the Christmas
holidays there IS little time left for
the Sp,rt.
Many guttes tmuout, This section OF
the state are not finding so much to
do. Northern sportsmen who en-
ploy native guides and pay them well
for their services are getting shy of
the early cunning and pay their visits
to the wildfowl country later i'll the
season. But many of them are kept
away altogether, because northern
sportslnen are having too good time
at home, to spend the Christmas ho!:-
DAYS in the South, and it they. come
south after the holidays, there is little
of the open season left for them.
Eoth sportSmen and guides seem
diSposcd to favor a change in The
date of opening and closing the
season. Some think that the open
ing date should be changed from Nov
ember first to November 16; and the
Cnu or the season Snoulu pV hNoi""t'
II instead of January 81. Some
wDulG make even more Drastic chang
es than this.
The open season for wil'lfowl or
migratory BIRDS, is Federal law
and any changes would have TO be
made at Washington. 1t is likely
that the influence of sportsmen at
the capital could easily get the law
changed to suit, and it is unlike that
opposition would develop among ma
tive sportsmen, who would rather
have a change in the season than to
lose the patronage of sportsmen.
The idea that migratory birds are
growing less N number. is discounted
by O. F. Gilbert, Elizabeth City
sportsman who says he has watched
the wildfowl situation in Currituck
county for several years, and believes
there are as many as ever. "Ihe
trouble" says Mr.. Gilbert us that the
weather seldom gets bad enough in
the fall to drive any great numbers
of the birds from the marshes ana
rivers of Maryland and Jersey. The
rough, snappy weather which brings
best luck to hunters, doesn't happen
until IN the spring now, and by that
time guides and other people IN this
section have turned their attention
to fishing and other work and are
not taking so much notice of the
movements of wildfowl."
A thing which in the openion of
many people has done the sport more
harm than anything else, IS the form
er practice of firelighting. Disturb
n goose when he is feeding, and he
will come back time after time. But
when goose is getting his rest along
the marshes at night it is bad to
bother him. Nothing strikes more
terror among a flock of geese than
the fire from guns in the night, after
they have been approached by blind
ing light confused and terrorized,
while getting their rest around the
marshes. The goose may be called
silly. but he is wise enough to shy
at the place where he has been fire
lighted and will rest next time at an
other po:nt. And he will move some
where else, everytime he is disturb
ed at night, unless be gets killed the
first time.