Smyrna times., 1926-11-10
CUNNING SEASON OPENS NEXT
MONDAY WITH GOOD PROSPECTS
RABBITS AND QUAIL REPORTED
IN MORE OR LESS NUMBERS
Over in Blackbird Hundred and Ken
ton Hundred Besides Duck Creek
Hundred Game is More Plentiful

Local farmers and residents report
a very abundant supply Of game in
this district his season. Almost
every farmer can report one or more
covey of quail as being on their
premises, and rabbits are believed to
be considerable more plentiful than
for several years. The abundance, it
is thought by many, to be largely due
to the past summer season being
mostly favorable for the young birds
and rabbits, as there We're but few
heavy rains that often cause many Of
the young to perish in their nests and
burrows. Much effort has also been
made by many local residents to stop
the running at large of dogs during
the spring and summer months, which
kill many of the old as well as young
rabbits during the burrowing period
The late fall has caused the wild seed
for the quail to grow very abundantly
large patches of this vegetation, most
ly known as the partridge pea, can be
found in the upland woods and pas
lures. Experienced gunners who
specialize in quail shooting search for
these patches, as the quail are known
to abound close to where the little
peas grow. Whole coveys of quail
will feed sometimes for period of
weeks on one patch. Rabbits are
mostly found this year in the open
fields as yet, feeding from the clover,
and those that have been found killed
along the highways from automobiles
at night are found to be in excellent
condition and heavily furred. Last
season rabbits We're very scarce in
this section, and many that were kill
ed were found to be infected with
what is known as wolves, which are
often found under the skin of cattle.
These wolves are laid as an egg un-
der he skin of animals by a bee-like
fly that lights upon them and stings.
It is during the terminating of this
eggs, which rapidly turns into worm
and sometimes crawls out of the skin,
that the animals suffers much pain.
Many rabbits last cunning season
were found to have several of these
worm-ike infections under their
throats and necks, and as rule their
flesh was found to be thin and poor.
Local gunners are getting in readi-
ness for the open season, which be-
gins Monday, the 18th, and continues
until December 81. Many farmers
who are looking forward to trying to
preserve the game claim they will
post notices on their premises and al
low no cunning this season in an eff
fort to reestablish the supply of game
that abounded in this section several
years ago. Many also advocate the
purchasing of pheasants from other
states for the purpose of turning out
in pairs on their lands next year so
as to try to again bring back the
favorite game that was plentiful here
a half century ago. At present none
are reported as being found. 1t is
also reported that an effort will be
made by those interested to amend
the Delaware game laws so as to not
allow any open season for quail for
period of five years, and also only
allow an open season for rabbits of
fifteen days, or from November Is to
December 1. The long open season
of month and half, it is claimed,
reaches too far into the winter period
when many of the rabbits are killed
from their squats.