Evening star., 1933-10-08
ROD AND STREAM
BY PERRY MILLER

strike the winds came along and played
havoc with the aspirations Of the ang-
lers I am convinced there are plenty
of big trout and blues in the bay and
Lower Potomac and they will furnish
great sport before the season is over
if the heavy winds quit and the bay
remains calm. or is not badly disturbed.
We are still early in the month Of Oc-
tober, and in my opinion the best fish
ing will be around the middle of this
month.
With the upland game hunting sea-
son drawing near, this department IS
besieged by hunters who want to know
where to shoot Anything but general
information along this line would be
foolish and even dangerous. as it would
tend to concentrate gunners in par
ticular area, with the result that few
days shooting would strip that par
ticular section Of game and might re-
suit in injury to the hunters them
selves.
The only advice along this line that
might be given is for the individual 10
take the period between now and the
hunting season to look up hunting ter
ritory. Take the car out in the after
noon and find your own hunting place
spot your birds or your rabbit hunt
ing country-and then wait until the
hunting season opens.
Or you might make the ac-
quaintance Of some landowner
and arrange with him to shoot
on his land. If the land is
posted he can still give you per-
mission to hunt there and you
will be possessed of a more or
less exclusive hunting country
that you can study.
A few DAYS in the back country OF
nearby Virginia and Maryland ought
to turn up for all hunters some excel
lent shooting grounds. There is plenty
of good bird and rabbit country
herea bouts that is not posted. if the
prospective hunter wants to get out
and look for it. But this department
will not name any particular place.
With the quail shooting season near
ing in neighboring States, the dog prob
lem again becomes acute
State game officials of both Virginia
and Maryland have been deploring for
many years the scarcity of good bird
dogs and trying to encourage those who
enjoy the Fall sport TO have we'll
trained dogs when they 60 out into the
fields and woodlands.
A winged-tipped bird that can run
is seldow found without the aid of a
dog, and it is estimated that hunters
who do their hunting without dogs, or
with dogs that will not find wounded
game. leave thousands of wounded birds
in the thickets to die.
There is no reason why dog. a point
er. setter. or any Of the many breeds OF
retrievers should not be as much part
of the hunters equipment as his shot
gun and shells.
City dwellers who get out for hunt
ing several times during the open sea-
son frequently say they cannot afford
to keep a bird dog all the year around
Just for the sake of the few days hunt
ing they get. and at the same time they
keep some nondescript lap dog around
their house or apartment as pet for
themselves and their children.
They also argue that it Is cruel to
keep bird dog cooped up in city
back yard. or in an apartment.
A few minutes intimacy with bird
dog or retriever will change the minds
of some of these keepers OF lap dogs,
or those who think bird dogs place
is altogether the wide open spaces.
These dogs make the gentlest, most
lovable pets of all dogs.