Evening star., 1946-01-18
OUTDOORS

<ab o'4o P-iAAs OOllAOI1oW OIlC ouSh
hunting season closes for this year.
Personally we're glad it is over
and we can put our mind to other
sports. For us it has been just an
other year Of disappointment, with
poor to Indifferent shooting over a
season of mostly bluebird days.
With few exceptions, every hunter
we have questioned feels as we do.
We very much fear that unless a
real effort Is made to revegetate the
Atlantic f1yway in areas outside Fed
eral refugees, next year and the years
following will see the same sort of
wild-fowling, regardless of the num-
ber Of ducks raised on the breeding
grounds of the North.
In our opinion, lack of food is at
the bottom of our poor shooting and
unless this situation is remedied
fewer and fewer wildfowl will use
the Atlantic fiyway.
The antif1rearms fanatics have had
another bill introduced In the Sen
ate by Albert w. Hawkes., Senator
from New Jersey, which provides
that every rifle, shotgun or pistol of
more than .25-caliber manufactured
since 1899 must be registered with
the FBI under penalty of $4,000 fine
or imprisonment for one year, or
both.
The statement Is made that such
a bill, If passed, would have a ten
dency to retard crimes of violence.
That this is fallacy has been
proved time and time again. Such
laws only work harm to the honest
and law-abiding citizen, leaving
freedom to gangsters and holdup
men to wreak their violence. Moth
ing whatever can be gained by this
type of legislation. except to place
the power to conf1scate every fire.
arm from our citizenry in the hands
of some future political party or
branch thereof which wishes to dis
arm us under the guise of some ma
tlonal emergency, whether real or
fancied.
We sincerely urge all sportsmen
who wish to keep their guns to write
their Senators and Representatives
Immediately, stating their opposition
to this bill, S.1678, as vigorously as
they can.
We received fine letter this week
from Bill Ackerman, former con-
ductor of this column and well
known to Washington sportsmen.
Bill, who now is located at 1880
S. w. 22d terrace, Miami 33, Fla,
is selling his boat, but says he
will be glad to have any of the
fellows write him for information
on Florida fishing. He expects to do
a lot OF writing and fishing on his
own account from now on.
Bill says that Fowler's Camp on
Upped Metacumbe Key, rs miles be-
low Miami, has everything in the
way of fishing. The rates are reas-
enable and there are good boats for
offshore and small boats with kick
ers for inside fishing. Right. now,
angling for small tarpon, snook, ETC.,
in the canals and inland waters and
streams is tops.
Capt. Vic Lance, who marlin
flshed out of Ocean City, Md, now
Is at Stuart, Fla, right in the sail
fish country.
Milton Gordon, another Washing
tonian well known to the angling
fraternity, now is located at 514
West avenue, Miami Beach, Fla.
Milt will enjoy hearing from his old
friends and be glad to give you lots
OF information if you'll drop him
line.
The Regional Council of the Izaak
Walton League, comprised of chap
ters in Virginia, West Virginia
Maryland and the District of Co.
lumbia, reelected John F. Stowell
as its director for the ensuing year
at the annual meeting last Sunday.
Owen Knight of Silver Spring, Md,