Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-10-06
PIGEONS.
who Catches Them and how They arc
Taken.

Taken.
Benjamin G. and Reuben Z. Allen Gather
and SOM are thrifty. wellto DO farmers
Of Turner. They also have the reputa-
ton OF being skilliul and successful
pigeon catchcrs. taking each season from
one to two hundred dollars worth Of
birds Benjamin, tho elder Allen. has
had large experience in pigeon netting,
he having sprung his first trap forty years
ago. Il was in tho State of New llamp-
shire. and the birds were more plenty
than they are now in this county. or any
part OF the State. One shilling per dozen
WAS what the Concord dealers thought
about right Tor them in those days. Now
they sell readily for twelve shillings, and
sometimes more. The Aliens have two
oeds. distant iroLl each other about one
mile. The necessity. or advantage rather.
OF two, is, that when the birds are driven
from one, by netting or from laDy other
cause. they tly TO the other and so loss IS
prevented. Our reporter visited one of
these beds lew days since. He found
il situated in the center of clearing OF
about two acres in extent. Upon its sides
was the stand, which is made by strip
ping small trees OF their foliage and
smaller limbs. and setting into the
ground. In these limbs the birds light
and remain until they are ready TO de-
scend upon the bed for the purpose OF
feeding. The bed is simply the feeding
ground cleared Tor tho purpose OF work
ing the net with which the birds are taken.
This one is about twenty by twenty three
iccl The turf has been removed and il
is rs smooth and hard as the cabin floor
of a Western pioneer. Along one edge
of the bed the grain. corn and bucGwheat,
is scattered. twelve or fourteen inches in
width. There is also grain in shallow
trough that is supported by small poles
about six feet in length. AT once upon
the disappearance of the snow in the
spr1g the beds are visited, very carefully
cleared of fallen leaves or other foreign
substances. and the birds baited by leav.
ing grain; and throughout the spring and
summer the are visited and kept con-
stanlly supplied with food. But usually
il is not until after the Aliens have har-
vested their hay crop that they make any
attempt to capture them. After haying,
they devote their time largely TO them
Almost as soon as it is light. the beds are
visited, and replenished with grain, and
again ut noon the birds are fed; while at
nearly all hours OF the day, the men. gun
in hand, are hunting their localities to see
that no outsiders trespass upon their
property, and 10 shoot the predatory
hawks which are the great scourge 10
pigeons, and encouragement to pigeon
catchers.
When the birds have gathered suli-
cient number, aud it is decided to catch
tHc net Win OOASS iOl bhc
birds is placed upon a wheelbarrow. and
the whole trundled 10 the edge of the
clearing. Here the boxes are left. until
wanted. aud the nets taken to the bed
The nets used by the Aliens are OF their
own make. the meshes being about an
inch squire. They vary in size from
twenty TO twenty-five feet. One side Of
net is attached to rope hundred feet
or more in length. The ends are gath
cred upon smaller and shorter cord say
eight feet in length. which gives slack
that forms a large bag. In setting the
net upon the bed one end of the long
rope, rs il is termed, is fastened 10 1.-THE
pole five feet high and forty or fifty feet
distant hom the bed. The other end is
attached to q similar pole in the dough
housc." which is located about thirty feet
from the bed. and directly opposite the
/ first pole. The bough house is just what
its name indicates, small house made
! boughs from which the birds are watched