The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-23
Goose Shooting from StubbIe in
Minnesota.

[Charles A. Zimmerman, in October Scribner.l
To have anything like sport in the pur-
suit of the common wild goose (Bernicla
Canadensis), the ordinary methods of
hunting water fowl hardly answers here
besides, the lakes they frequent are not
large enough to justify the use of the bay
shooting tactics from sink-boats, and
from blinds near the water. These birds
are exceedingly wary when upon the
fields and are very seldom bagged by
stalking. In their watchfulness they
have but one rival, and he an effective
ally, in the sand-hill crane, which often
feeds in their midst, thus adding to the
difficulty of approach within effective
range.
The difficult problem of their success
ful capture was at last solved for us by
Colonel Sam Doughty, of Lake City,
Minn., who introduced shooting over de-
coys from pits dug in the stubble, or
new breaking, where it has been ascer-
tanned geese are in the habit of feeding
The decoys are of the simplest construc-
tion and greatest portability being mere
ly flat forms in good outline painted in
imitation of the wild goose; these when
seen at right angles to their fiat surfaces,
at ordinary shotgun range and beyond,
are well calculated to deceive not alone
his gooseship but even amateur sports
men.
Two flights a day are made by the
geese from the large lakes in search of
food ); one taking place at daybreak in the
morning and lasting perhaps an hour and
the other at o'clock in the afternoon,
occupying about the same length of time.
On these flights they are often accompa-
MED by the snow goose (Anser hyper
boreus) and the white-fronted goose
{ Anser Gambelii), which are called re-
spectively white and black brant though
they do not much resemble the true
brant of the sea coast (Branta hemida),
which may be found occasionally in the
midst of flocks of other kinds, yet are by
no means common.
From about the latitude of Kandiyohi
County to the Red River of the North,
the different species Of the wild goose
hold high revel, and, upon the approach
of the cold weather, may be seen in
countless thousands massing for the
southern flight. An early morning drive
along the wheat-felds which they fire.
quent will disclose when feeding either
upon stubble or breaking. They must be
allowed to depart not only unmolested,
but of their own accord, when an
examination of the feeding-ground is
carefully made, and the pits may
then at once be sunk. If there
are two shooters, as many pits are
necessary, and they are best circular
in form, about thirty inches in diameter
and forty inches in depth. The earth of
the excavation may be partially utilized
in constructing slight embankment
around the edges of the pit. The surface
of the soil about the pit-openings must be
manipulated until it accords in appear
ance with the natural surroundings. The
pits may be near enough to permit of a
whispered conversation between the occu-
pants when the game is approaching.
The decoys, to the number of a dozen or
more, being fiat, must be placed at such
angles that when viewed from any point
of the compass few apparently solid
reese are seen.