Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-04-06


Should mar its beauty rare;
But we have learned to look above, a.'
And mount at cd IS command. - "a
And since the stirring OF the nest
To trust His guiding hand. Selected
A Wild Goose. ,-. |
A vessel approaching our coast is often
for days troubled with foggy or thick
weather. The commanding officer of the
ship, unless he be a very superior and
learned navigator, ia apt in the end 10
become somewhat bewldered. While he
Is pondering over his charts, aud frequent
soundngs are being made, flock of wild
geese, or even many flocks, may be dis
cerned through the haze holding steadily
and with certainty a positive and intelli
gent course. Like the ship they may have
been enveloped for days in an impenetra-
BILE fog. Notwithstanding, they pursue
their flight with precision. and land with
certainty at their place of destination.
The captain of the vessel, supplied with
every scientific aid, supplemented by
Il large experience, and endowed with
what is called the superior intelligence of
man, is at the end cast upon beach,
the position OF which he has calculated
must be to the eastward of Cape Cod. 70
his surprise he finds that his ship is hard
aground fifty miles to the west of Mon
tauk Point on the Long Island coast. The
cubcal contents of the skull of the wild
goose are many times less than those of
mans. 1t is possible that his brain may
be more compact and mis- power of concen-
tration greater. AT least he always knows
where he is, which can not be said of the
so-called superior creature-man. The
word goose" is frequently applied as a
term OF reproach. So far, however, rs
the wild type of that bird is concerned,
it is significant of all that is profoundly
sagacious. No bird is gifted with keener
sight, a more delicate ear, or with more
exact sense of locality. Moreover, among
his kind he possesses great conversational
powers. Our organs OF hearing are not
sufficiently acute nor cultivated to enable
us TO distinguish the fine modulations with
which his tones IRE gifted, nor to interpret
Il vocabulary as extensive rs 1t is subtle.
He is a voluble talker and ceaseless COM
mentator on the various and varying
incidents which beset his daily life. The
following incident will illustrate his pos
session of those gifts which man, in his
conceit, claims entirely as his own:
An Englishman hunting caribou back of
Gaspe in Canada, was attracted by a
singular and phenomenal elevation in the
landscape. 1t is conspicuous landmark,
and an important one to the guides and
hunters who frequent those solitary wilds.
He observed that when focks of wild
geese reached this particular spot in their
autumnal flight, they changed their course
from one due west to south. The young
partly composing the flocks were disposed,
and even obstinate in their desire, to
continue straight on to the westward; the
old birds, however, SO soon as they were
above or abreast of the landmark, sheer
ed off at right angles. The obstinacy of
the young caused sore trouble to their
elders. The latter circled about them,
and by expostulation and example en-
deavored to bring them under control 1t
was not without a great expenditure OF
time and patience that the young birds
were finally induced to fall into the ranks,
and, under the guidance of their more
experienced leaders, change their course
to the south. In voice, tone and action tine
passions with which humanity is endowed
were manifested by these birds. Rage,
impatience and obstinacy were plainly
perceptible, and SO long as the sound of
their voices could be heard in the south,
scolding and expostulation could be de-
tected in their note.
A bird endowed with the sagacity of the
wild goose learns surely to avoid the
stratagems and guiles of which he is the
object. No one can assert or attempt to
| box thnrs,pl thiS bird
followed an unvarying line of flight in
his annual migrations. To-day he disre-
CARDS the traditions and accumulated
experience of centuries, and beset by sell
fish greed, he forsakes his former haunts
So long as he had but TO encounter the
perils lurking in the flint lock gun and the
wooden decov, he followed bravely the
routes in which vast generations had
preceded him The use of the live decoy
to allure him within the reach of the
modern weapon is a power which all his
sagaclty cannot overcome, consequently
he has measurably forsaken great sheets
of water which once were alive with hi:
species.
The use Of live decoys is the product o
the modern demand of the market anC
the increased necessity for the supply o
varied articles of food. Moreover, the
, amateur, whose time admits of but a few
, days sport in the season, expects that he
! shall receive a full equivalent for his ex
| penditure, and that quickly. Consequent
ly the surveyors or professional guides tc
, sportsmen resort to methods which thei
judgment and experience tell them can
in the end only be detrimental and de
} structive to their own interests.
; Live decoys are RECRUITED from wild
geese which are not so severely wounded
l but that they may recover from their in
e juries. When they have entirely conva
3 lesced, the first joint of the wing il
= removed. This precudes an attempt t
escape by fight-an instinct which even
, the most thoroughly broken bird canno
? in the spring time resist. Wild geese thu
t domesticated breed in captivity, yet ever
f the young are infected with this overpow
ering desire to fly north in the season
Several generations elapse before thi!
I desire is entirely eradicated The birds
! when first captured, are placed in al
: supply of food After time they becom
tractable and accustomed to the pre- senct
D of man. When sufficient number ha
Deen cOllecteu, elIneT through capture Vi
> natural increase, the best "honkers" ar,
. selected and reserved for decoys. Fo
r transportation to the shooting grounds
, they are confined in coops. Either DIR,
a sand bar or meadow point free from tai
y grass or sedge is the spot selected o
a which to set the decoys. If the former
/ the gunner dias a hole in which he con
ceals a box of stfficient size to admit o
his lying down at full length. The decoy
are tethered to stakes. with sufficient pla,
of line to enable them to move abou
within limited range.
:, When the "honk" of flock of will
q geese is heard the decoys lift their lonl
a necks. flap their wings and answer the
a call. The wild birds, in response, sett
" to the surface of the water, and usual.
. alight some distance off the bar or mead
ow. whence they gradually swim to tn