Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-04
FIRE HUNTING FOR WOODCOCK.
An Old-Time Mississippi Sport Intro
duced in Pike County.

dispatch from Lackawaxen, Pa, says:
Some days since method of hunting woodcock
never before heard of among the sportsmen OF
this region was tried. on aiwell-knOwn wood
cock ground along the Shohoa creek, twelve
miles back in the woods from this place. 1t was
introduced by DR.. J.tR Butte, southerner,
who, with some New York friends and one or
two local sportsmen, had been spending some
days hunting in the Shohola country. The
party had had poor success with woodcock, al
though indications of their presence were abun-
dant. On Friday Dr. Butte suggested that the
bird by fire hunting"
"Woodcock are plenty in Mississippi" said
the southern sportsman, "but they seem to
have different habits there than here or at least
have better opportunities for evading the hunter
and preventing him from ENJOYING the shooting
of them from behind dog. The swamps and
brakes are so dense about the haunts of the
woodcOck in Mississippi that it is next to impos-
sibe to make your way into them, and in these
great thickets the birds lie close all day. When
night comes, however, they rise and seek the
cultivated open lands. where the soil is soft and
loamy, and where they feed. as they do here, on
the worms that find their natural breeding
places in such soil. l don't know who first con-
ceived the idea of getting the best of the wood
cock on these feeding grounds, but as long as
done by fire hunting. The outfit of fire hunter,
before the war, consisted of gun, a big pine
knot torch, and the strongest slave on the plan
tation. Since the war the slave has been left
out of the outfit, but the tradition is preserved
by hiring some muscular darky to perform his
duties. The torch might more appropriately
be called a pillar of fire, for it is a fire
made of the latest kind of pine knots
in large iron wickerwork cage. secured
to one end of stout pole twelve or fifteen feet
II rv1, avid inI n1Af& a1kr
bright light over an area of several rods around.
The hunter or hunters, as soon as 1T Is dark,
proceed to the wOodcock ground. The torch
bearer lights his pine knots and walks slowly
along. The hunter follows closely. In the
bright light he soon sees the lustrous, staring
eyes OF the woOdcock, disturbed in its feeding,
fixed with startled look and apparent fascina-
ton on the glazing torch. Some hunters will
not wait for the bird to rise, but kill it as it
sits The more scientific gunner waits till it
rises with its peculiar cry. and brings 1t down
by quick shot. The shot has got to be quick,
too. for the bird is seen but a second as it
flashes upward, and is then lost in the darkness
beyond the boundaries of the torch rays. To
bring down wOodcOck before 1t escapes in the
darkness requires hunter that knows his busi-
ness. 1t often happens that 4 score of birds will
rise at the same time and whirr for an instant
in the glare of the TORCH and so. generally. there
are several gunnerS III party. and one evening s
fire hunting may result in the baggng of a
hundred birds or more.
DR.. Butte questioned whether fire hunting
was legitimate or fair way to hunt woodcock
where the country permitted the use of dogs in
their covers; but it was resolved for the novelty
of the thing to give it n trial in Pike county.
A cornfield where the bottom showed abundant
evidences that woodcock fed there by night
was selected for the trial. A camp kettle was
tied to the end of a long pole and filled with pine
knot bits On Friday night the hunters sought
the cOrnfeld. The torch was lighted and car
ried by stalwart Pike county guide. The field
had hardly been entered before three woodcock
were discovered. They flushed, and each one
was brought to bag. The hunt lasted an hour,
and twenty-seyen birds were killed.
1t is not likely that this questionable sport
will be INDUCED in to any extent ty legitimate
hunters, who find the greatest enjoyment in
woodcock shooting in the exciting maneuvers
of their blooded dogs in the cover and the wild
rise of the game in its rush for place of safety;
but there are many men, who hunt only for
profit who will lose no opportunity to take adj
vantage of this southern idea, ii it proves to be
as successful as the trial of Friday night and
consequently its Introduction in game haunts,
already seriously abused by pot hunters, is
greatly to be regretted.