Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-10-09
THE HUNTING SEASON.
EOvEMBEB RABBITS AND oCfobhk
oUAtL-s LONa rRANE
The Pleasures OF True sport with Dog and
Gun In Pursuit of Boo white ana "brer
abbi,p-Recoiiections OF Forced
March Through the Lower End.

instant and sHottsLnen are talking dog anu
cleaning up their breech leaders in eager
anticipation of day with the dogs in the
cover.
The rabbit season will begin with the first
of November.
Time was, and time not so very long gone
by, when partridges were plenty all over the
county. and the hilsdes OF the lower end
were sought by sportsmen every autumn, but
now "Bob White j. more rarely met with in
the shooting season, and those who know his
hsunts keep the valued secret close.
The birds have grown wiser in these days
and keep close and quiet through the hunt
ing months, but in the mating season of the
early summer, their clear, bold voices may
be heard, and as the summer passes and the
peculiar treble note changes to the loud "bob
white ~ "wheats ripe !" they often seem TO
lose all fear OF man.
The writer swung in a hammock, one after
noon this summer aud whistled back re-
plies to partridge until he came full in view
upon fence rail not hundred yards away.
Another call and answer and the bird was
down on the ground running swiftly through
the grass; then he saw me and like a flash
was out OF sight behind the bushes If the
bird knew how he doubtless swore, but he
| and his mate may have revenge some cold
beat across the fields in fruitless search, while
the little ring of birds lie close together in the
| lee of a fence or take long rapid flights tar
| out of range
DAYS SPORT.
faint gray streak in the east is the only sign
| of dawn as the hunters breakfast They
| make hearty meal, for the hunt may lead
too far away to make dinner worth return
| ing for, and they have hard days play be-
| fore them
Heavy clothing, strong shoes and ieggings
| or the psntaloons tied closely TO the ankle.
| several coats If it is cold, but by no means an
| overcoat, for movement must be untram.
meled. No gloves Hunting, like lighting
is better done without coats or gloves over
| all the cartridge vest or pouch, and shoulder
ing his chloader the.sportsman is ready
| for the fray.
The dogs know well that they are import
ant to-day and are eager to prove that the
| keenness OF their scent has survived another
summer. Soon the men and dogs are on the
| ground and guarteriug across a stubble field,
| with the north wind strong in their faces and
the level rays OF the rising sun touching the
frost clad earth with an icy glimmer. How
| cold, and damp and disagreable ii is Then,
| as the sun mounts higher and the steady
tramping warns the blood the hunters feel
more cheerful. They watch the dogs moving
steadily and rapidly with an instinct as mar
velous as reason, over every part of the
ground before them; turning, twisting, doub-
ling and redoubling but sdvancin 9 steadily
The woods beyond them haming with the
yellow and red in varied shades OF chestnut,
maple, oak and dogwood.
"Steady ~ Dash Is standing, no, he is only
moving stealthily. Rap follows; both are
moving forward with slow, nOiseless steps
every motion, every breath expires i've OF in
tense excitement shifting eagerly, their
trembling nostrlls seem TO taste aud analyZe
the air; then suddenly both are rigid a.
statues. The setter, Rap, with cad bent
slightly to the right aud level as a board
from nose to tail, left paw thrown forward
and right foot doubled up; the pointer yard
or so away in the same posture but straight
as an arrow from quiyeriug nOstrils to rigid
tail ''To, no steady ~ the sportsmeu
caution as they close up, weapons swung for
ward ready for action. A whirr and whistle
OF wings and a cloud of birds are passing to
the right with the rapidity Of arrows. They
are thirty yards away. Bang Bang, from
the right hand man followed by a bang at
long range from the left The dogs who
dropped at the rising of the birds are out on
| the field again in search of plunder.
| The right hand man gets three for his
double shot while the long range man 'sgets
left" Rap retrieves the bird, Dash finds the
| others, and away they go again. The birds
are more wary, and fly farther the next time
| ana being well grown and strong of wing,
the left hand man feels proud enough when
| scores right and LETT shot at long range
| Rap brings dead bird in. Dash Is found
| with his paw on a wounded partridge, watch
ing its struggles with a thoughtful air. So
the time flies swiftly. From field to field,
from hill to hill, the hunters follow a flock
TIL few are left or they are bsffled in the
woods and leave for other hunting grounds.
| Tired, cold worn and hungry, but anxious
| Tor another shot, they keep il up until the
shadows and the sun give warning, and all
make for home. This is lucky hunting
day, Few hunting days are lucky, but the
true sportsman can enjoy them all the same.
| HUNTING PARTIES.
Parties go out from town in the cunning
season bent on having a ajollytime, and whether
they bring home game or no, they are almost
sure OF pleasant day, for the braCng weather
keeps ones spirits up and tramp in the
open country Is good for the health OF city
men.
Rabbit hunting with good dog is sport il
the rabbits are shot on the full Jump and
care IL taken not to treat your friends to a
dose OF rabbit exterminator.
| There is another kind of rabbit hunting
where the sportsman (?) walks quietly along
the fences and the borders OF the brier patches,
and looks for the glistening black eye of q
| rabbit lying hid in some dark corner. 1t takes
| keen eye and long practice to detect this
small p!ack spot among the grass and BRAN.
| bles, but once found bunny has no chance
for life, but is knocked over at short range
In way that would make a true sportsman
| sick.
THE REAL PLEASURE.
After all, the main pleasure in hunting
whether for birds or rabbits, is not in the
killing Of the game but in the excitement
| that is given by the chance that the game
may escape, in the intelligence OF the dogs
| never so clearly shown as in the hunting
| field; and, above all in the healthy, vigorous
| exercise, when the weather is so cold as 10
make work in the sun pleasant, and the land,
| scape is clothed in the glory Of the American
| autumn unsurpassed in beauty any other
| country the world over Not the sad death
bed OF summer, that so many poets talk
| about but season far more cheerful than
our muddy spring. For in our broad land
| the summdr never dies as he must in Eng.
marches southwark. Our seasons are eternal
| Tor winter lives in Alaska.
| Apart from all the pleasures of sport, there
is ample pleasure in tramp across rough
| country in cold fall weather and there is
| plenty of rough country in the county, with
| splendid scenery by the winding streams
and rocky gorges that divide the timbered
hills. 1t has often been a source of wonder
| to the writer that Lancaster people should
seek their summer roosting places way up
among the Alleghenies, at some ''Tesort,
where the scenery is the only attraction,
when fifteen or twenty miles from town NAV
be found gleDs as romantic and brooks a.
beautiful as any in the state. 1t may tax G
ex ploration to find them, but tho pleasure OF
discovery will repay the labor.
| FORCED MARCH.
One bright cool morning not many years