Wichita eagle., 1889-02-14

weather, with the boat pitching and lock
of frightened coots flying forty yards away
at the rate of nearly a mile a minute, It
wants welLbalanced head and cool nerves
To put q charge of shot among the birds
where they will do the most good.
The novice at sea fowl will often make
the error of firing at the birds as they ap-
proach head on, a position highly favorable
for the bird, unless chance shot hits its
head, for the thickly-natted feathers of the
breast will turn aside shot much as water
will roll from oiled paper
The best shot is to wait until the bird has
passed, and, as he speeds away, fire after
him.
A point-blank shot at the side IS almost
always effectual, for the feathers are thin
ner under the wings, and there are good
chances OF breaking wing, also.
Brant Rock, on the southeast coast Of
Massachusetts, is a favorIte spot for coot
shooters. Formerly the gunners used dug
outs for their sport, and days cunning
then meant hard work, for the sportsman
had to paddle his craft all the time to keep
from drifting away from the desired spot
Now, however, the method pursued is to
take boat and anchor off Brant Rock, per-
haps eighty yards. The next conner anchors
outside of this boat, gunshot off, and SO on
in succession, until string of boats two
thirds of a mile in length is formed, when
other gunners form q second, and even a
third line in the rear of the first.
The lines extend at right angles to the
shore and across the path of the coots as
they follow down the coast An approach
ing flock is first seen as long black line
on the water; an instant later the peculiar
whistl1ng Of the rapidly-moving wings is
heard, and the gunners in the boats crouch
Low.
The birds reach the first line, and the
leaders, seeing something suspicious, rise
in the air or turn seaward. The nearest
boatman fires, and as the now frightened
birds fly by, the others throw leaden pellets
and confusion into the feathered ranks.
The birds fly faster and faster, and unless
o gunner allow about four feet ahead OF
his bird he is apt to shoot behind, for they
go like a limited express train.
When the gauntlet is passed the gunners
slip their buoyed anchor lines overheard,
pick up the spoils and then resume their
places again
A buoyed line is usually sufficient to keep
a mans place for him. The choice places
are in the front row in the first eight boats
from the rock, and many early starts are
made in the hope of securing them.
The birds have to run the gauntlet all the
way from their northern breeding-places to
their winter retreats in the South. They
follow the coast down from Cape Ann, get
ting shot at off Boston, Lynn, Nahant and
Salem, and again at Cohssset, bingham,
Hull, Scituate, North Scituate, North River
and Br;lnt Rock, Marshfield, Gurnet Point
and Manomet Point, Plymouth, Barnstable,
and SO on around to South Wellfeet, where
most of them cross the cape and continue
down the outer shore.
Beside following it for a love of sport,
many men make business of cunning,
getting very fair wages. The birds are
bought by men who collect them from the
gunners, arranging to take all a man can
shoot, and paying specified sum for each
bird, which usually runs from l21s TO 10 2-3
cents, according to their abundance or
scarcity.
These men pick the birds, and get about
IS cents a pound for the feathers, eight
birds averaging a pound, although the
price has been as high as 81 pound. the
carcasses are then cleaned and peddled
through the neighborlng inland towns,
brin gng them 60 cents TO 81 per pair, &C
corciing to condi.ion. 1t is usually esti-
mated that the feathers will pay for al
trouble and expense connected with the
business. while the rest is clear profit
Golden Days