The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-07-19


About the freliesoms nird.
Ono Of the most delightful hunting
sports that was INDUCED In 10 a large
extent twenty-five and thirty years
ago on the wide. level prairies Of Iii
nois has been forever suppressed by
the encroachments OF civilization: 1
alludo TO sand-hill crane hunting.
There was more delicate skill required
In this sport than in any other kind Of
hunting. perhaps, for The sfsad.hill
crane j. one OF those birds that is
noted for is extreme shyncss. and for
acuteness OF sight and hearing; and.
therefore. the hunter had to employ
the most skillful articles 70 attain any
success whatever in the sport The
crane Il wading bird. conspicuous in
is make-up for legs and neck as cx-
ceciingly slim and long AS those Of
the obnoxious animal. genus dude. II
has long. sharp-pointcd bill. long
wings, short tail and short. strong
claws They are very large birds.
some measuring from tip OF bill 70 the
Gnu ~ VIC CLAWS -ittl live tHtit-s 60
tent OF wings ninety-two. and bill
six. They are generally Of a
pure white color. but some
have a blush gray tint. The
sand-hill cranes frequent marshes.
muddy fats and open plains. migrat-
ing to warm climates In winter and re-
turning 10 the North in the summer to
breed. They fly usually at night in
large nocks. following leader in two
diverging lines. al great elevation.
and at times uttering loud cries Their
food consists principally or small
snakes, fish. mice. insects. seeds. roots
and grain. The old sand-hill cranes
used to come in immense aocks in the
middle Of October and remain until the
middle Of April in Illinois and their
familiar cries were heard along the
large sloughs and low. swampy de-
pre-sions in the vast prairie regions
OF the State. They fed upon the worms
and fish and ground mice in these
marshes. Some very peculiar habits
were exhibited by these sand-hill-.
and it seemed that they were divided
into colonies. each OF which had a
leader. whose cry was the supreme
law In the airy mornings Of the
early autumn days large numbers Of
the cranes would congregate around a
slough and all join in a regular quad
rifle. forming in couples in due form.
and going through ali the intricate
mazes Of this particular style Of
Terpsichorcan pleasure a faultlessly
as the beaux and bellies In a
West End dance. True. some OF
the young cranes were awkward. but
the old ones presented all the long
limbcd grace OF a Mary Anderson in
her dance OF Pcrdiia. But while the
flock INDUCED in dancing. the leader
stood alone and still. some distance
away. with head erect. rs II a sentinel
10 give the cry Of alarm on any ap-
proach or danger. And II was only
the most expert hunters that ever sur
prised the cranes. for their leader wa.
never unwary but as watchful Will
sensitive ear and keen eye a. any sol
der on picket duty. But the ingenious
mind Of the hunter finally hit upon a
plan that. coupled with his own pa
ticncc and practice. was moderately
successful. Horses were trained 10
steal softly with light steps over the
long waving prairie grass. up 10 the
spot where the cranes were either
holding dancing carnival or were as
siduou>ly engaged in searching for
food. by this means the horses car
ried their riders within shooting dis
lance OF the cranes. and before the
birds could poise themselves in
preparation for flight the horses
would suddenly spring in their
midst. and the hunters we're
thus given excellent opportunity
for fine shots. Hunters had learned
that IL took moment for the birds to
poise before flying. But 1t was an inn
possibility for a hunter to walk within
shooting distance Of flock without
the leader giving cry of alarm Hunt
ers have crawled for quarter Of a
mile through the long prairie grass.
over the wet marsh. mud and black
loam Of Illinois. and when almost
within shooting distance and on the
very tiptoe OF expectancy. the leader
OF the cranes would give the alarm
and away the flock would fy 10 some
adjoining slough The poor hunter
was left to dry his clothes. scrapc the
mud of and use language not at all
conducive to devotional frame OF
mind. Finally horses were trained 10
walk quietly up 10 where the cranes
we're congrcgated and rush suddenly
upon them. II was well-known fact
that hunter could ride horseback
almost up 10 the slough where the
cranes were and they would moi detect
him. or ut least take him and the ami
NAL TO be one and the same being. 1t
required long patience r. train the
horses. but the animals finally came
10 enjoy the sport with as much ze~t.
apparently. rs the hunters themselves
st Louis Globe Democrat
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