Connecticut western news., 1889-10-23
PRAIRIE CHICKENS.
THE KIND OF HUNTING DAKOTA
 LADIES ENJOY.
A Sport That Takes the Place There of
 the Picnics.

A Sport That Takes the Place There of the Picnics.
 Hunting prairie chickens is the favor- ite pastime in which the ladies are in- cluded. It takes the place of picnics and excursions so largely indulged in by Eastern pleasure-seekers, says Yankton letter to the Pittsburg Com mercial A picnic is something un- heard of ill this land of Dakota, while boat excursions are very rare.
 During the very hot weather the hunts are held over, as indeed are calls or festivities of any kind. While the weather of the past week, owing to the prevalence of the southern winds, has not been conducive to the typical hunt, according to the statement of the natives, yet to bag sixty chickens in one day, as has just been done by cer- tain party, all things considered, seems worth the telling.
 There is but little use in this country to scan the heavens for weather signs, for even the oldest resident admits that all signs fail i'll Dakota, while weather prophets know enough to keep silence or to keep themselves so far away that their words are but an echo when they reach the alert dwelier of this great Northwestern State. Hence, ill the selection of day for a hunt, individual convenience alone is consulted, and by faith the pleasure | party starts forth. | Just this week one party has gono out, and, after hunt of forty miles, returned with scarce a dozen chickens. Another covering the identical route, on the succeeding day, owing to better atmospheric conditions, returned with a hundred or more of the brown speckled prairie fowl.
 When the air is hot and heavy the dogs lose the scent of the fowl, while on cool dewy morning it is no time until the chickens are tracked and the game commences early.
 Our party left bright and early in the morning ill a large top-covered wagon. Three first-class pointers trotted along with the team. Setters are frequently taken, but the pointers are preferred, as they are more able to endure the heat of the sun, and, theil hair being short, does not catch in the long prairie grass. The settlers arc usually taken in the quail hunts.
 Our pointers trotted along, some. times at the side, sometimes behind and sometimes ill front of the wagon At length one strikes the trail of $ chicken. His maneuvres were then most interesting. In zig-zag motions, in cir. cles, up and down, back and fortl through the long grass he moved, fol lowing the trail of the fowls.
 He stopped when about ten feet dis. tant from the game and on all fours his nose pointing in the direction o1 the chicken. Like statue he awaited until the wagon drove up. Often this was most tedious, for when dog fol lows trail swiftly he sometimes leaves the hunting party a mile be- hind.
 The dog, however, who proves un. faithful to his trust or who, impatien at delay, drives the chicken from his place of conceallnent, receives a sound whipping. While the enemy noiselessly pointed, the chicken lay lovr in tht grass.
 ' When the wagon drove near the mel sprang out, and, with low command urged the dog forward. The pointer then swiftly routed the chicken <*crack' went the guns, and the poo fowl fluttered its wings helplessly il the air for an instant and then dropped to the ground, from thence to be trans ferred to the game-bag and later to b. converted into palatable dish. The prairie chickens are about tn, size of spring chicken. The wilt flavor is not too conspicuous, henc they are considered dainty dish Recently large party, gayly equippe, for the hunt, arrived from Chicago fo week of sport.
 Since the terrible blizzard of tw, years ago the prairie chickens have no been as plentiful as formerly: tn quail, too, were very scarce last year This season, however, an abundance i predicted of quail.
 One of the Oldest American Clocks.